Kay Adelin’s Reviews > The Restless Kings: Henry II, His Sons and the Wars for the Plantagenet Crown > Status Update

Now to the dysfunctional family wars XD gotta love those.

Beckett and Henry’s falling out… the banter is ✨GLORIOUS✨
I need to find an entire record of the account so I can really read all the stuff. The vaguely hidden barbs and friendship-destruction is, like, Hollywood worthy haha!

Most of this section was on the establishment of the exchequer and legal system in Henry II’s England, which I can now see is fundamental to understanding his falling out with Beckett. But also it’s a bit overwhelming and I wish it was explained more, especially some of the legal and financial terminology.
But now that I’m to the Beckett/Henry arguments, I’m all here for it 🤩

Oooh Thomas Beckett has been mentioned 😶‍🌫️

Henry II’s early years of settling things as king do remind me somewhat of Henry I in the justice/fairness department, though Henry I had more non-nobles in his retinue it seemed.

Also gotta love Henry II’s way of solving disputes: “oh, so there’s two guys fighting over a castle and title? That’s an easy fix—I’m taking the castle and titles, haha!”

The first chapter summarizes the entirety of The White Ship by Charles Spencer, so it’s a nice refresher having read that first! The end of the chapter however goes more into depth of Henry II’s securing of England, his relationship with his parents, and his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine.
I love the tidbits about Henry II with his parents, esp how he read classical literature with his father during a siege hehe!

Got to read a bit before work… so far the introduction is a good overview of stuff which The White Ship by Charles Spencer covered. Which is also a promising sign! The map of the “Angevin Empire” was super helpful too, and really emphasized just how much land Eleanor of Aquitaine brought to the table with her marriage to Henry II (and Henry II’s own lands were massive even without hers thanks to both of his parents).

Pre-Read: Excited to read this after finishing Charles Spencer’s The White Ship. Where Spencer left off with Henry II, I’m hoping to see Barratt pick up. (Never read this author before so hopefully it’s good; Dan Jones’s endorsement is promising!)

Also I’m so ready for more crazy family drama! In The White Ship, we had the Dramatic Norman Bros, now we have the 2.0, and arguably more dramatic version of them!