A longer life for Henry II of England

I

Henry II of England recovers from dysentery on 1189, he previously arranged the marriage of John of England to Alice of France, Eleanor of Aquitaine dies imprisoned and is buried on Poiters, Richard would blame his father for his own mother’s death, this is not helped by the fact that Henry II married Alice of Vexin, the woman who was betrothed to Richard.

Richard inherits the Duchy of Aquitaine but Maine, Anjou, Normandy and England would remain under the hands of his father who will decide who will inherit those lands.

His surviving sons, Richard and John would be surprised of the fact and aside from that, Henry II suggested that Richard should go to a crusade and forget about Alice of France, Countess of Vexin, Alice of France, Countess of Vexin was betrothed to Richard when she married Henry II.


The marriage between King Henry and Alice would produce children, namely Henry(b. 1190) and Stephen(b. 1192)



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II
On the latter part of 1189, Henry of Champagne is married to Berengaria of Navarre, the marriage has been arranged by Richard the Lionheart, since he wanted to abandon his match with Berengaria because he himself is against the match because Eleanor is the one that suggested the match and he and Berengaria are no longer understanding each other, the match would later result to Navarre being inherited by Champagne, Berengaria and Henry of Champagne liked each other and subsequently, Berengaria gave birth to a son named Henry.


Henry II, Count of Champagne m. Berengaria of Navarre(a)

1a. Henry b. 1190

2a. Eleonore b. 1192

3a. Marie b. 1195

4a. Theobald b. 1198


On the latter part of 1189 just after Henry of Champagne married Berengaria of Navarre, Richard the Lionheart would also marry his niece, Matilda(Richeza) of Saxony to Eudes, son of Hugh III the duke of Burgundy as adviced by Henry II of England, that would cement the Plantagenet-Burgundian alliance, they would have the following children.


Eudes III of Burgundy m. Matilda of Saxony


Eleonore b. 1191

Alix b. 1194

Hugh IV b. 1196

Matilda b. 1198


The alliance between Eudes of Burgundy to the Plantagenets would have an effect on the dynamics of the politics in France.

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III

Henry II of England creates a treaty dividing the inheritance of the Plantagnets on 1190, England and Normandy would go to John and Anjou and Maine would go to Richard and since Richard is the eldest surviving son, he would feel cheated by it and the sons of Alice and Henry would inherit the Vexin territory.


Richard would be the one upset by the arrangement favoring John compared to him because he is the favorite son of Henry while Richard is the favorite son of Eleanor, Henry II believes it is better for John rather than Richard to inherit because Richard is more continental than John.

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IV


Isabella of Jerusalem's stepfather, Balian of Ibelin, was one of Conrad's supporters. He and his partisans decided that the marriage of Isabella and Humphrey should be annulled. The marriage was childless. The contemporaneous Itinerarium Regis Ricardi described Humphrey around 1190 as "more like a woman than a man, gentle in his dealings and with a bad stammer". Isabella's mother, Maria Comnena, entered Isabella's tent, forcing Isabella to leave with her.

Maria Comnena also swore that Baldwin IV had forced her daughter to marry Humphrey at the age of eight. Ubaldo Lanfranchi, Archbishop of Pisa (who was Papal legate), and Philip of Dreux, Bishop of Beauvais, annulled Humphrey's marriage to Isabella. During an inquiry about the two prelates' decision that Pope Innocent III ordered, a group of knights who were present at the proceedings stated that both Isabella and Humphrey had protested against the decision. Baldwin of Forde, Archbishop of Canterbury, forbade Isabella to marry Conrad, stating that both Isabella and Conrad would commit adultery if they married, but he died, Isabella would refuse to marry Conrad of Montferrat.


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V


In September 1190 Richard and Philip arrived in Sicily. After the death of King William II of Sicily his cousin Tancred had seized power and had been crowned early in 1190 as King Tancred I of Sicily, although the legal heir was William's aunt Constance, wife of the new Emperor Henry VI. Tancred had imprisoned William's widow, Queen Joan, who was Richard's sister, and did not give her the money she had inherited in William's will. When Richard arrived he demanded that his sister be released and given her inheritance; she was freed on 28 September, but without the inheritance. The presence of foreign troops also caused unrest: in October, the people of Messina revolted, demanding that the foreigners leave. Richard attacked Messina, capturing it on 4 October 1190. After looting and burning the city Richard established his base there, but this created tension between Richard and Philip Augustus. He remained there until Tancred finally agreed to sign a treaty on 4 March 1191. The treaty was signed by Richard, Philip and Tancred. Its main terms were:


Joan was to receive 20,000 ounces (570 kg) of gold as compensation for her inheritance, which Tancred kept.

