In early medieval France, the Count（伯爵） of Anjou became enthralled by a mysterious woman. They married and had several children. But the Count grew concerned because his wife always left church before Mass（弥撒） was celebrated. One day he ordered his knights to stop her. But she pulled free and flew out through a window. The Countess of Anjou was never seen again.

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enthrall: to keep someone completely interested

According to this legend, all 15 Plantagenet kings of England were descended from the demon Countess of Anjou. Her blood flowed in their veins. And over the centuries, this provided an explanation for the fierce temper, the bloody family feudsand the brutality of the Plantagenet.

feud: an argument that has existed for a long time between two people or two groups, causing a lot of anger or violence

Richard, the Lionheart himself once declared defiantly, 

defiantly: in a way that proudly refuses to obey authority

"from the devil we came and to the devil we will go."

In the medieval world, all politics was family politics, and the Plantagenet family dominated England for more than 300 years through some of the nation's most famous and infamous kings.

King John.

Henry Ⅴ.

Richard Ⅲ.

They were driven by dynastic ambition, striving to expand their power beyond their French homeland. In the process, the culture and politics of the British isles were transformed. England's distinctive system of justice was established. Parliament was born, and the great Gothic cathedrals transformed the landscape.

The Plantagenets developed a new style of warfare in their attempt to claim Scotland. 

They conquered Wales.

And half of Ireland.

And their great royal castles hammered home their power.

hammer home:再三强调到彻底了解，硬性灌输

When the Plantagenets won the kingdom of England, it was shattered and lawless. Under their rule, it was transformed into one of the best governed states in Christendom（基督教世界）. But their story is one ofintrigue, conflicts, and violence. They fought their enemies but also turned oneach other.

intrigue（此处）: (the making of) a secret plan to do something, especially something that will harm another person

Sons made war on fathers, brothers betrayed brothers, powerful queens conspired.

The future of western Europe would be shaped by this extraordinary dynasty, this Devil's brood.

brood: a group of young birds all born at the same time, or (informal)  a person's children

The Plantagenets

The Devil's Brood

The story of England's longest reigning dynasty begins here, in Anjou, western France.

12th-century France was dominated by its great barons（男爵） rather than by its nominalking. And these fertile farmlands of the Loire Valley were the domainof the Count of Anjou.

nominal: in name or thought but not in fact or not as things really are

domain: an area of interest or an area over which a person has control

In 1128, and enragedPrincess arrived here.

enrage: to cause someone to become very angry

Her name was Matilda and she was the only surviving legitimatechild of king HenryⅠ of England, and his acknowledged heir. Her father had commanded her to marry a 15-year-old boy, Geoffrey, the oldest son of the Count of Anjou.

legitimate: allowed by law

Matilda was outraged. She was 26 years old. She was the granddaughter of William the conqueror. She was the widow of the mighty Holy Roman Emperor. She always called herself "Empress". Geoffrey was the heir of a mere Count.

Matilda was notoriously willful. But in the selection of a husband she had no say. Princesses were a powerful tool used by Europe's medieval dynasties to expand their territories. King Henry hoped that the arranged marriage at Le Mans Cathedral would produce a male heir, who would ultimately become Count of Anjou,  Duke（公爵） of Normandy and King of England.

willful: (of something bad) done intentionally, or (of a person) determined to do exactly as you want, even if you know it is wrong

Things didn't go according to plan. Both Geoffrey and Matilda were proud and quarrelsomepeople, and after atumultuousyear they separated. But this was, above all, a political union, and reconciliation was soon imposed. Matilda rejoined her teenage husband and performed her royal duty, giving him three sons in three years.

tumultuous: very loud, or full of confusion, change, or uncertainty

reconciliation: a situation in which two people or groups of people become friendly again after they have argued.

This ended any doubts about the succession, and alsolaid the foundations ofa powerful new dynasty.

Le Mans museum contains the only surviving image of Geoffrey of Anjou. It once adornedhis tomb.

adorn: to add something decorative to a person or thing

This plaque contains one of the earliest examples ofheraldry- that system of vivid symbols through which the ruling families of Europe were beginning toproclaimtheir dynastic pride. 

plaque: a flat piece of metal, stone, wood, or plastic with writing on it that is attached to a wall, door, or other object

proclaim: to announce something publicly or officially, especailly something positive

The distinctive pattern of blue and white on the inside of Geoffrey's  cloak is called ‘vair", representing the winter pelt of squirrels.

pelt: the skin and fur of a dead animal, or the skin with the fur removed

And the golden lions on his shield were adopted by his descendants as the royal coat of arms. And, ultimately, became one of the most familiar national symbols of England.

