stminster, where five barons permanently presided to handle judicial business. This court became know as the 'Court of Common Pleas' (Amt 54). Henry also furthered his ideal of centralization by imposing a scutage tax, or 'Shield Money' tax. By doing this Henry was able to hire mercenaries to act as his soldiers, thereby eliminating the bonds of loyalty that knights would have to their lieges. Henry also sought to remove baronial power from the collection of taxes (Everard, 87). He appointed sheriffs to take over tax collection from the barons, and in doing so achieved a much more effective method of collecting taxes, as well as removing most of the barons from the financial system of taxation. There would be other methods of taxation, such as the 1/10th tax in 1188. This tax was placed upon Saladin to gather monies for the crusades against the Mohammedans in Jerusalem. The tax required that "Every one shall give in alms for this year's aid of the land of Jerusalem a tenth of his rents and moveables." (Amt 54) Henry would also reinstate the fyrd, or national army, in 1181. This assize of arms stated that every man who had the fee of a knight would have to outfit himself as such and be prepared to fight. in doing this, Henry had built him self a sizable fighting force, all loyal to the king, making England relatively safe from invasion.Henry II, King of England, ruled strong and intelligently during his reign, making England one of the strongest countries at the time. Three important things occurred during his reign. The first one is the relationship between Henry and Thomas Becket. The second thing is the achievements he had done to help England become a strong and powerful country. The third important thing in his reign is how he altered the financial system, to take power away from the barons, and using taxes to help him build a fighting force, to keep England from being invaded....
