power and the people- part 1, medieval period Flashcards
Magna Carta, Simon de Montfort, Peasants' Revolt
what system was medieval society built on
the feudal system
describe the feudal system
- the king was at the top
- gave barons land in return for money and men to fight wars
- barons would then give some of their land to knights if they promised to fight when needed
- there was a Great Council
under the feudal system, who had the final say and who was the King meant to listen to
- king had the final say
- meant to listen to the Great Council, which they rarely did
what was the Great Council
- part of the feudal system
- was where the barons could meet and have their views and concerns heard
- however, Medieval kings did not always listen to the Great Council
what did Medieval kings believe
- that they were appointed by God
- the Pope was head of the Church and had great power over many European countries
who was the King in 1215
King John
what religion was the main religion in medieval times
Christianity
what were the beliefs of Christianity
- King was appointed by God
- the Church was very powerful
- led by the Pope in Rome but controlled in England by bishops and other members of the clergy, the church owned large amounts of land and set rules on everything from marriage to inheritance
what was King Johns nickname
Bad King John
why was King John a ‘bad’ king
- argued with the Pope, and so the Pope banned church services (including funerals and weddings), which made people fear they would go to hell without regular mass
- was a poor war leader- lost important lands in France and was nicknamed ‘softsword’
- increased tax (scutage) to pay for his wars- angered barons especially as he kept losing them (meant they lost money too)
- the barons’ main concerns were taxation and unfair arrest
- struggled to raise enough money to govern and defend the country
- lost the crown jewels in an area of marshland called the Wash- incompetent
why was King John ‘good’
- he would always look inferior as he would never have been able to live up to his father’s and brother’s reputations
- ensured that people could have a fair trial with a judge and jury- sometimes even delayed proceedings so he could be there himself- this helped everyone in England, not just the barons
- did win some wars against the Scottish and the Welsh, and strengthened the navy
why should you not trust all the accounts fully on whether John was a good king
as few people could read or write so it was down to educated monks or barons- therefore understandable why there are so many negative accounts of him as they are the people who he came into conflict with
what are the qualities of a good Medieval king?
- was expected to defend his people by leading his army well
- maintaining the support of important people in the kingdom, like barons
- should keep the country peaceful
- successfully deal with rebellions
- try to maintain good relations with the Church
why were the barons unhappy with King John
- John’s poor battle record meant he had lost land in France
- John repeatedly ignored the demands of the Great Council which meant the barons felt their views were not respected
- they had to pay scutage- a high tax on those barons who did not fight for John when he asked
- were worried about invasions from foreign countries because of the fall out with the Pope
what is ‘scutage’
tax collected during war time
what happened on the 15th June 1215
- John met the barons at Runneymede
- they were tired of his poor kingship and formed an army to fight him
- John had no army of his own so had to negotiate
- was where he agreed to their demands in a document called the Magna Carta
when the barons eventually got fed up with King John, what did they do
raised an army against him and occupied London in 1215
how did the barons deal with King John?
got him to sign the Magna Carta (Latin for Great Charter), which contained 63 promises that the barons wanted John to keep- these would change the power of the king and give the barons more control
what were the 6 main clauses of the Magna Carta?
- stop unfair taxation (scutage)
- let the Church make its own appointments
- prevent arrest without a trial for freemen
- protect merchants in staying, travelling, buying and selling
- ensure a baron inherited his land on payment of £100 to the King
- to create a group of 25 barons to monitor the king (clause 61)
did John have any intention of sticking to the Magna Carta?
no, he only agreed so the civil war would end and he could get the barons back on his side
why was the Magna Carta significant in the short term?
- John went back on his word, meaning that it had no immediate impact on society
- reinforced the right to a free and fair trial
- first time a king had been forced to agree legal limits on his power- put the barons in a more powerful position
- made the king subject to the law and consent had to be given before taxes could be imposed
- peasants and villeins were still not free- nothing had changed for ordinary people at the time
- only the politically powerful such as Barons, the church and merchants only benefited from the magna carta
why was the Magna Carta significant in the long term?
- as more people became free, it applied to a greater proportion of the population and increased in significance
- it is referred back to when people defend their rights against the government
- it is referred back to when people assert their right to a free and fair trial
- because of the Magna Carta, the idea grew that kings were subject to the law too
- Magna Carta is still hugely symbolic, seen as a powerful icon for freedom- e.g. influenced the US Constitution of 1787, as well as the Philippines’ gov. introduced a Magna Carta for women in 2010
who did the Magna Carta apply to?
all freemen
when and where was the Magna Carta signed?
