First Barons War - 1214 Flashcards
Causes
King John was not popular. He failed repeatedly in wars, earning him the nickname ‘softsword’. His failures in France had resulted in him losing land, both his and the barons’, which earned him the name ‘lackland.’ He also imposed heavy taxes, which people did not like.
When the Archbishop of Canterbury, Hubert Walter died on 13 July 1205, John became involved in a dispute with Pope Innocent III over the new appointment that would result in the King’s excommunication (when the Pope declares that someone is outside of the Catholic Church).
In 1214 John began his final campaign to reclaim Normandy from the French. When he left for Poitou in February 1214, many barons refused to come with. After initial successes, John is forced to retreat, King Philip of France wins the battle of Bouvines. A peace agreement is reached where John returns Anjou to Philip and pays him compensation.
Methods
In 1214 the Barons raised an army against King John. John held a council in London in January 1215 to discuss reform. Robert Fitz Walter is the leader of the rebels. They march on London, take the capital, as well as Lincoln and Exeter.
They met at Runnymede in June 1215. There they created Magna Carta: new taxation could only be levied with consent from the barons, there would be limits on scutage and other feudal payments
Despite his promises, John appealed to the Pope, claiming that the charter compromised the Pope’s rights under the 1213 agreement that had appointed him John’s feudal lord. Pope Innocent declared the charter illegal, unjust, demeaning and excommunicated the rebel barons. The negotiations break down and war begins
Rebel barons turned to Louis, the son and heir of King Philip II of France. Louis sent the barons a contingent of knights to help ‘protect London’. He ended up agreeing to an open invasion despite discouragement from Pope Innocent III.
The French fleet invaded in May 1216. John fled to Winchester. Louis had little resistance in marching on London. Louis was proclaimed king in London. Nobles give homage to him. Many of John’s supporters moved to support the barons. Louis pursued John, meeting John’s army at Winchester Castle and besieging it. By July, a third of England was under his control. Louis began a siege of Dover but the well-supplied garrison was powerful. After three months of siege, Louis called a truce on this battle and returned to London.
In October 1216, John contracted dysentery which eventually killed him. His nine year old son Henry became King. A number of barons sided with the young Henry. He is crowned at Gloucester Abbey in front of a papal legate (emissary, representative of the Pope).
Outcomes
Long Term: Before the Civil War in the 1640s, Coke cited the Magna Carta in his support of the Petition of Right in criticising Charles I.
The US Constitution drew on Magna Carta, particularly in the Fifth Amendment.
Viewed as first step to Britain becoming a democracy
Short Term: King John went back on his word, meaning Magna Carta had no immediate impact on Society
Peasants and villeins were still not free; nothing changed for ordinary people at the time.
Only politically powerful i.e the barons and the church benefited from Magna Carta