Geoffrey was an energetic, intelligent man with golden-red hair. By all accounts, he was handsome, and known as "Geoffery the Fair". But he also had another name.

It comes from the Latin for the broom（金雀花） plant. Planta genista. Plantagenet.

No one knows for certain why Geoffrey was called plantagenet. One theory is that it's because he wore asprig of the plant in his hat. But in any case, for over 300 years, none of his descendants bore the name. Kings don't need surnames.

sprig: a single small plant stem with leaves on it

But it's proved a useful label for historians to describe that long line of monarchswho descendedfrom Matilda and the young Geoffery of Anjou.

monarch: a king or queen

15 Plantagenets would be crowned kings of England, but they had to fight to win the throne.

HenryⅠ had named Matilda his heir. But when he died in 1135, the English throne was seized by Matilda's cousin - Stephen.

The Plantagenets fought back.

Geoffrey led a successful invasion of Normandy, which had been part of HenryⅠ's dominions, while Matilda cross the Channel to claim her crown. This started almost two decades of civil war.

Government virtually collapsed, and England descended into a period of bloody conflict, often called simply "the Anarchy".

anarchy: a situation in which there is no organization and control, especially in society, because there is no effective government 无政府状态

The PeterboroughChronicle（彼得伯勒编年史） describes England's fate as the Plantagenets fought to securetheir birthright.

secure（此处）: to make certain something is protected from danger or risk

birthright: something that you believe you deserve to have because of your family situation or social class, or because you believe it is your right as a human being

God and his saints slept. Every powerful man built his castle and filled it with devils and evil men. Theygrievouslyoppressedthe wretchedpeople of the land. They tortured them for their gold. And when the people had no more to give, theyplundered and burned.

wretched: very ill or very unhappy

plunder: to steal goods violently from a place, especially during a war

In the winter of 1142, the war turned against Matilda. Her cousin Stephenbesiegedhere in Oxford Castle. Her garrison held outfor 3 months, but with their supplies running low, they were close to surrender.

garrison: a group of soldiers living in or defending a town or building, or the buildings that the soldiers live in

Onewintry night, Matildawrapped herself in a white cloak. Camouflagedagainstthe heavy snow, she slipped out of a side gate. She crossed the frozen river in front of the castle, and managed to pass unseen through the ranks of Stephen's army.

Matildatrudged for 7 miles through thefrigid night. She eventually made it to the safety of Wallingford Castle. Now she was free to continue her struggle.

trudge: to walk slowly with a lot of effort, especially over a difficult surface or while carrying something heavy

frigid: (of weather conditions or the condition in a room) extremely cold

For another decade, civil warravagedEngland. The fighting could onlybe brought to a stop when her eldest son came of age - a male heir, a direct descendant of HenryⅠ.

ravage: to cause great damage to something

Matilda's son Henry was a charismatic young man who'd inherited Matilda's determination and temper along withGeoffrey Plantagenet's red hair, intelligence and boundless energy.

Henry also inherited his parents' claims to the English throne and much of northern France. As a young man, he was granted Normandy. Later, he inherited Anjou. He then expanded Plantagenet territory again through a profitable and unexpected marriage.

This is the great hall of the ducal palace（公爵宫殿） in Poitiers, home of the court of Aquiraine - that vast and wealthyprincipality（公国）that encompassed a quarter of the French lands.

principality: a country ruled by a prince, or from which a prince takes his title

The Duke had an only child, a beautiful and well-educated daughter called Eleanor. When she was about 15, her father died unexpectedly. Eleanor of Aquitaine was now the greatest catch in Europe.

catch（此处）: a person who is considered to be very suitable as a romantic or marriage partner

The king of France, Louis Ⅶ, snatchedthe prize. But Louis couldn'thold on toEleanor or

Aquitaine. The King was a pious man, but his new queen was ambitious and worldly.

snatch: to take hold of something suddenly and roughly

pious: strongly believing in religion, and living in a way that shows this belief

worldly: practical and having a lot of experience of life

Eleanor once said, "I've married a monk, not a monarch".

monk: a member of a group of religious men who do not marry and usually live together in a monastery

And there was another problem. The French king needed a son and Eleanor gave birth only to girls.

After 15 years and two daughters, Louis persuaded the church to declare the marriage void. 

void（此处 adj.）: having no legal authority and therefore unacceptable

The great heiress was once again available. Suitorscircled, eager to obtained her hand and her lands. But Eleanor was headstrongand independent. She was determined to marry the man who could help her fulfill her own dynastic ambitions - Henry Plantagenet.

suitor: a man who wants to marry a particular woman

headstrong: very determined to do what you want without listening to others

Eleanor sent word to Henry to meet her in Aquitaine. As she made her way there from Paris, Eleanor had to evade kidnappers, who wanted to marry herforciblyand lay claim toher lands.

