Henry II, born in 1133 in Le Mans, France, was the son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, and Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England. Growing up, Henry experienced the tumultuous period known as The Anarchy, a civil war between his mother and Stephen of Blois over the English throne. Although Stephen was eventually recognized as king, the experience heavily influenced Henry's perspective on rulership.

Assuming the throne in 1154, Henry II became one of the most powerful European monarchs. His domains spanned from the Scottish borders to the Pyrenees, an empire commonly referred to as the Angevin Empire. Henry was a gifted administrator; he introduced legal reforms that reduced the arbitrary exercise of noble power and increased the scope of the royal courts, laying the foundation for the English Common Law system. These reforms, embodied in the Assize of Clarendon, were revolutionary in streamlining and codifying justice in England.

However, Henry’s reign was not without challenges. One of the most significant conflicts was with the Church. His appointment of his close friend, Thomas Becket, as Archbishop of Canterbury backfired when Becket defended ecclesiastical privileges against royal encroachments. Their feud culminated in Becket’s murder in 1170 by knights supposedly acting on an outburst from Henry, a deed that shocked Christendom and stained Henry’s reputation.

In terms of foreign relations, Henry spent much of his reign defending his vast territories, often against France. To bolster his position, he entered into the Treaty of Windsor with the King of Portugal, a long-lasting alliance. Moreover, his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine not only brought the vast Duchy of Aquitaine into his empire but also resulted in eight children, creating numerous opportunities and challenges for dynastic alliances.

Family relations, however, proved to be one of Henry's greatest challenges. Eleanor and their sons frequently clashed with him. Their sons – especially Richard (later Richard the Lionheart) and John (later King John of Magna Carta infamy) – often rebelled against him, fueled by a mix of personal grievances and political ambitions.

Henry II's demise in 1189 was marred by a sense of betrayal; his final days were shadowed by his sons' rebellions, especially Richard's. He died in Chinon, France, feeling betrayed and abandoned. As for the English people, their feelings would have been mixed. While many benefited from his legal reforms, the constant warfare and family conflicts might have tainted their view of his reign.

Culturally, Henry's reign saw the flowering of a truly Anglo-Norman culture. Romanesque architecture transitioned to the early Gothic style, evident in constructions like Canterbury Cathedral. Literature also thrived, with the courtly love traditions of the troubadours spreading from Eleanor's Aquitaine to England.

In essence, Henry II was a transformative figure in English history. His reign established many governmental and legal structures that would shape the nation's future. While his personal life and relationships were fraught with conflict, his legacy as a ruler is undeniable in the annals of English governance and law.