Life and Government

Itinerant Kingship (2)

Kings showing themselves to the people to stay in control

regularly travelling and meeting with barons, and bishops

Justiciar (2)

Ruled England while Richard and John were away

oversaw court cases and had the authority of the king

Sheriffs (2)

Tax collectors: Chosen by the king and gathered money from the Royal Demesne

Could keep any extra income

The Church: Spiritual influence (1)

Guided people to live good Christian lives and provided services

The Church: Political influence (1)

Bishops advised the king

The Church: Economic (1)

Everyone paid a tithe (1/10 of their income) each year

The Church: Social (2)

Priests taught people to read/write

Monks / Nuns looked after the ill

Kingship: Lawmaker

The king was expected to be an effective lawmaker who ruled fairly

Kingship: Decision maker

Expected to be a good decision maker who listened to the advice of his leading barons and churchmen

Kingship: Christian

Expected to be a devoted Christian who showed respect for the Church

Kingship: Protector

Expected to be a protector of the kingdom who was an effective military leader

Kingship: Itinerant kingship (1)

Kings practised itinerant kingship to show authority and keep control

Kingship: Ceremonies (2)

The king took part in crown-wearing ceremonies 3 times a year

This reinforced the message that the king was chosen by God

Richard’s rule (1189-1199) (2)

Spent only 6 months in England as he was away on Crusade or in Normandy

He used justiciars to look after England while he was away

Richard’s Justiciars (3)

William Longchamp, 1189-91

Hubert Walter, 1193-98

Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1198-99

John's rule 1199-1216 (3)

Kept Fitz Peter as justiciar while he was away in Normandy until 1204

His rule was very unpopular

Over time, he replaced his advisers with “new men” who were inexperienced

English society: Rural England (4)

Most people lived in a village

Peasants grew wheat, oats and barley and raised ows, sheeps and pigs for food and clothing

Peasants worked all day and lived in a one-room hut

The lord lived in a manor house

English society: Town life (4)

Townspeople were free → some were blacksmiths, carpenters and bakers

Traders joined guilds who had the right to trade in return for a fee

Markets were held on Sundays

Towns provided lots of money to the king

English Society: Jewish People (2)

5,000 Jews lived in England and were used as moneylenders, as usury was banned in the bible

Anti-semitism built by crusades and the kings coronation led to pogroms (riots) against Jews

How Richard and John made money: Tallage

Made peasants pay a fee for using the royal demesne

How Richard and John made money: Selling roles

Selling valuable roles and positions such as that of a sheriff or judge

How Richard and John made money: Feudal incidents

Making vassals pay for special events like the king’s eldest son’s knighting or daughter’s dowry

How Richard and John made money: Scutage

Making tenants-in-chief pay scutage

How Richard and John made money: Writs

Charging a fee to sign a writ which was needed to begin a court case

How Richard and John made money: Aids tax

Special taxes such as raising money for Richard’s ransom in 1194