13th Century (1200s) Flashcards
What failures marked King John’s reign? (r.1199-1216)
- Who He Was:
- Successor following his brother Richard the Lionheart’s death.
- Failures:
- Lost Normandy to France.
- Lost in the First Barons’ War.
- Excommunicated by the Pope over a dispute regarding who would succeed as next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Footnote: His failures provoked Magna Carta, one of the most enduring constitutional documents in Western history.
What is the Magna Carta and its significance? (1215)
- What It Was:
- Famed royal charter forced on King John by rebel barons at Runnymede.
- Significance:
- Declared the king to be subject to law.
- Established rights for the nobility and clergy.
- Paved the way for constitutional rights.
Footnote: Though eventually annulled, it was reissued multiple times under later kings.
What triggered the First Barons’ War, and what was its outcome? (1215-1217)
- What It Was:
- Civil war between King John and rebel barons over perceived violations of the Magna Carta.
- Outcome:
- King John dies mid-conflict.
- His son Henry III reissued the Magna Carta to restore order.
Footnote: French Prince Louis was even invited by barons to take the English throne but was ultimately repelled.
How did the Charter of the Forest complement the Magna Carta? (1217)
- What It Was:
- Charter restoring public access to royal forests.
- Significance:
- Complemented the Magna Carta by extending legal protections to the common people.
Footnote: A rare medieval document addressing peasant rights directly.
Who was King Henry III? (r. 1216–1272)
- Who He Was:
- Successor to and son of King John following his death.
- Faced the Second Barons’ War.
Footnote: Reign marked by political instability and lavish religious spending, especially on Westminster Abbey.
Who was Simon de Montfort? (1208-1265)
- Who He Was:
- Baron leader of the rebellion against King Henry III.
- Created the “first representative English Parliament” in 1265, which included knights and burghers.
Footnote: Though killed later that year, he’s considered a founding figure in parliamentary development.
What was the significance of the Battle of Evesham? (1265)
- What It Was:
- A decisive battle that ended the Second Barons’ War.
- Significance:
- Simon de Montfort was killed.
- The king’s authority was restored, but the battle led to lasting changes in the English Parliament.
Footnote: Brutal battle—de Montfort’s body was dismembered on the field.
How did Edward I’s (Longshanks) military campaigns shape his legacy? (r.1272-1307)
- Who He Was:
- Successor to and son of Henry III following his death.
- Known as Edward Longshanks due to his height.
- Military Campaigns:
- Known for his military successes and terroritoral gains, particularly against Wales and Scotland.
Footnote: Nicknamed “Hammer of the Scots”; highly effective yet harsh ruler.
What is the “Model Parliament” of 1295, and why is it significant?
- What It Was:
- Convened by Edward I, it was a highly representative assembly with “two knights from each county and two burgesses from each town.”
- Significance:
- Set a precedent for the bicameral structure (Commons + Lords) of future English parliaments.
Footnote: Became the prototype for future parliamentary development.
When was the University of Cambridge founded, and why is it significant?
- When It Was Founded:
- Founded in 1209.
- Significance:
- Established by émigrés from the University of Oxford fleeing persecution from local authorities.
Footnote: Its foundation stemmed from violence—town–gown conflict in Oxford.
What was the Statute of Westminster? (1275)
- What It Was:
- Legal reform issued under Edward I
- Codified common law; regulated landholding; addressed local abuse
Footnote: First of three major Westminster statutes—laid groundwork for centralized legal authority.
