1. Magna Carta

Question 1

Who was at the top of the feudal system?

Answer 1

The king

Question 2

How could you get land of the king?

Answer 2

Swearing loyalty to the King
Fighting for the King when required
Paying taxes
Keeping the countryside safe

Question 3

How would followers be given land?

Answer 3

It would be spread across the country to prevent them from becoming too powerful in one area
However, there could be an exception on border religions as it would be needed to stop invasions from Wales and Scotland
But lots of lands were set aside as Royal forests so the King could go hunting

Question 4

Why would the king fight the King of France?

Answer 4

For most of medieval period, the King owned land in France and would fight for control of that part of his kingdom

Question 5

What were Barons?

Answer 5

They were the King’s chief supporters.
They would grant land to each of their knights in exchange for support as the knights would fight for the barons, protect his castle and so on

Question 6

Where did the Knights wealth come from?

Answer 6

From the peasants/villeins who did the actual farming and would work for the knight without okay
They’d do it for 3 or 4 days every week in exchange for the land they farmed on (but didn’t own)
In this way, the King kept personal control over everyone

Question 7

What was the Church like in medieval times?

Answer 7

The church became a powerful landowner as the King and Barons granted land and money to build churches and monasteries
There were even church courts when a priest broke the law

Question 8

What was a charter of liberties?

Answer 8

When a new king was crowned, it became custom to issue a charter of liberties
For example, when Henry 1 became king, he issued a charter to all his barons and faithful men, in which he promised to abolish all the evil customs by which the kingdom of England had been oppressed
And that he’d restore English laws

Question 9

Who succeeded Richard in 1199?

Answer 9

His brother, King John.

Question 10

What happened in 1204?

Answer 10

John lost his land in Normandy to the French king and spent the rest of his rule trying to win it back.
This was expensive so John used every means at his disposal to collect money to pay people to fight for him in France

Question 11

How did he collect money?

Answer 11

In 1208, William de Briouze paid about £27,000 to make peace with King and have lands restored. However, John arrested his wife and kids who died in custody
Robert de Vaux was fined £1,300 for the King’s benevolence
John de Lacy paid £4,666 to inherit his father’s lands

Question 12

How did John use taxes to get money?

Answer 12

Made use of a tax called scrutage which was a payment the knights and barons could make, instead of fighting for the King
John used this tax 11 times and each time, the barons had to pay more and more
The barons had enough and many refused to pay in 1214 and they believed John no longer had the political/military will to retake his French lands

Question 13

How was John in disputes with the church?

Answer 13

The pope appointed Stephen Langton as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1207 but John didn’t like it and wanted to appoint someone else who he could bind to his policies.
The pope was furious and excommunicated John and banned all church services in England
Initially, John was happy with the disputes as it allowed him to divert some of the Church’s wealth to his own royal finances.
However, he eventually reached an agreement with the pope in 1213

Question 14

What was the last straw for the barons?

Answer 14

John’s defeat in neither war in France in 1214.
It was obvious John couldn’t retake Normandy and he tried to do another scrutage tax. However, the barons met this with a lot of resistance and wanted to challenge John.
They circulated Henry 1st’s Coronation charter and said it was a good basis for agreement with the King
The pope backed John and ordered the Barons to support their King but it was too late and most people were on the Barons side - John knew his position was weak

Question 15

What happened at Runnymede 1215?

Answer 15

The two sides met at Runnymede in June.
The barons had drew up their own list of grievances and demands with Stephen Langton’s help and presented them to John
John felt he had no other option but to sign the charter although he never intended to keep it as he saw it as a temporary agreement
To the barons, it was a last chance for John to behave and rule as a good king should
These demands became known as the Magna Carta

Question 16

What are some clauses of the Magna Carta?

Answer 16

• The English shall be free and have its rights undiminshed
• No widow shall be compelled to marry
• No ‘scrutage’ or ‘aid’ may be levied in our kingdom without its general consent
• To any man whom we have deprived or dispossessed of lands, castle, liberties or rights, without lawful judgement, we will at once restore these

Question 17

How had the idea of a ‘Charter’ been used before?

Answer 17

When Henry 1 became King, he issued a Coronation charter promising to abolish all evil customs by which England had been oppressed
He also suggested he would restore laws that dated back to Edward the confessor
Similarly, King Aethelred, issued a charter saying he’ll govern more justly than he did before

Question 18

What happened after the Magna Carta was signed?

Answer 18

When the barons tried to implement the terms of the Magna Carta, King John refused and civil war broke out.
The pope wrote to King declaring the charter invalid

Question 19

What did the barons do when King John refused to follow the Magna Carta?

Answer 19

They made an alliance with the King of Scotland and invited the Prince of France to come to England and be crowned King.
He arrived in May 1216 with an army to do so.
John had some success but lacked support and wealth necessary to do so.
However, in October 1216, John died and his son Henry was only 9 but everyone thought he was the rightful heir to the throne. Prince Louis excepted that and went back to France.
A group of barons ran the country till Henry was of age

Question 20

What is the significance of the Magna Carta?

Answer 20

It was reissued in 1216, 1217, 1225, 1265 (when Henry was prisoner) and by Edward 1 in 1297 and 1300
Magna carter was significant as it establish that the king was not above the law and consent had to be given to impose taxes and everyone had right to a free and fair trial

Question 21

How was Magna Carta significant in later times?

Answer 21

In Stuart times, Sir Edward Coke claimed that Magna Carta is such a fellow that he will have no sovereign
Arthur Beardmore in 1762, taught his son to read Magna Carta
The Army in Mexico quoted Magna Carta in 1994 to try and protect indigenous people from exploitation by big businesses

Question 22

What were the overall effects of the Magna Carta?

Answer 22

It had no immediate impact -John went back in his word
Peasants were still not free - ordinary people stay same
Barons, merchants, and church benefited
Introduced idea that the king wasn’t above the law
Eventually more people gained their freedom
Other kings reissued Magna Carta