King John and the Magna Carta

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King John and the Magna Carta
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Could the rich control the king?
Around the picture below, you can read some of
the qualities which medieval people expected
their king to have! Which three are the most
important for a medieval king?
A good judge of character
Rich but not greedy!
A good soldier
Fit and strong
God fearing
Inspiring!
Brave
Hardworking
Wise
Firm but fair!
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Your enquiry!

• Medieval kings could get into serious trouble if
  they did not have the qualities of a KING! In
  the thirteenth century some barons forced an
  unpopular king to give up some power and it was
  only the beginning!! In this enquiry, you will
  find out how the richest people in the country
  began to challenge the king

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King John manages to upset everyone!!

• The first king to give up some of his power was
  John. He is famous as Prince John in make
  believe stories of Robin Hood. In the stories he
  is a wicked and foolish prince who taxes the
  people of England unfairly. Some historians say
  John was just as foolish in real life. Others
  say he was simply unlucky!
• John ruled England from 1199 to 1216. He faced
  the following problems.

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Problem Number 1

• He quarrelled with the Pope about how to run the
  Church. From 1208 until 1213, the Pope banned
  all church services in England and English people
  feared that they would all go to HELL! Some
  Church leaders blamed John for the trouble.

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Problem Number 2

• John went to war twice against the French king.
  His army was badly beaten both times. He lost
  almost all the land that his father had gained in
  France!

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Problem Number 3

• John raised taxes in England to pay for the wars.
  This upset his BARONS! He ordered them to pay
  far more tax than earlier kings had done!

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THINK!

• For how many years did the ban on church services
  last?
• Why do you think the barons gave John the
  nicknames Softsword and Lackland?
• Which of the three problems do you think upset
  the barons the most?

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How did the barons strike back?

• In 1214 many barons rebelled against John. They
  believed that he could not rule the country
  properly and was treating them unfairly. If
  someone did not do something the whole country
  could be ruined!
• In 1215 the barons forced John to grant a
  charter, which was the first time anyone had
  expected an English king to obey a set of rules.

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The Magna Carta

• I, King John, accept that I have to govern
  according to the law.
• So I agree
• 1. Not to imprison nobles without trial
• 2. That trials must be in courts not held in
  secret by me
• 3. To have fair taxation for the nobles
• 4. To let freemen travel wherever they like
• 5. Not to interfere in Church matters
• 6. Not to seize crops without paying for them
• . and lot more things too!!

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The Magna Carta??

• The Charter later became known by the Latin name
  Magna Carta which means great charter.

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Think!

• Use the examples from Magna Carta to work out the
  different ways in which John has been upsetting
  people.
• What was so new about Magna Carta for English
  kings?
• At the time, Magna Carta was not designed to help
  everybody. What kind of people were not helped
  by the charter?