King John and the Magna Carta

Question 1

When did John become king?

Answer 1

1199

Question 2

Give 6 reasons why King John was a bad king:

Answer 2

-Had a poor record in battles
-Had a disagreement with the Pope (another flashcard)
-Invented scutage
-Lost the Crown of Jewels in a marshland
-In retaliation of disagreement the Pope banned church service which panicked the religious public.
-Threat of invasion from a foreign king because of poor relations between the king and the church.

Question 3

Give 4 reasons why King John was a good king:

Answer 3

-He strengthened the English Navy
-He ensured that people of England could have a fair trail with a judge and jury
-Had successful relatives
-He did win some wars against the Scottish and Welsh

Question 4

What did King John have a disagreement with the Pope about?

Answer 4

When John refused to support the appointment of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Question 5

Why was John against Langton’s appointment?

Answer 5

He did not want someone that would obey the Pope but go against the king’s wishes.

Question 6

What did the Pope do in retaliation to their disagreement and what did this cause?

Answer 6

He banned church services in England, even marriages and funerals.

This caused panic among the religious public who thought without regular attendance to mass they would go to hell

Question 7

What did breakdown in relations between the king and the church cause a risk of?

Answer 7

Invasion from a foreign king.

Question 8

What was scutage and who was it charged to?

Answer 8

High taxes charged to the barons.

Question 9

Why did John invent scutage?

Answer 9

To help him fund wars against France.

Question 10

Give 2 reasons why the barons hated king John:

Answer 10

-He taxed them scutage
-He lost land in France.

Question 11

When and where was the Magna Carta signed?

Answer 11

15th of June 1215, in Runnymeade.

Question 12

How many promises did the Magna Carta contain?

Answer 12

63

Question 13

What was clause 61 of the Magna Carta?

Answer 13

-A group of 25 barons will be created to monitor the king and ensure he commits to the Magna Carta.

Question 14

Give 3 of the 6 main clauses of the Magna Carta:

Answer 14

-A group of 25 barons will be created to monitor the king and ensure he commits to the Magna Carta.

-No scutage shall be imposed on the barons except with the common council of the realm.

-The English church shall be free to make its own appointments.

Question 15

Give 2 reasons why the Magna Carta is significant:

Answer 15

-Viewed as one of the major steps in Britain’s journey to becoming one of the world’s best known democracies.

-It changed nothing for the ordinary people of Medieval England, only the politically powerful.

Question 16

What was one of the main reasons the barons were angry with John?

Answer 16

His taxation policy, the most hated tax being scutage.

Question 17

When was the Siege of Rochester?

Answer 17

October 1215.

Question 18

What did John’s men arrive with at the Siege?

Answer 18

5 siege engines, consisting of catapults ad trebuchets.

Question 19

Who did the baron’s request help from at the siege?

Answer 19

France

Question 20

What did John do at the Siege?

Answer 20

His men dug a tunnel underneath the castle’s stone foundations. He then ordered 40 pigs, slaughtered them and burned their fat on sticks being used as wooden props to collapse the castle’s wall. He then stormed into the castle.

Question 21

When did the Siege of Rochester end?

Answer 21

30 November.

Question 22

Who held the power by the end of the Siege?

Answer 22

John.

Question 23

How had King John used the Magna Carta?

Answer 23

He used it as a stalling tactic to allow him to gather troops and rally support.

Question 24

What happened in May 1216?

Answer 24

-The French Prince Louis arrived with troops.

-The Barons had called him and promised him the English throne.

-John fled to southwest England and Louis, with the help of the barons, managed to take control of most of England.

Question 25

How did the French Prince Louis manage to take control of most of England?

Answer 25

-With the support of the barons

-By capturing strategic towns and castles.

Question 26

How did John try regain control from Prince Louis?

Answer 26

He took land from the rebel barons and gave it to his supporters in a bid to regain control.

Question 27

When was it certain that John’s royal power had been diminished?

Answer 27

In May 1216 when Prince Louis arrived from France and managed to take control of most of England.

Question 28

When and where was Prince Louis announced (not crowned) King?

Answer 28

St Paul’s Cathedral on 2 June 1216.

Question 29

When did King John die?

Answer 29

October 1216.

Question 30

Who was crowned after John died?

Answer 30

The barons decided they didn’t need a French king and crowned John’s son, Henry, instead.

Question 31

When did Henry III become king?

Answer 31

28 October 1216.

Question 32

What did the barons do with the Magna Carta after henry III became king?

Answer 32

They re-issued it and the young kid agreed to the conditions.