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?

• Rich-but not greedy
• Fit and strong
• Inspiring
• Hardworking
• Firm-but fair
• Wise
• Brave
• A good judge of character
• Wise
• God Fearing
• A good soldier

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WHY?

• The barons had soon grown fed up of John. They
  had been forced to accept him as ruler when his
  older Brother, Richard the Lionheart, had gone on
  Crusade. Now that he was King they grew to
  dislike him more.
• Many of them thought that John had murdered
  Prince Arthur, Richards son, they were unhappy
  at the way in which he changed his mind all the
  time and did not like having to pay for Johns
  war against the French.
• To stop John from doing as he pleased the barons
  got together and forced John to sign the Magna
  Carta, which was a set of Rules that kings would
  have to obey.

• In Medieval Times a King had to be strong. Kings
  were expected to protect the people, maintain law
  and order and to make sure that people were
  treated fairly.
• In return the barons and the rest of the country
  would serve the King.
• King John failed to do this. He was rude to
  people, spent money on wars that he never won and
  wanted more tax from people than many could
  afford.
• The barons didnt know what John was likely to
  do next. He was very unpredictable, and that
  could only mean trouble in Medieval Times.

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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 One

• 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 Two

• 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 Three

• 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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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 Signing

• In 1215 King John signed the Magna Carta.
• Within days of him signing it though he was
  ignoring it and complaining that he had been
  forced to sign it.

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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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What the Magna Carta Did

• Magna Carta Signed by King John in 1215
• Was an official document
• Was signed at Runnymede
• Became Law
• It had been forced on him by the Barons
• Promised freedoms to all people
• Protected the rights of ordinary people
• It prevented the King from doing as he pleased