Henry II, who came to the throne of England in 1154, was one of the most effective of all England’s monarchs. He ruled over an empire that included half of France as well as England, Wales and Scotland. This meant that he had to travel a lot, and while he was away, he wanted a government that would function well in his absence.
The chief officers in the kingdom were the Chancellor, the Keeper of the Privy Seal, and the Treasurer. They looked after all affairs of the state. Henry instituted many reforms to weaken traditional feudal ties and strengthen his position. Unauthorized castles built during the previous reign were razed. Monetary payments replaced military service as the primary duty of those under him. The exchequer, which looked after the king’s financial affairs, was revitalized to enforce accurate record keeping and tax collection. Henry empowered a new social class of government clerks that stabilized procedure.
Henry is considered to be the founder of English Common Law.