John's conflict with the Barons Flashcards
When did the Barons first plot against John in frustration?
1212.
Give the 6 main reasons why the Barons were frustrated enough with John to plot against him.
- John’s fallout with the Pope
- His loss of Normandy
- Financial problems
- John’s taxing behaviours
- His abuse of power
- The Battle of Bouvines
Why did John’s fallout with the Pope cause problems for the Barons?
- The interdict frustrated the Barons, as they couldn’t carry out Church-related activities.
- John’s excommunication split their loyalty. They had to choose to stay loyal to John, keeping their land, or to the Church, in order to get to Heaven.
Why did John’s loss of Normandy frustrate the Barons?
John brought shame to the country with his loss of Normandy. The loss also meant a decrease in tax revenues, which led to financial problems on top of the money he’d already wasted fighting.
Explain the financial problems John caused that led to his Barons’ frustration.
- The loss of Normandy meant a decrease in tax revenues, which led to financial problems on top of the money he’d already wasted fighting.
- Inflation therefore rose in England.
- Despite this, John spent public money on himself (e.g. £700 on clothes for a Christmas feast).
- John also worsened the economy by increasing taxes to raise money to retake his lands in France, which he failed to do anyway.
Give examples of John’s outrageous taxing behaviours which frustrated his Barons.
- Raised wardship fines 300%
- Fined a Baron £810 for marrying w/o his permission
- Demanded 11 scutages, despite this being an emergency tax.
- All these taxes he’d collected were to go towards the Battle of Bouvines to take back his lands in France. But he failed, despite it allegedly costing £135,000.
Give 3 examples of John’s abuses of power which frustrated his Barons.
- John closed down the courts at Westminster, and the judicial eyres in the countryside; only his judges were allowed to hear cases.
- He punished a Baron (William de Braose) for not paying him money he claimed he owed. De Braose fled the country; John imprisoned his wife and child and starved them to death.
- John demanded 11 scutages, which were supposed to be emergency taxes, but he used them to fund the Battle of Bouvines.
Why did the events of the Battle of Bouvines frustrate the Barons?
- John, through his heavy taxing, drained money from England, especially his Barons, to go towards this battle.
- John is believed to have spent £135,000 on this final attempt to reclaim his lands in France in 1214 - an astronomical amount.
- Despite this, he was utterly defeated: he was intercepted before he even reached the battleground. All this money went to waste.
When was the Battle of Bouvines?
1214
John, time after time, failed the basic expectations of Medieval kingship. The Barons eventually lost patience with him when he returned from the failed Battle of Bouvines in 1214. Explain what happened.
Upon his return, John faced a threat from his Barons.
They demanded that he follow the Coronation Charter (issued by Henry I in 1100), which promised good government from the king.
If he was to refuse, they swore to rebel against him.
Upon his return, the Barons demanded that John follow the Coronation Charter, which promised good government from the king. How did John respond?
He refused to confirm the charter, and instead took crusader vows which placed him under the special protection of the Church. This made it difficult for the Barons to move against him.
He sent Stephen Langton and William Marshall to negotiate with the Barons, but they did not reach an agreement.
What did the Barons do when John refused to confirm the Coronation Charter?
39 Barons, led by Robert Fitz Walter, renounced their oaths to John and raised an army of around 1400 Knights. The rebels marched on London and captured it.
In 1214, the Barons renounced their oaths to John and raised an army of around 1400 Knights, capturing London. How did John respond?
In order to avoid war, he negotiated with the rebels; they drew up a document, in 1215, called “the Articles of the Barons”, which became known as the Magna Carta (Big Charter).
When was the Magna Carta signed?
1215.
Name 4 important clauses of the Magna Carta.
- John agreed to establish a council of 25 Barons to advise him.
- John would not collect scutages or other taxes w/o the permission of his council of Barons.
- Habeas Corpus: John would not sell justice, and a freeman could not be sentenced w/o a fair trial.
