Young Henry was born in 1155, crowned in 1170 (aged 15), and married to the daughter of the king of France in 1172 (aged 17; making him potentially king of both countries), rebelled against his father in 1173 (aged 18).
Contemporary chroniclers pointed out that he had been given to lands of his own to rule. (His older brother, Henry's first-born William who died at the age of 2, had been named Count of Poitiers at birth; no such designation came to Henry junior.) Also, lack of funds for his lifestyle was given as a reason.
Henry senior had determined in 1169 how he would leave his kingdom to his sons. Young Henry would receive England and Normandy (Richard would get Aquitaine and Geoffrey would get Brittany). He had his sons' pledge fealty to Louis for their future continental lands. Louis probably took this opportunity to poison the sons' minds against their father. Henry's rule was strict, and one could not predict how long he would live. Inheritance looked a long way off (born in 1133, Henry senior was only 36 at this point).
Then Henry senior decided to be kind to his youngsters son, John, in a move that might have triggered young Henry's rebellion. John had nothing; their father even called him "Lackland." But Henry decided he would give John three castles as part of what he would bring to a marriage with Alice of Maurienne. The castles were in young Henry's territory.
Henry junior was not the only one interested in taking control from Henry senior. Richard and Geoffrey were eager to get complete control of their promised lands. Eleanor of Aquitaine had been treated poorly by her husband and joined her sons' rebellion. William Marshal, a rich and powerful lord who was young Henry's companion, supported the rebellion, as did Louis VII and the counts of Brittany, Flanders, and Boulogne. Some earls of England—Robert de Beaumont of Leicester and Hugh Bigod of Norfolk—also felt it was time to depose Henry II.
They all failed; some of them were killed in battle, like Matthew of Alsace, Count of Boulogne, who failed to recover from a crossbow bolt wound. Hugh Bigod had all his lands confiscated and his Thetford Castle destroyed.
William the Lion of Scotland took the strife in England as an opportunity to attack the north in spring of 1174. Henry II was fighting in Normandy, and arrived back in England on 8 July. He had to stop in Canterbury and do penance for the murder of Thomas Becket. Before Henry could head north, however, his right-hand man in the north, Ranulph Glanvill, captured William at Alnwick. Henry was free to g back to the continent to defend Normandy against his sons.
The rebellion was put down, the sons all pledged loyalty to their father again, they were forgiven for being led astray by older lords and advisors, and all was right with the world.
For a time. We will wrap up the (short) life of Henry the Young King tomorrow.
