Attempts to Promote the Sainthood of Henry…

Attempts to Promote the Sainthood of Henry the Young King and His Funeral Procession (1183 CE)

Following the death of Henry the Young King on June 11, 1183, his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and a faction of his friends attempted to promote his sainthood, portraying him as a penitent prince cut down in his youth. Despite his rebellion against his father, Henry II, they emphasized his acts of repentance, including his prostration before the crucifix and his request for his crusader’s cloak to be taken to the Holy Sepulchre.

A notable advocate for Henry’s sanctity was Thomas of Earley, Archdeacon of Wells, who soon after Henry’s death published a sermon describing miraculous events that supposedly occurred during the transport of his body to Normandy.

The Funeral Procession and Miraculous Accounts

Henry had left specific burial instructions:

• His entrails and other body parts were to be buried at the Abbey of Charroux.
• The rest of his body was to be laid to rest in Rouen Cathedral, the capital of Normandy.

However, his funeral did not proceed smoothly.

Difficulties During the Procession

• His mercenary captains seized a member of his household, demanding payment for debts the late prince had owed them.
• The knights accompanying his corpse were so impoverished that they had to rely on charity for food at the monastery of Vigeois.
• Wherever the procession stopped, large and emotional gatherings formed, demonstrating the people’s deep reaction to Henry’s death.

Burial at Le Mans Instead of Rouen

• Upon reaching Le Mans, the local bishop halted the procession and ordered Henry’s body buried in Le Mans Cathedral.
• This was likely a political decision, as Henry’s death had caused civil unrest, and keeping his remains in Le Mans may have been an attempt to defuse tensions in the region.

Legacy and Abandoned Efforts at Canonization

• Despite attempts to promote Henry as a saint, his reputation as a rebellious son and failed ruler prevented his canonization.
• Nevertheless, his funeral procession and reported miracles fueled legends about his piety in death, reinforcing his tragic image as a young king who never ruled.

Henry the Young King’s tumultuous life was mirrored in his death, as unpaid debts, political unrest, and miraculous tales ensured that his legacy was contested even in burial.