Henry and Eleanor married in a hastilyarranged ceremony in Poitiers Cathedral.

This was a scandalousmarriage. Henry was 19, Eleanor around 30. And Eleanor's union with the King of France had beenannulledonly 2 months earlier.

scandalous: making people shocked and upset

annul: to officially announce that something such as law,  agreement, or marriage no longer exists

The French king had been outmaneuvered by his ex-queen and Henry Plantagenet. He was humiliated by the scandal and he'd also lost half his territories. By inheritance, by conquest, and now by marriage, Henry had built upan enormousconglomeration of lands in France, and soon he and Eleanor would have four sons to secure the future of the dynasty. But the French king never forgave the Plantagenet upstart.

outmanoeuvre: to cleverly get an advantage over someone, especially a competitor

conquest: the act of conquering a country, area, or situation

conglomeration: a large aroup or mass of different things all collected together in an untidy or unusual way

upstart: a person, especially a young one, who has suddenly got power or an important position and takes advantage of this in an unpleasant way

The Plantagenets was still fighting for their birthrightin England, but the dynasty was thriving.

A decade after Henry and Eleanor's wedding, this cathedral was completely rebuilt in the newGothic stylesweeping acrossFrance.

Structurally stronger, pointed arches allowed these dramatic, soaring vaults and vast windows.

Henry and Eleanor graced the new cathedral with the gift of this wonderful east window. It's one of the oldest stained-glass windowsin France.

grace(v.): to be in a place, on a thing etc. and make it look more attractive

The royal couple arethemselves depicted on it, along with their four sons, presenting their gift to God.

It proclaims the pietyof the Plantagenet dynasty and their family solidarity.

piety: strong belief in a religion that is shown in the way someone lives

Henry now set his sights onwinning the greatest prize of all - the English crown.

Crossing the Channel with a small army, Henry found England devastatedby nearly two decades of the civil war between Stephen and Matilda's supporters.

His arrival persuaded many barons to join the Plantagenetcause.

cause（此处）: a socially valuable principle that is strongly supported by some people

Henry and Stephen's armies confronted one another here at Wallingford Castle.

These few mounds and walls are all that remain of one of themightiestfortresses of Medieval England. Stephen was besiegingthe castle and Henry had come to relieve Matilda's loyal forces. The armies faced one another across the river. A contemporary chronicle, Gesta Stephani, describes what happened next.

mound: a large pile of earth, stones, etc. like a mall hill

It was a terrible thing to see so many armed men with drawnswords, ready to kill their relatives andfellow countrymen. And so the chief men on each side shrankin horror from civil war and the destruction of their kingdom.

Because the two armies refused to fight, Stephen and Henry were forced to talk.

According to the chronicles, they met outside the castle, one on either side of the stream. And eventually they came to an agreement. King stephen would continue to rule, but he recognized Henry as his lawful heir.

The very next year, Stephen wasseizedby a terrible pain in the gut and a flow of blood. The king was dead. The negotiations that began here would lead to more than three centuries of Plantagenet rule in England.

On the 19th of december, 1154, henryⅡ became the first Plantagenet King of England. This French speaking monarch now ruled a vast empire thatstretchedfrom the Scottish borders to the Pyrenees.

Henry's first priority was to restorepeace and order. 

Hetore down hundreds of the baron's castles. Then, to extend Plantagenet power across the country, Henry turned to the law.

This manuscript, which is more than 800 years old, is one of the treasures of Bailey Old College, Oxford. It contains a text known as Glanville, the earliest guide to the workings of the English law. It was written during the reignof HenryⅡ and is one of the foundations of the English legal system.

These are itsopening words.

Royal power should not only be adornedwith arms to fight rebels and hostilepeople but also with laws to rule its subjects in peace.

Henry inherited a complexjudicial system, where cases could be heard in a variety of local courts. In order to concentrate power in his own hands, Henry introduced swiftand consistent royal justice, as set out here in Glanville.

Henry established central courts at Westminster, and sent newly appointed royal justiceson a circuit around the country. The circuit judges would meet regularly and agree to follow one another decisions, thus ensuring common practice throughout England.

circuit(Law, Specialized): a particular area containing different courts that a judge visits

A distinct method of law making emerged. Laws now evolved throughprecedent as well as royal decree.

distinct: clearly separate and different (from something else)