Runnymede, 15th June 1215
what was the Pope’s reaction to the Magna Carta
he agreed that it was invalid
how did the barons react to King John going against the Magna Carta
- started the First Barons’ War
- had the support of the French who sent troops and money to the barons
when was the siege of Rochester
late 1215
what happened in the siege of Rochester
- the Barons had taken control of Rochester castle
- John bombarded the castle
- he failed and instead waited and tried to starve them out
- used 40 fat pigs to be burnt and burned down part of the castle
- John took control of the castle
describe the First Barons’ War
- John went back on his word saying he was forced to sign the Magna Carta
- the Pope agreed, stating it was invalid
- war started in England between the barons and the king, the barons had the support of the French who sent troops and money to help
- the Siege of Rochester in late 1215 gave John the upper hand after he and his men were able to storm Rochester Castle
in May 1216, what happened between the Barons and King John
- the barons promised the French king Prince Louis the English throne and took control of most of England
- John fled
on the 2nd June 1216, what happened to Prince Louis of France
he got announced (but not crowned) King of England
after Prince Louis was announced King, had the Barons defeated King John
yes- as he had lost all power and died in October 1216
on the 28th October 1216, what happened to the English throne
John’s son Henry III became King
once Henry III became king, what did he do
reissued and agreed to the conditions of the Magna Carta
give a timeline of how long the First Barons’ War lasted
- May 1216- the barons promise the French Prince Louis the English throne, and he arrives on the coast; he takes control of most of England and has support of the Scottish king
- 2nd June 1216- Prince Louis announced (but not crowned) King of England
- October 1216- King John dies
- 28th October 1216- John’s young son Henry becomes King Henry III; Magna Carta is reissued and he agrees to the terms
what were Henry III main problems
- the pope
- the french
- the barons
describe why the French were a problem to King Henry
- Henry’s father, John, had lost a lot of French lands so Henry had to raise money to fund war campaigns to get them back
- he was unsuccessful at first but then he sent Simon de Montfort, who won land back in Gascony and controlled the area for him
- but reports reached Henry that Simon had been too harsh with the French people so he sent his son Edward to keep control
describe why the Pope was a problem to King Henry
- Henry III was a very pious king (meant he had a close relationship to the Pope) - pope tried to use Henry to fight wars in Sicily
- Henry was meant to pay the Pope money to fight these wars, and when he did not pay, the Pope threatened to excommunicate him
- the Pope also wanted Henry’s brother Richard to become Holy Roman Emperor (an important job)- this meant Henry would feel pressured to help pay for the Pope’s wars
describe why the barons were a problem to King Henry
- by 1254 Henry’s relationship with the barons had deteriorated- they were angry about his various schemes
- they were angry that Henry’s French family were given jobs in the English court and Italian clergy were given top jobs in the Church
- Henry’s tax increases to pay the Pope made them angry as they were the ones who had to pay
who was Simon de Montfort (1208-65)
- the Earl of Leicester from 1239 until his death, de Montfort worked for the king but he eventually led a rebellion against him- resulted in the 2nd Barons’ War
- became ruler of England for a short time when the king was imprisoned
- became famous for calling 2 parliaments
- died in the Battle of Evesham, August 1265 fighting against the king
what were the Provisions of Oxford
- the barons refused to support the king
- Simon de Montfort led them to call a Great Council meeting in 1258 where he had to agree to the PoO
- barons also refused to fund the planned payment to the Pope over the wars in Sicily- PoO gave them power- could now make decisions w/o the king’s approval, but the king could not make decisions w/o the support of the council
when were the Provisions of Oxford signed
1258
why were the Provisions of Oxford made
as the barons refused to support Henry, so Simon de Montfort led the Barons to call a Great Council meeting in1258
why did the Provisions of Oxford anger some barons
- reformed local government and gave more power to the less powerful and wealthy in society
- angered older barons as they felt the reforms were getting in the way of their local interests
- some younger barons were also angered as they were not elected to the council and therefore lost their influence
what were the terms of the Provisions of Oxford
- a council of 15 barons would be in charge of the Great Council, elected by 24 men (12 appointed by king, 12 by barons)
- foreign members of the royal household would be banished
- castles would be held by Englishmen
- each country would have a sheriff and taxes would be decided locally
why did the Barons want the Provisions of Oxford
as it meant they could make decisions without the King and they were more powerful, whilst the king had to get approval of decisions from the council
what were the Provisions of Oxford extended in 1259 to
the Provisions of Westminster
what did the Provisions of Westminster do
reformed local government and gave more power to the less powerful and wealthy in society
what people did Henry gain the support of
Barons who didn’t support Simon de Montfort and the Provisions of Westminster