Richard officially proclaimed his nephew, Arthur of Brittany, son of Geoffrey, as his heir if he has no legitimate heirs of his own and Tancred promised to marry one of his daughters to Arthur when he came of age, giving a further 20,000 ounces (570 kg) of gold that would be returned by Richard if Arthur did not marry Tancred's daughter.

The two kings stayed on in Sicily for a while, but this resulted in increasing tensions between them and their men, with Philip Augustus plotting with Tancred against Richard. The two kings finally met to clear the air and reached an agreement, including the end of Richard's betrothal to Philip's sister Alys (who is now married to Richard's father Henry II).


In April 1191 Richard left Messina for Acre, but a storm dispersed his large fleet. After some searching, it was discovered that the ship carrying his sister Joan.


On 1 May 1191 Richard the Lionheart’s fleet arrived in the port of Lemesos on Cyprus. He ordered Isaac to release the prisoners and treasure. Isaac refused, so Richard landed his troops and took Limassol. Various princes of the Holy Land arrived in Limassol at the same time, in particular Guy of Lusignan. All declared their support for Richard provided that he support Guy against his rival, Conrad of Montferrat.


The local magnates abandoned Isaac, who considered making peace with Richard, joining him on the crusade, and offering his daughter in marriage to the person named by Richard. Isaac changed his mind, however, and tried to escape. Richard's troops, led by Guy de Lusignan, conquered the whole island by 1 June. Isaac surrendered and was confined with silver chains because Richard had promised that he would not place him in irons. Richard named Richard de Camville and Robert of Thornham as governors. He later sold the island to the master of Knights Templar, Robert de Sablé, and it was subsequently acquired, in 1192, by Guy of Lusignan and became a stable feudal kingdom.


The rapid conquest of the island by Richard is more important than it may seem. The island occupies a key strategic position on the maritime lanes to the Holy Land, whose occupation by the Christians could not continue without support from the sea. Cyprus remained a Christian stronghold until the battle of Lepanto. Richard's exploit was well publicized and contributed to his reputation, and he also derived significant financial gains from the conquest of the island. Richard left Cyprus for Acre on 5 June with his allies


On July after the arrival of Richard, Richard the Lionheart marries Isabella of Jerusalem, the ceremony was very much celebrated by his fellow crusaders including Philip II of France.


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VI
On June 1193, Isabella of Jerusalem gives birth to a daughter named Eleanor, named after the deceased mother of Richard the Lionheart, on her birth she is betrothed to the future Louis VIII of France.

By 1191, Berengaria requested an annulment of the engagement with Conrad of Swabia from the Pope, later On 1193 while going to Aquitaine from Jerusalem with his wife Isabelle of Jerusalem while passing to Italy, Richard of England would offer a marriage between Eleanor of Brittany and Conrad of Swabia, ending the betrothal between Berengaria and Conrad and Richard planned having Berengaria married to the King of Aragon.

On the latter part of 1193, Richard the Lionheart and Isabella of Jerusalem would arrive in Aquitaine.


Berenguela was sent to Aragon on the early part of 1194 and married on Barcelona with Prince Peter of Aragon, around the same time Baldwin of Bethune would accompany Eleanor of Brittany to Swabia in order to meet Conrad of Swabia, the two were married a while after they met.

Henry II would find about the two marriage matches after they had been already done.

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Wait, rewinding a bit...the most interesting English king gets more years? Awesome! But how does he best the rebellion along with the disease?
 
Wait, rewinding a bit...the most interesting English king gets more years? Awesome! But how does he best the rebellion along with the disease?

My plan is for richard to predecease henry ii and and his children are taken care by Philippe Auguste.
 
VII
Isabella of Jerusalem would give birth to three boys namely, Fulk(1194), William(1196) and Henry(1198).

