All four houses are considered a part of the Plantagenet dynasty, which is why their reign is included in the Plantagenet Period that stretched from 1154 to 1485.
The first house to rule during the Plantagenet Period was the House of Anjou.
“The House of Anjou’s reign marked a period of great cultural and artistic flourishing, particularly in the realm of literature and architecture.”
David Abulafia, historian and author of “The Angevin Empire”
Anjou was a portion of land in Northern France immediately south of Normandy. Geoffrey, the count of Anjou, ruled over Anjou in the 12th century. His wife was the Empress Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I.
Geoffrey is considered the lineal ancestor of the Angevin kings of England. His son with Matilda, Henry, inherited the claim to English throne through his mother.
After the death of King Stephen in 1154, Henry became the first Angevin king to ascend to the English throne. He was also the first monarch from the Plantagenet Dynasty who was crowned as the King of England.
The Angevin kings ruled over France from 1154 to 1216. The House of Anjou furnished three kings of England, namely Henry II, Richard II, and John.
King John lost Anjou, the homeland which gave the house its name. For this reason, the subsequent heirs of King John who ascended to the throne are considered Plantagenet kings, and not Angevin monarchs.
“The Angevin kings, particularly Henry II and Richard the Lionheart, were renowned for their military prowess and strategic acumen, which allowed them to expand their realm and establish themselves as major powers in Europe.”
John Gillingham, historian and author of “The Angevin Empire”
Henry II was the first English king from the House of Anjou. He is also known as Henry Plantagenet. He became the king after the death of King Stephen in 1154. He was also the Count of Anjou and the Duke of Aquitaine.
At the time of his ascension, he was one of the most powerful monarchs in Europe. His empire stretched across England, much of western France, and portions of Wales and Ireland. This would later be known as the Angevin Empire.
Henry II had remarkable success during his early reign. However, his later life was marked by repeated rebellions from his several sons, each of them seeking power. He was succeeded by his son, Richard, famously known by his epithet Lionheart.
“The House of Anjou’s reign was characterized by a complex web of alliances and conflicts, both within England and with its continental neighbors, which shaped the course of European history for centuries to come.”
John Guy, historian and author of “The Children of Henry VIII”
Richard was the second Angevin king of England. He ruled over England as King from 1189 to 1199. During his ten-year reign, he spent very little time in England. Most of his early years were spent in securing the Angevin possessions on continental Europe.
He later went on the Third Crusade where he championed the Christian cause against the Muslim commander, Saladin. His valor and exploits during the Crusade earned him the epithet ‘Lionheart.’
Richard had no heirs. He received a fatal arrow wound during a siege in northern France and died in 1199. Upon his death, his brother John ascended to the throne.
King John was the third and final Angevin ruler of England. He first revolted against his brother, Richard II, when the latter had gone to the Third Crusade.
However, Richard forgave John upon his return. Upon Richard’s death in 1199, John became the King of England. He was crowned at a time when the Angevin possessions in northern France had either been taken over or were besieged by the French monarchs.
“Under the House of Anjou, England experienced a period of political stability and expansion, culminating in the conquest of Ireland and the establishment of the English legal system.”
Helen Castor, historian and author of “She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth”
John’s reign was marked by an almost perpetual conflict with France over the possession of continental Angevin lands. Despite numerous military campaigns which burdened the English economy, John couldn’t secure any meaningful success.
By the end of his reign, England had lost almost all its continental territories. At the same time, English barons had risen in revolt against John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta.