when did the Second Barons’ War start
1264
who led the Second Barons’ War
Simon de Montfort
what was significant about the Second Barons’ War (battle of Lewes) in 1264
de Montfort captured King Henry III and imprisoned his son, the young Prince Edward
after the Second Barons’ War (Battle of Lewes) in 1264, who was in power
Simon de Montfort and England was on its way to becoming a republic
causes of the Second Barons’ War (Battle of Lewes):
- Henry gained the support of the barons who did not like Simon or the PoO
- Henry wrote to the Pope and asked for permission to cancel the provisions
- 1261 Pope agreed- Henry was back in control and appointed his own men to the Great Counsel
- Henry ruled as badly as before and after 3 years the barons called upon Simon de Montfort
what happened at the Second Barons’ War (Battle of Lewes)
- 1264
- De Montfort captured the king and imprisoned his son, Prince Edward
- Simon was now ‘king’
- England was becoming a republic
what did de Montfort create once he was in power
- the parliament of 1265 and the first ‘commons’- first commons were included within parliament
- created a council of nine closest friends and allies
- reconfirmed the Magna carta and the Provisions of Oxford
describe how the first Parliament and ‘Commons’ came about
- Simon created a council of 9 of his closest friends and allies
- he reconfirmed the Magna Carta and Provisions of Oxford
- barons started to worry he had become too powerful
- 1265 S.d.M called a meeting of the Great Council inviting rich merchants (burgesses) and knights- meant he secured the support of ordinary people (commoners)
- this group later became known as the Commons- early form of Parliament- developed democracy in England and paved the way for all groups to have a voice
what were the Barons’ reactions to Simon de Montfort being in power
worried he had too much power
in 1265, de Montfort called his first Great Council- who did he include in this
- invited rich merchants and knights- ordinary people- known as the burgesses
- he now had support of the normal people
- later called this part of parliament the ‘commoners’
- this developed democracy in England and would help pave the way for all groups to have a voice
what happened in the Battle of Evesham, 1265
- the barons were concerned that S.d.M was becoming an autocrat, so they put their support behind Henry
- Prince Edward had been released from prison and raised an army
- 4th August 1265, S.d.M fell from his horse at the battle
- his body was cut into pieces and sent around the country as warning
- monarchy back in power
what was the significance of Parliament, 1265 in the short term?
- Henry III ruled until 1272 but he never called another meeting of the Great Council; when his son Edward became king, he learnt from his fathers mistakes and called many parliaments
- 1295- Edward called the Modern Parliament, which was the first parliament that resembled our parliament today
what was the significance of the parliament of 1265 in the medium term?
- the Kings power was challenged again in 1649 with the death of Charles I and the start of the England Revolution- a republic governed for a period of time
- the kings power was not totally challenged until the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and 1689 Bill of Rights- parliament gained more control than the monarch
what was the significance of the parliament of 1265 in the long term?
1840s- The Chartists campaigned for representation for the working class
-Women waited a long time for their voice to be heard: all women and men over the age of 21 got the vote in 1928
- Today: the queen or king is a figurehead with no direct influence over the government
what was the significance of Simon de Montfort at the time
who is Simon de Montfort regarded as?
the father of parliament
what are the limitations to the significance of Simon de Montfort
- sometimes his motivations were personal rather than for the good of the people- he fell out with Henry because he had personal grievances against him, such as he felt humiliated by Henry for putting him on trial for misrule in Gascony, and was personally short of money as Henry never paid him his wife’s dowry (she was the King’s sister)
- he took advantage of other people’s misfortune- he was quick to seize his share when royal favourites lost their land- described as ‘high handed’
- he used the Commons to advance his own wishes as he had fallen out with the barons
what were the different causes of the Peasants revolt
- economic
- political
- religious
- social
what were the economic causes of the Peasants revolt
- 1348- the plague/Black death arrived in England; it killed most of the peasant workforce, so fields of crops were left to rot and villages were abandoned as there were fewer workers- the peasants could demand higher wages
- King Richard II raised taxes to fund his campaigns against the French in the Hundred Years War- poll tax
- by 1380 everyone over 15yrs had to pay 4 groats per year- massive increase from 1 they previously paid
what were the political causes of the Peasants revolt
- Local Lords and even the king worried that the peasants were becoming too powerful and that the feudal system would break down
- 1351, King Edward III passed the Statute of Labourers- restricted the movement and wages of the peasants- were forced to return and work for Lords again
- peasants wanted reform to reduce the influence of landowners
what were the religious causes of the Peasants revolt
- many priests started to preach that the church was exploiting the peasants by making people pay pardons for their sins
