Henry the Young King Blog

Dear Readers, I am sorry, but I will disappoint you. The title of this post may suggest that the discovery similar to that of uncovering Richard III's earthly remains beneath the Leicester car park has been made... Nope. Unfortunately. However, my latest Henry the Young King revelation is equally exciting, at least when I'm concerned (how could I possibly live not knowing about THIS???). And I owe it to Philip of Alsace, the count of Flanders, who was not only Henry's relative (his mother, Sibylla of Anjou, was the sister of Henry's paternal grandfather, Geoffrey le Bel), but also fellow tournament patron and chief ally in the Great Revolt of 1173-74*.
But to the point! While preparing my previous post about the June anniversaries I was looking for the images depicting Philip and came across this:

It is the 15th century manuscript illumination depicting the coronation of Philippe Auguste [Philip Augustus] on 1 November 1179. Do you remember who held the crown for him on …

On 19 June 1177 the only child of Henry the Young King and Marguerite of France was born at Paris, at the court of its grandfather, Louis VII (1120-1180). It should have been an occasion for rejoicing, but instead the young parents were stricken with grief, for, according to the English sources, 'the young queen was delivered of a still-born son' (Howden). The French, however, claimed that the child lived long enough to be baptized and named William, and I assume they were right. After all the child was born in their realm. We can only speculate what course the history might have taken had baby William survived. Certainly he would have been his father's pride and joy and I believe that Henry would not have waged war against Richard in 1183. (Note: Little William's arrival and his quiet passing has been poignantly described by Ms Elizabeth Chadwick in her novel on William Marshal, The Greatest Knight).
Here are other Henry the Young King related events that took place in…

On this day 844 years ago, our Henry, aged fifteen, was crowned king at Westminster Abbey by Roger of Pont-l'Eveque, the Archbishop of York. Henry, since then called the Young King, was to be the only English monarch crowned in his father's lifetime. Last year I wrote a post about the coronation and the surrounding events here. I don't mean to brag, but it's a good one, so if you have a minute or two, check  the link out :-)



Also recently my changes to the Polish version of Henry the Young King Wikipedia article have been accepted and introduced, so I'm very happy for my Liege Lord. With the minor, but necessary corrections made, I have also written the entirely new section entitled "Młody Król w literaturze" ["The Young King in Fiction"], mentioning Devil's Brood by Ms Sharon Kay Penman and The Greatest Knight by Ms Elizabeth Chadwick. The article can be found here.

11 June 1183. Saturday. Feast day of St Barnabas the Apostle. A young man, with a sapphire ring fervently pressed to his lips, lay dying in the house of Etienne Fabri’s. He knew that only minutes shared him from being 'translated from shadows to light, from prison to kingdom, from mortality to life, from exile to fatherland’ (Peter of Blois). He also knew that he had committed many sins, both against his father and the Almighty. To repent, to make amends, to die with honour and dignity, he had a hair shirt put on him and asked to be draggedout of bed byanoose around his neck. This done, he addressed the clergymen that gathered at his deathbed: ‘By this cord I deliver myself, an unworthy, culpable, and guilty sinner, unto you, the ministers of God, beseeching that our Lord Jesus Christ, who remitted his sins to the thief when confessing upon the cross, will, through your prayers, and through his ineffable mercy, have compassion upon my most wretched soul!’(Howden). According to his…

Wonderful news! I have just found out that Professor Matthew Strickland's book on Henry the Young King has been accepted for publication. As I am reading, it is "the first full length study for a century of the eldest son and principal heir of Henry II". How very exciting! Detailed information here.

Professor Strickland is already Henry's benefactor.  His “On the Instruction of a Prince: the Upbringing of Henry, the Young King” in Henry II: New Interpretationscan be called, no more no less, but the turning point of Henry's posthumous career :-) Those of you, who would like to learn more about the Young King than the standard "rebellious son", "second Absalom" and "charming, vain, idle spendthrift" should read Professor Strickland's works. Henry the Young King can also be found in his War And Chivalry: The Conduct And Perception Of War In England And Normandy, 1066-1217.