He was supposed to be sitting in his chair
of state, with the crown upon his head, his eyes half-closed in
slumber, his beard as white as snow and so long that it reached
the ground.
"When the ravens cease to fly round the mountain," said the legend,
"Barbarossa shall awake and restore Germany to its ancient greatness."
Henry the Second 1154-1189 and His Sons 1189-1216
I
In 1154, while Barbarossa was reigning in Germany, Henry II, one
of England's greatest monarchs, came to the throne.
Henry was the son of Geoffrey Plantagenet (Plan-tag'-e-net),
Count of Anjou in France, and Matilda, daughter of King Henry I
and granddaughter of William the Conqueror. Count Geoffrey used
to wear in his hat a sprig of the broom plant, which is called in
Latin "planta genista." From this he adopted the name Plantagenet,
and the kings who descended from him and ruled England for more
than three hundred years are called the Plantagenets.
Henry II inherited a vast domain in France and managing this in
addition England kept him very busy. One who knew him well said,
"He never sits down; he is on his feet from morning till night.
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