Henry II would have reconciled with Richard, Duke of Aquitaine in 1198, however in Jerusalem, Richard would die in battle with Saladin on 1199, leaving his children as minors in the hands of the French King, Fulk is declared as count of Anjou and Maine by Henry II of England and William(Guilhem) is declared as duke of Aquitaine and his children would be fostered by Philippe Auguste.

Isabella of Jerusalem would remarry to Guy of Lusignan which would give her further children but the heir to Jerusalem would be the youngest son of Richard, Henry.

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VIII


Henry II confirms John as his heir, in this point in time since 1190, John is married to Matilda of Boulogne who has given him two children namely Blanche(1192) and Henry(1195).


Matilda of Brittany, the second daughter of Geoffrey of Brittany travels to Leon in 1199, wherein she would be married to Alfonso IX of Leon who recently divorced Teresa of Portugal, she takes the name Mafalda upon marriage, in this time Constance of Brittany gave birth to a son and daughter from Ranulph de Blondeville named Constance(b.1192) and Conan(b.1195).

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note:
so the POD also involves Matilda of Brittany also surviving and constance of brittany having children with her second husband..
 
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1189

-Henry II of England recovers

-Eleanor of Aquitaine dies in captivity and buried in Poitiers

-Henry of Champagne marries Berengaria of England

-Eudes of Burgundy marries Matilda/Richeza of Saxony

1190

-Philip and Richard arrive in Sicily.

-Henry II makes John his heir on England.

1191

-Isabella of Jerusalem is divorced from Humphrey of Toron.

-Arthur is proclaimed heir in case Richard the Lionheart has no heirs

1192

-Richard the Lionheart arrives in Jerusalem and marries Isabella of Jerusalem.

1193

-Isabella of Jerusalem gives birth to Eleanor who is betrothed to Louis of France on birth, Richard and Isabella arrive on Aquitaine.

1194

-Berenguela of Castile marries Peter III of Aragon

-Eleanor of Brittany marries Conrad of Swabia

-Isabella of Jerusalem gives birth to Fulk of Anjou


1196

-Isabella of Jerusalem gives birth to William(Guilhem) of Aquitaine.


1198

-Isabella of Jerusalem gives birth to Henry of Jerusalem.
-Conrad of Swabia crowns himself as King of the Romans.


1199

-Henry II confirms John as his heir in England and reconciles with Richard the Lionheart

-Matilda of Brittany marries the divorced Alfonso IX of Leon

-Richard dies and his children are put in care of Philippe Auguste, Fulk is given the Counties of Maine and Anjou
 
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IX

Soon after, the tyrannical power of the foreign King, Emperor Henry VI in Italy spurred a revolt, especially around Catania and southern Sicily, which his German soldiers led by Markward of Annweiler and Henry of Kalden suppressed mercilessly. However, even his wife Constance, provoked by the neglect of Henry and pitying on her countrymen, also joined the revolts against him and besieged him in a castle, forcing him into a treaty. In the midst of preparations Henry fell ill with chills while hunting near Fiumedinisi and on 28 September died, possibly of malaria, in Messina, although it is also widely believed that he was poisoned. His wife Constance had him buried at Messina, his mortal remains were transferred to Palermo Cathedral after Pope Innocent III had remitted Henry's excommunication in 1198.


Conrad of Swabia, the husband of Eleanor of Brittany had himself elected king of the romans in early 1198, with the support of his followers against Otto of Brunswick.

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X
On 1200, Since Henry II had a secure succession now that Richard is now dead and now can consolidate his own support to John, who he had made as the duke of Normandy, he went to Philip II in order to have his support on having his declared heir, John as the King of England in the future after his death.


Henry II confirmed the betrothal of Eleanor, the daughter of Richard II as part of the deal of side stepping Arthur of Brittany and the sons of Richard in exchange he would give up his claims to Anjou to the sons of Richard and confirming the English suzerainty of Brittany and ceding fiefs in Berry and the county of Evreux, in the treaty of Le Goulet and acknowledging that Boulogne and Flanders as French fiefs.


Eleanor, the daughter of Richard II married Louis of France on 1200 in St Denis cathedral.
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