- John Ball, a priest, said that God had created everyone equally and there should be no rich or poor- Ball was arrested
what were the social causes of the Peasants revolt
- the Black Death spread across the country- killing almost 1/3 of the population (mainly poor people)
- many peasants started to move around from village to village look for the best paid work
- between 1377 and 1379, 70% of the people brought before the Justice of the Peace were accused of breaking the statute of labourers
- peasants returning from the Hundred Years War were forced to go back to their old lives and pay higher taxes
describe the Peasants revolt 1381
- villages in Kent and Essex refused to pay the poll tax, they threatened the tax collector and beheaded his clerks
- rebels freed radical priest (John Ball) from prison, he and Wat Tyler gathered a large group of rebels and marched on London, killing the Archbishop of Canterbury on the way
- Richard met Tyler and the rebels at Smithfield- Tyler demanded that all villeins (peasants) be made freemen, Richard agreed but the rebels went on a killing spree
- Richard met Tyler again, Tyler demanded changes to the law and for church lands to be given to the people, one of Richard’s supporters killed Wat Tyler, Richard promised to grant the rebels’ requests and the revolt was over
what happened in May/June 1381 in the Peasants revolt
- peasants in Kent and Essex refuse to pay poll tax and threaten to kill local tax collector (John Bampton)
- Chief Justice comes to collect poll tax and is also threatened; they behead his clerks and set fire to the houses of his supporters
- peasants march to Maidstone and make Wat Tyler their leader; free John Ball, storm Rochester Castle and burn tax records
- peasants reach London’s city walls and Richard II sails to meet them, but the crowd is too rowdy
- peasants storm the city walls, burn palaces and kill supporters of the King; some are peaceful as Wat Tyler had ordered
on the 30th May 1381 what did the peasants refuse to do
- pay poll tax
- threatened to kill the local tax collector
on the 2nd June 1381, what did the peasants do to the local tax collector
- threatened the Chief Justice
- found the tax collector clerks and behead them
- set fire to houses of poll tax supporters
on the 7th June 1381, what happened at maidstone and rochester castle
- peasants marched to Maidstone and made Wat Tyler their leader
- freed John Ball
- stormed Rochester Castle and burnt tax records
in what date did the peasants storm city walls in London, burn palaces and kill supporters of the king
13th June 1381
what happened on the 14th June 1381 in the Peasants revolt
- Wat Tyler meets the king and outlines the peasants’ demands; the king agrees and asks the peasants to go home
- while this is happening, another group of peasants kill the Archbishop of Canterbury
what happened on the 15th June 1381 in the Peasants revolt
- the king meets the peasants’ again and agrees to their demands, but one of his men kills Wat Tyler
- the peasants leave London and the revolt is over
what were the Peasants’ demands in the Peasants revolt
- all villeins to be made freemen
- full change to the system of law
- church lands to be given to the people
- all bishops, except one, to be removed
what happened after the Peasants revolt
- Richard went back on his word- said he had been forced to agree to the demands so it did not count
- the rebel leaders were all rounded up and hanged
- John Ball’s and Wat Tyler’s heads were stuck on spikes on London Bridge
what were the impacts of the Peasants revolt
- King Richard did stop the poll tax after the revolt- was not repeated until 1989 in Scotland and 1990 in England and Wales
- the peasants’ wages began to rise (situation before remained the same- lack of workers), parliament eventually gave in and stopped trying to control their wages and the Statue of Labourers was withdrawn
- peasants became more independent- within 100years they were freemen
- some were able to buy their own land because there was so much unused after the Black death
what was the significance of the Peasants revolt at the time
- first time commoners rather than nobles had rebelled against royal power (scared king and nobles)
- rebellion failed- Richard went back on his promise, the leaders were hanged, John Ball’s body was cut into pieces, his head stuck on a spike on London Bridge
what was the significance of the Peasants revolt later on
- poll tax was never repeated, although there were similar charges, and taxes were never as high again
- workers wages began to rise and parliament stopped trying to control them
- peasants were able to buy their own land
- by 1450 all villeins were free
- ideas of John Ball had inspired the rebels were picked up again in later centuries by different groups- like the Levellers (17th C) and the socialists (early 19th C), 600 years later the Poll Tax riots of 1989 protestors chose the same route through London as the Peasants’ revolt did
what do historians think of the peasants’ revolt
- some historians believe that the revolt was unnecessary; they say that society was already changing and that serfdom was coming to an end
- most historians believe that the revolt was significant, as it was the first time ordinary people, or the working class had rebelled; some historians further believe that the revolt marks the start of English ideas of freedom
what are the 3 key events in the Medieval period, and when were they
- Magna Carta 1215
- Simon de Montfort, origins of Parliament 1258-1265
- the Peasants revolt 1381
