Johns flop era

A clash of personalities (2)

John wanted to control the Church in England and force it to accept his demands

On the other hand, Pope Innocent III was determined to force kings to accept that they were his vassals, and should therefore obey his orders

Importance of the role (1)

After Archbishop Hubert died in 1205, John wanted to choose the next Archbishop since this was going to be a key adviser in John’s government

John’s right to choose (2)

The Archbishop was elected by the monks of Canterbury, and John was confident he could persuade them to choose his candidate

This was reasonable since both his father and Richard had done the same in the past

Different choices (3)

John’s choice was John de Gray (Bishop of Norwich)

However, the monks of Canterbury voted for Reginald (a Canterbury monk)

Pope Innocent chose someone completely different, Stephen Langton

John’s anger over Langton (2)

John was furious when he heard the Pope’s choice for Archbishop

He said that he didn’t even know Langton and that he had been in the service of John’s enemy, Philip (as Langton was teaching in Paris)

The Pope’s stubbornness

John argued that Pope Innocent was ignoring John’s right as King of England to choose his own bishop.

Innocent didn’t back down and made Langton archbishop in 1207

Archbishop of Canterbury (2)

The leader of the Church in England

A very powerful and influential man who was a key advisor to the king

The Interdict 1208-1213 (1)

A punishment from the Pope which stopped people in England recieving most of the Christian sacraments

Sacraments (2)

Christian ceremonies such as baptism, marriage and mass

Believed to be needed to go to heaven

Excommunication (2)

An exclusion from taking part in the sacraments

Ordered by the Pope to “sentence someone to hell”

Wardship (1)

A tax for “looking after” the land of an underage noble (called a ward) until they were old enough to inherit it

Arbitrary power (2)

Making up rules as you go

John allowed only judges approved by him to hear legal cases causing frustration

Pope Innocent III (2)

Became Pope in 1198

He was determined for the Catholic Church to have more influence over kings

Prince Louis of France (2)

King Philip II’s son and heir

In 1215, the rebel English barons asked him to take the English throne from John

William Marshall (1)

A leading baron who become protector and regent to John’s young son, Henry, after John died in October 1216

The Interdict 1208-1213 (3)

When John refused to let the Popes candidate for Archbishop (Stephen Langton) into England, the Pope responded by placing England under an interdict

It had a limited impact as some people ignored it and gave sacraments anyways

John confiscated the properties of churchmen who opposed him which led to his excommunication in 1209

Johns dilemna (2)

In 1213, England was under a threat of invasion by Prince Louis

John needed allies

Johns reconcillation with the Pope (2)

John agreed to make Langton Archbishop of Canterbury and to pay £27,000 compensation money to the Pope

He went further and paid homage to the Pope, recognising him as his overlord

Benefits of the reconcilliation (2)

By making up with the Pope, John gained a powerful ally which helped stop Louis’ invasion

Innocent III also supported John in his future troubles with the barons in 1215

Pope Innocent III (2)

Became Pope in 1198

He was determined for the Catholic CHurch to have more influence over kings

Prince Louis of France (2)

King Philip II’s son and heir

In 1215, the rebel English barons asked Louis to take English throme from John

William Marshall (1)

A leading baron who become protector and regent to John’s young son, Henry, after John died in October 1216

The Interdict 1208-1213 (3)

When John refused to let the Popes candidate for Archbishop (Steophen Langton) into England, the Pope responded by placing him under an Interdict

It had a limited impact as some people ignored it and gave sacraments anyways.

John confiscated the properties of churchmen who opposed him which led to his excommunication in 1209

Johns reconcillation with the Pope pt1 (2)

In 1213, England was under threat by an invasion from Philip II’s eldest son, Prince Louis

John needed helped but he lacked allies

Johns reconcillation with the Pope pt2 (2)

John agreed to make Langton Archbishop of Canterbury and to pay compensation money to the Pope

He went further and paid homage to the Pope, recognising him as his overlord

Johns reconcillation with the Pope pt3 (2)

By making up with the Pope, John gained a powerful ally whuch helped stop Philip’s invasion

Innocent III also supported John in his future troubles with the barons in 1215

Johns fallout with the barons (4)

John wanted to regain the lands he lost in Normandy, so he raised huge sums of money by taxing and fining people

John raised the scutage 11 times, with the biggest one ever in 1214. He increased wardship fines by 300%, fined barons for marrying without his permission and fined widows for not marrying who he wanted.

