The study of the reign of King Henry II of England (1154‐1189) has been vibrant since the 19th century. As sources for his reign have been discovered, edited and printed, a host of scholars have attempted to assess his impact upon medieval diplomacy, law, politics, and warfare. The array of narrative texts, record documents, and financial records, however, is dizzying in both number and size and can be confusing for non‐specialists. Sorting through the sources by type, as well as situating them within a historiographical context, is a necessary first step towards a fuller understanding of the modern scholarship.