Part 1 - Challenging Authority and Feudalism

Question 1

Why was King John considered a ‘bad’ king?

Answer 1

1. John fell out with the Pope when John appointed Langton - this lead to the Pope banning all church services in England.
2. Scutage (a high tax) was charged on the barons to fight a war in France, a war which he was losing.

Question 2

Why was King John considered a ‘good’ king?

Answer 2

1. He did win some wars against the Welsh and the Scottish and helped build the navy.
2. He ensured everyone had fair trials.

Question 3

What action did the barons take?

Answer 3

Under Robert Fitzwalter led the barons to a negotiation with John at Runnymede on the 15th of June 1215, to discuss how the country should be governed.

Question 4

What were the six main clauses the barons proposed to John?

Answer 4

1) a baron’s heir will inherit his land with a payment of £100.
2) No scutage to be imposed of the Barons.
3) No one should be imprisoned or arrested without a proper trial.
4) The C of E will make its own appointments.
5) All merchants will have safety.
6) A group of 25 barons will monitor the king.

Question 5

Did John agree to the Magna Carta?

Answer 5

John did sign the Magna Carta however he had no intention of sticking to it, he quickly went back on his word.

Question 6

Significance of Magna Carta?

Answer 6

ST: In the short term the Magna Carta had limited significance as it did not change life for ordinary people only the barons.

LT: As years have passed the Magna Carta has become much more significant as it introduced the idea that a king could be controlled, it also is part of the UN.

Question 7

What was the impact of John going back on his word?

Answer 7

The Siege of Rochester occurred - the Barons had taken control of London and asked for French support. The castle in Rochester was very important location, the barons had control but John attacked and won back power by burning the castle’s walls down.

Question 8

What happened when Prince Louis arrived?

Answer 8

Louis managed to take control of most of England and was announced King. But John died before any official action could take place.

Question 9

Who became king after John?

Answer 9

Henry - Louis was exiled out of England

Question 10

What problems did Henry III face?

Answer 10

1. The Pope - Henry failed to pay promised money to the Pope and was threatened with excommunication. Henry had to raise taxes to help.
2. The French - Henry was married to a French woman and allowed Frenchmen into parliament - this worried the Barons. He also raised taxes to fight a war in France.
3. The Barons - by 1254 the relationship between had deteriorated - they were becoming increasingly angry.

Question 11

Who was Simon de Montfort?

Answer 11

• from a French aristocratic family arriving after the Norman Conquest.
• initially he and Henry were friends, Simon even married Henry’s sister.

Question 12

Why did Henry and Simon de Montfort fallout?

Answer 12

• 1248 Simon was sent to France to win back land.
• he won the land back
• but Simon had been aggressive in his attacks.
• Henry who was sympathetic to the French calls Simon to England.
• Simon was found innocent but was angry Henry had doubted him.
• Simon’s anger was heightened when Henry replaced him with his son in France.

Question 13

When did the Barons (led by de Montfort) negotiate with Henry?

Answer 13

1258

Question 14

What was the list Henry agreed to?

Answer 14

The Provisions of Oxford

Question 15

What were the main terms of the PoO?

Answer 15

1. 15 barons to oversee the Great Council
2. 24 member of Great Council - 12 barons, 12 elected by the king.
3. Foreign members cannot be involve in governance.
4. Castles held by English.
5. Parliament call x3/year
6. Taxes decided locally

Question 16

Did all the Barons agree with the PoO?

Answer 16

No many disliked is and preferred the feudal system. There was a divide in what the Barons wanted. This allowed Henry to ask the Pope for permission to release him from the PoO - this was granted in 1261.

Question 17

When was the Battle of Lewes?

Answer 17

1264

Question 18

Why was the Battle of Lewes significant.

Answer 18

• De Montfort captured the king and imprisoned his son.
• England had no king
• De Montfort was ruling a republic.

Question 19

What significant event took place in 1265?

Answer 19

Simon called a meeting of the Great Council and invited burgesses and knight (commoners) to the meeting for the first time in history.

Question 20

Why did the Barons turn against Simon?

Answer 20

Simon was ruling as an autocrat.

Question 21

When was the Battle of Evesham?

Answer 21

1265

Question 22

What was significant about the Battle of Evesham?

Answer 22

Simon died and his body was cut up as a reminder of what happened when you challenged a king - Henry became king again.

Question 23

How were the actions of Simon de Montfort significant?

Answer 23

ST: In the short term it was significant as it was the first time commoner were represented in Parliament.

LT: In the long term it was significant as it set a precedent for future kings with Edward setting up a Model Parliament based on Simon’s ideas.

Question 24

How did the Black Death affect the peasants?

Answer 24

• The Black Death arrived in 1348.
• 1/3 of the population were killed.
• As a result there were fewer workers so the peasants could demand higher wages.

Question 25

What was the Statute of Labourers?

Answer 25

• Lords were worried peasants had too much power.
• They passed the Statute of Labourers which said that worker would receive the same wages as before the plague.

Question 26

Causes of the Peasants’ Revolt?

Answer 26

• Statute of Labourers
• Poll tax to fight in France
• Many priests had started preaching that the Church was exploiting peasants.

Question 27

What was poll tax?

Answer 27

Everyone over the age of 15 had to pay four groats/year to help fight the French.

Question 28

What was the events that happened in the Peasants’ Revolt.

Answer 28

1. Bampton goes to collect tax but the peasants refuse to pay.
2. Rebels join together - behead Brampton’s clerks and set houses on fire.
3. Peasants in Kent go to Maidstone, make Wat Tyler their leader, and free John Ball.
4. The peasants travel to London, the king sails to meet them but says he will meet the peasants five days later on the 17 June.
5. The rebels enter the city and start using extreme violence burning down building and killing people - Richard says he will meet them the next day.

Question 29

What happens when Wat Tyler meets King Richard?

Answer 29

Tyler demands the king is to give everyone a royal pardon and make all villeins freemen. Richard agrees and asks the Peasants to leave in peace.

Question 30

What happens on the 15th of June?

Answer 30

Tyler and the King meet again and makes more demands, the king agrees. But then Tyler is killed by one of the king’s men.
The king shouts to the peasants ‘Will you kill your leader’ and the peasants follow him out of London.

Question 31

What happened to the leaders after the revolt?

Answer 31

• Richard did not keep his promises
• Tyler and John Ball’s heads were put on spikes on the Tower of London.

Question 32

What was the significance of the Peasants’ Revolt?

Answer 32

ST: Poll tax was not repeated, wages began to rise and it was the first time commoners were a threat to the power of a king.

LT: Peasants gradually gained freedom, 100 years later all peasants were freemen.