The earls in Henry the Second's reign.

The object of the thesis is to provide a total picture of
the earls in Henry II's reign. Chapter One looks at the history
of earldoms in England, before and after the Norman conquerors
brought with them Carolingian and Norman traditions of local
government. Chapter Two examines the duties, rights and perquisites of the earls as local officials, how their position
changed in the course of the eleventh and early twelfth centuries,
and how, except in certain special cases, their practical role
as local officials became insignificant early in Henry Ins
reign. Chapter Three looks at various aspects of the lives of
Henry II I s earls: their constant travelling; their residences;
their military lifestyle and culture, and their religion.
Chapter Four describes the complex structure of the earls'
honours, and the financial and administrative problems that the
earls faced. Chapters Five and Six examine the relationship
between the earls and royal government. Chapter Five looks at
the role of the earls in central government, both as individuals
and as a group, the impact on the earls of royal justice and the
increasing dependence of the earls on a favourable position at
the royal court. Chapter Six deals specifically with taxation:
the role of the earls in forming taxation policy; the impact of
taxes on the earls, and the growing dependence of taxation on
individual feudal and political relationships between king and subject. Chapter Seven examines the revolt against Henry II in
1173-4, the greatest crisis of the reign, in which many earls
were involved, both for and against the king. Chapter Eight
looks at the region comprising Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk
and Suffolk, showing the earls in their role as powerful local
landlords and Henry II's efforts to establish effective royal
control in the area.