Library pathfinder: foreign relations of the Angevin Empire (1154-1214)

December 6, 2012

This pathfinder will guide users to resources about the foreign relations of the Angevin Empire. The Angevin Empire was a medieval collection of states ruled by the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty from 1154 to 1242. At its extent, it consisted of part of Ireland, all of England and roughly half of medieval France. Being an expanding empire, it engaged in important diplomacy and war with its neighbors in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and France. Plantagenet rule and power declined severely by defeat from Philip II’s France at the Battle of Bouvines (1214). Richard I of the Empire also partook in the Third Crusade, in which he traveled to the Holy Land to engage the Muslims, and the Plantagenet kings disputed with the papacy as well. Marriage alliances are key in this period so you will find plenty of information on them. The three Angevin kings were in order, Henry II, Richard the Lionhearted and John.

Encyclopedia entry

If you are unfamiliar with the Angevin Empire or would like a short and general outlook of the entity before proceeding, you may want to begin by taking a look at this encyclopedia entry to orient yourself:

Angevin empire. (2012). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/24620/Angevin-empire

Websites

Here are some websites containing relevant information. They highlight the important diplomatic happenings of the period and may be a good place to look before you delve into the heavily detailed books. There are webpages focusing specifically on Henry and John as well as Scotland. There are also webpages summarizing the whole period.

(2012, August 11). The Angevin Empire. Retrieved from http://ata1515.hubpages.com/hub/The-Angevin-Empire

angevinman. (2011, July 14). Anglo-Scottish Relations in the Angevin Empire: A model for the 21st Century [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://angevinman.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/anglo-scottish-relations-in-the-angevin-empire-a-model-for-the-21st-century/

This is an informative blog post that focuses on the Angevin relations with Scotland, contrasting Henry’s defense against the rebellions of 1173-4 with Richard’s tolerance of Scottish independence.

historion.net • History Online • Henry the Second • CHAPTER II. THE ANGEVIN EMPIRE. n.d. Retrieved from http://historion.net/henry-second/chapter-ii-angevin-empire

Ibeji, M. (2011, June 20). The Character and Legacy of Henry II. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/henryii_character_01.shtml

King John. n.d. Retrieved from http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/plantagenet_3.htm

Wilde, R. n.d. The Angevin Empire. Retrieved from http://europeanhistory.about.com/od/europeasawhole/a/The-Angevin-Empire.htm

Books

Accessibility

Gillingham, J. (1984). The Angevin Empire. New York: Holmes & Meier Publishers.

This book is one of the more accessible ones as it is fairly succinct and easy to read. Gillingham seems to be speaking to his reader as he writes. He also includes a useful introduction that does well in explaining what the Angevin Empire entailed.

Detailed (difficult read)

Both of these books are very detailed, filled with many names and places. They are chock full of information, but it can be rough to wade through it.

Davis, H. W. C. (1905). England under the Normans and Angevins, 1066-1272. New York: G. P. Putman’s Sons. Retrieved from http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011927459;seq=7;view=1up;num=iii

This is a rather complete survey of the period and is rather neatly organized as well. There is a lot of information but the chapters are sensibly divided. The topics being discussed are included in the margins, next to the paragraphs, as you read. From the conquest of Ireland to the Battle of Bouvines, it pretty much covers it all.

Ramsay, J. H. (1903). The Angevin Empire. London: Oxford University Press.

This book contains intricate details of troop movements from Ireland to the Holy Land. There are also maps of the troop formations included for several battles. An entire chapter is devoted to the Battle of Bouvines. If you are interested in the military aspect, this book is quite good.

Next, I have included books each devoted to one the three Angevin kings:

Henry II (reigned 1154-89)

Hosler, J. D. (2007). Henry II: A Medieval Soldier at War, 1147-1189. Boston: Brill.

This book is devoted to military history so there are discussions of castle fortifications and siege tactics as well as the strategies of the Angevins and France. Of course, the military is absolutely relevant when studying diplomacy.

Richard Lionheart (reigned 1189-99)

Turner, R. V. & Heiser, R. R. (2000). The Reign of Richard Lionheart: Ruler of the Angevin Empire, 1189-99. New York: Pearson Education.

This book challenges Gillingham’s portrayal of Richard by offering a view of the famous ruler that is less positive. The economic portions of this book are strong as it compares the comparative revenues of the Angevins and the Capetians (the ruling dynasty of France) using figures from past researchers.

Wilkinson, C. (1933). Cœur de Lion. New York: D. Appleton-Century Company.

This book is a bit lighthearted with more personal stories of Richard. It tells of the chivalrous relationship he had with Saladin, commander of the Muslims. It reads like a storybook and you get a more on-the-ground feel of Richard’s actions.

John (reigned 1199-1216)

Appleby, J. T. (1959). John, King of England. New York: Alfred A Knopf.

A strength of this text is the inclusion of letters showing correspondence between John and his relatives and the King of France.

And the rest

Aurell, M. (2007). The Plantagenet Empire, 1154-1224 (D. Crouch, Trans.). Harlow, England: Pearson Education.

The biggest draw to this book is that it was written by a French historian and translated into English. Therefore, you can read the history of this state, which was important in forming the national identities of both England and France, from a French perspective as opposed to an Anglophone one.

Mortimer, R. (1994). Angevin England, 1154-1258. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.

The key chapters are four, The King and the Church, and five, England and its Neighbors. Through these, you can read about the foreign relations of the empire with the papacy and nations on the British Isles (Wales, Scotland, Ireland) and states on the Continent (France, Navarre, Aragon).

Norgate, K. (1887). England under the Angevin Kings (Vols. 1-2). London: Macmillan and Co.

This is a two volume set with the first volume covering relations with France near the beginning of Henry’s reign and the second volume covering the rest.

Stubbs, W. (1891). The Early Plantagenets. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Maps can be helpful especially if you are unsure of where places are. This small book has a map of medieval in the inside cover though it is small. It is a light read compared to the other books and can serve as a gateway book.

Vale, M. (2007). The Ancient Enemy: England, France and Europe from the Angevins to the Tudors, 1154-1558. New York: Hambledon Continuum.

This book focuses on the Anglo-French relationship, setting it within the larger context of medieval Anglo-French animosity. It discusses the ideological advantage and legitimization of the Capetians as the sacred rulers of Europe, descended from Charlemagne, and the Plantagenets’ lack of one.