Upon Henry II’s accession in 1154, the English kingdom became part of a wider ‘Empire’ extending, at its fullest, from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees. Until Henry III’s death in 1272 England’s importance varied in the minds of its rulers. This module will examine the relationship between king and kingdom, asking how royal rule changed after the pivotal events of 1204, when much of the dynasty’s continental power was lost, and 1215, when the barons of England imposed the celebrated charter of liberties, Magna Carta, upon their king. We will consider how the Angevins governed England, and the crises in which they were involved: the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket; the excommunication of King John by Pope Innocent III; and the thirteenth-century baronial attempts to restrain royal power. Participants will be introduced to contemporary narratives, papal and royal letters, and official documents. We will explore the political, religious, and military history of the Angevin kings of England, and ask how they came to be known as ‘the devil’s brood’.

• To demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the rule of the kings of England in the late twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and to discuss this in an informed manner.
• To demonstrate an understanding of the historical background and historiography of the subject.
• To analyse themes and issues such as the so-called ‘loss of Normandy’, or the causes and consequences of Magna Carta, in the light of the historical background and argument.
• To express your ideas and assessments relating to a full range of issues and interpretations arising from the course, for instance the Becket crisis, or the thirteenth-century baronial efforts to control royal power.
• To demonstrate an understanding of selected primary sources and an appreciation of how historians have approached them.
• To evaluate the relative merits and demerits of alternative views and interpretations of key events and evaluate their significance.
• To identify problems, assess evidence, and reach conclusions consistent with them relating to the themes raised by the course.

A range of teaching methods will be used in each of the sessions of the course, comprising a combination of lectures and seminar discussion of major issues. The syllabus is divided into a series of major course themes, then sub-divided into principal topics for the study of each theme.

Lectures:

The aim of the lectures is to provide a brief introduction to a particular topic, establishing the salient features of major course themes, identifying key issues and providing historiographical guidance. The lectures aim to provide a basic framework for understanding and should be thought of as useful starting points for further discussion and individual study. Where appropriate, handouts and other materials may be distributed to reinforce the material discussed.

Seminars:

The primary aim of seminars will be to generate debate and discussion amongst course participants. Seminars for each of the course topics will provide an opportunity for students to analyse and further discuss key issues and topics relating to lectures.

• communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether in class discussion or in written form, in an accurate, succinct and lucid manner.
• formulate and justify arguments and conclusions about a range of issues, and present appropriate supporting evidence
• an ability to modify as well as to defend their own position.
• an  ability to think critically and challenge assumptions
• an ability to use a range of information technology resources to assist with information retrieval and assignment presentation.
• time management skills and an ability to independently to organise their own study methods and workload.
• work effectively with others as part of a team or group in seminar or tutorial discussions.  

Students will be assessed by means of a combination of one 1000 word assessed essay [15%], one 2000 word assessed essay [35%] and one two-hour unseen written examination paper in which the student will answer two questions [50%].

Course assignments:

1. Assessed Essay 1will contribute 15% of the final mark for the module. It is designed to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to review evidence, draw appropriate conclusions from it and employ the formal conventions of scholarly presentation. It must be no longer than 1,000 words (excluding empirical appendices and references).
2. Assessed Essay 2will contribute 35% of the final mark for the module. It is designed to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to review evidence, draw appropriate conclusions from it and employ the formal conventions of scholarly presentation. It must be no longer than 2,000 words (excluding empirical appendices and references).
3. The Examination will take place during the second assessment period [May/June] and will consist of an unseen two hour paper that will contribute the remaining 50% of the final mark for this module. Students must write 2 answers in total.

1. England’s place within the Angevin ‘Empire’.
2. The government of Henry II.
3. Richard I: warrior, crusader and absentee king?
4. The crises of King John’s reign.
5. Crown vs Church: the Becket crisis; the excommunication of King John.
6. Magna Carta and its successors.
7. The government of Henry III.
8. The king’s advisers and major figures in government.
9. The British context: Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.
10. Queenship.
11. Royal religion and its influence on kingship.
12. The portrayal of the king and his court.

M. Aurell (trans. D. Crouch), The Plantagenet Empire, 1154 – 1224 (Harlow, 2007).

D.A. Carpenter, The Reign of Henry III (London and Rio Grande, 1996).

D. Crouch, William Marshal. Knighthood, War and Chivalry, 1147 – 1219 (London, 2002).

J.C. Holt, Magna Carta (2^nd edn., Cambridge, 1992).

J.R. Maddicott, Simon de Montfort (Cambridge, 1994).

R. Mortimer, Angevin England 1154 – 1258 (Oxford, 1994).

See Essential Reading and Resource List