Often claimed to be the greatest dynasty to rule England, the Plantagenets had their origins in the county of Anjou. Gaining the English crown after a bloody civil war, Henry of Anjou restored the power of royal law and built an empire to rival the legendary Charlemagne, which at its greatest extent stretched from Ireland to Aquitaine. Drawing on chronicles, letters, art and architecture we will discover the fascinating world of Henry II and his family: Richard 'the Lionhearted', crusader and knight, and John 'Lackland, a remarkable organiser but a terrifying king. And behind them all, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the 'embodiment of charm'. Through their lives explore the achievements and failings of this most dysfunctional dynasty in marriage, kingship, war and piety. Lecture style with question and answer time.