His use of arbitrary power also caused anger

In 1207, he took away the lands of William de Braose, a leading baron and imprisoned his wife and eldest son who starved to death, causing outrage

The Plot against John: The plotters (4)

By 1212, some barons were angry enough with John to plot against him

Eustace de Vesci - He accused John of trying to seduce his wife

Robert Fitz Walter - Owed John large amounts of money + accused John of trying to seduce his daughter

Llywelyn - Surrendered his son to John as a hostage and defied John

The Plot against John: How it unfolded (2)

Instead of invading Wales, John marched his army north to reassert control and prevent rebellion

De Vesci fled to Scotland and Fitz Walter fled to France

The Plot against John: Consequences (2)

John made some concessions, including relaxing some tax demands

John reconciled with the Pope

Failure in France (2)

In 1214, John failed to retake Normandy after losing the important Battle of Bouvines to Philip II

He returned to England defeated and wasted the £130,000 he raised from taxes → this triggered a rebellion

Failure in France: Impact (4)

John returned to England defeated and descredited

The barons who had financed the campaign were furious

John’s reputation as a softsword was cemented

Philip II’s victory at Bouvines meant he had defeated the Angevines and the Holy Roman Emperor, makig France the most powerful nation in Europe

The Rebillion of 1215: Timeline (4)

March 1215: John promised to go on crusade to gain the popes support

April 1215: The rebel barons mustered an army in Northampton and sent demands that John refused

17 May 1215: Rebel barons gained control of London and its financial resources

15 June 1215: John sealed the Magna Carta

The Magna Carta: Terms (6)

Removal of wardship fines

Widows couldn’t be forced to marry

Scutages needed barons’ agreement

The king couldn’t sell or deny justice

Freemen were entitled to a fair trial

A council of 25 barons to be set up to ensure John followed the terms

The Magna Carta: Johns retaliation (3)

After signing the Magna Carta, John wrote to Pope Innocent III for help who declared the Magna Carta void (illegal)

Joh'n’s army then took back losts of land from rebels, including Rochester Castle

The rebel barons then asked Scotland and Prince Louis for help

John vs the Pope: The Interdict (6)

1208 - 1213

The Pope banned most religious service:

Dying couldn’t receive mass

Christian burial was forbidden

Religious services banned inside churches

Limited Impact → Some clergy ignored the Interdict

John vs The Pope: Reconcilliation (7)

Why John wanted to make peace: John had no allies in Europe → he was left vulnerable

By 1213, England was in danger of being invaded by France who could use John’s excommunication as an excuse to attack

Peace terms:

Stephen Langton became Archbishop

All clergymen given their property back

John to pay the pope 1000 marks each year

John to become a vassal of the pope

Impact: England was placed under the pope’s protection → Philip and Prince Louis couldn’t invade anymore

John vs The Barons: Why they fell out (6)

John’s heavy taxes: Scutage raised 11 times → with the biggest ever in 1214

Wardship fines increased 300%

Marriages & inheritance fines for widows

Arbitrary power: John only chose judges who were loyal to him

John imprisoned the eldest son and wife of William de Braose → they starved to death

Failure in France: John failed to retake Normandy in 1214 → wasted £130,000 mostly taken from taxes on the barons

Prince Louis’ invasion (5)

Causes: The pope declared the Magna Carta invalid after John asked him for help

The barons asked Prince Louis to invade England

Key events: John took Rochester Castle in 1216

Prince Louis arrived with 1200 knights

Louis and the rebels took Rochester Castle and London → they now controlled the south east of England

John’s death and succession (8)

The succession: John died in October 1216

Named his 9-year-old son Henry as successor

William Marshall, a trusted baron was put in charge as protector and regent (temporary ruler) 

Why Prince Louis was defeated: Marshal quickly had Henry crowned king

Reissued a slightly different version of Magna Carta

Rebel barons began to change sides

English people wanted an English King, not Louis

Pope Innocent supported King Henry and Marshal

England in 1216 (5)

Who ruled: Parts of England, including border of Scotland and Wales, ruled by foreign powers such as Louis

Rest of England under control of William Marshall with support from a council of nobles and the pope

Country’s wealth: Trade and farming was disrupted → people were poorer

Huge taxes by John meant people were poorer than before

King Henry III had very little money in the royal treasury

Why did Prince Louis fail to take over England: Crowning (3)

Henry III crowned quickly as a child king

Many barons preferred an English king over a French ruler

Louis lost support because his claim became weaker

Why did Prince Louis fail to take over England: William Marshall

Royalists became organised and effective

Marshal provided strong military and political leadership

Louis faced stronger resistance in war

Why did Prince Louis fail to take over England: Church + Papal support for Henry (3)

Cardinal Guala supported Henry

Pope supported Henry due to Johns earlier reconcilliation

Magna Carta reissued to win back rebels