John T. Appleby is a member of the American Historical Association, editor of the American Historical Review for many years, and the author of a number of biographies of English kings of the 11th and 12th centuries. Creating a biography of King Henry II, Appleby set himself the task of collecting all the facts and presenting the life of this great man to readers as accurately as possible. The basis for the book was archival materials: decrees of the king, various kinds of state papers, private letters and memories of people from his majesty’s entourage. The whole life of Henry II, the grandson of King Henry I and the father of the future king Richard the Lionheart, took place in intrigues and endless battles and was subordinated to the main goal - to conquer and rule. He did not forget about reforms and created the best system of public administration in Europe at that time, carried out judicial reform, established a jury trial, and streamlined the law on weapons. He was one of the most powerful kings of his time and one of the greatest sovereigns of England.