? 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（彌撒） 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.

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 feuds and 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:再三強(qiáng)調(diào)到徹底了解，硬性灌輸

? 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 of intrigue, conflicts, and violence. They fought their enemies but also turned on each other.

intrigue（此處）: (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 nominal king. And these fertile farmlands of the Loire Valley?were?the domain of 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 enraged Princess arrived here.

enrage: to cause someone to become very angry

? Her name was Matilda and she was the only surviving legitimate child 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 quarrelsome people, and after a tumultuous year 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 also laid the foundations of a powerful new dynasty.

? Le Mans museum contains the only surviving image of Geoffrey of Anjou. It once adorned his tomb.

adorn: to add something decorative to a person or thing

? This plaque contains one of the earliest examples of heraldry - that system of vivid symbols through which the ruling families of Europe were beginning to proclaim their?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 a sprig 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 monarchs who descended from 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 無(wú)政府狀態(tài)

? The Peterborough Chronicle（彼得伯勒編年史）?describes England's fate as the Plantagenets fought to secure their birthright.

secure（此處）: 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. They grievously oppressed the wretched people of the land.?They tortured them for their gold. And?when the people had no more to give, they plundered 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 Stephen besieged here in Oxford?Castle. Her garrison held out for 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

? One wintry night, Matilda wrapped herself in a white cloak. Camouflaged against the 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.

? Matilda trudged for 7 miles through the frigid 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 war ravaged England. The fighting could only be 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 with Geoffrey 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（公爵宮殿） in Poitiers, home of the court of Aquiraine -?that vast and wealthy principality（公國(guó)） 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（此處）: a person who is considered to be very suitable as a romantic or marriage partner

? The king of France, Louis Ⅶ,?snatched the prize. But Louis couldn't hold on to Eleanor?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（此處 adj.）: having no legal authority and therefore unacceptable

? The great heiress was once again available. Suitors circled, eager to obtained her hand and her lands. But Eleanor was headstrong and 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 her forcibly and lay claim to her lands.

? Henry and Eleanor married in a hastily arranged ceremony in Poitiers Cathedral.

? This was a scandalous marriage. Henry was 19, Eleanor around 30. And Eleanor's?union with the King of?France had been annulled only 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 up an enormous conglomeration 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 birthright in England, but the dynasty was thriving.

? A decade after Henry and Eleanor's wedding, this cathedral was completely rebuilt in the new Gothic style sweeping across France.

? 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 windows in 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 piety of 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 on winning the greatest prize of all - the English crown.

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

? His arrival persuaded many barons to join the Plantagenet cause.

cause（此處）: 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 the mightiest fortresses of Medieval England. Stephen was besieging?the 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 drawn swords, ready to kill their relatives and fellow countrymen. And so the chief men on each side shrank in 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 was seized by 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 that stretched from the Scottish borders to the Pyrenees.

? Henry's first priority was to restore peace and order.?

? He tore 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 reign of HenryⅡ and is one of the foundations of the English legal system.

? These are its opening words.

? Royal power should not only be adorned with arms to fight rebels and hostile people but also with laws to rule its subjects in peace.

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

? Henry established central courts at Westminster, and sent newly appointed royal justices on 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 through precedent as well as royal decree.

distinct: clearly separate and different (from something else)