magna carta

• magna carta translation

  meaning the Great Chartar in Latin
• who where inspired by the Magna Carta

  Thomas Jefferson and Mahatama Gandi were influenced.
• what was the magna carta?


  a list of rights and customs created by Barons who where not happy with King Johns rule.
• why where taxes imposed on Barons?


  So that King John could pay for his foreign wars
• what does durest mean?


  force/pressure to do something
• when was the magna carta instated?


  June 15 1215
• where was King John forced to sign the magna carta?


  Runnymede
• what where rules of the magna carta?


  no man would be denied justice or delayed it.

  no man should be arrested or imprisoned except by the judgment of their equals and by the law of the land.
• what happened to the magna carta?


  the pope declared the charter invalied, leading to civil war in England.
• when did King John die and how?


  19 october in 1216, from dysentery
• what was the medival society system?

  built on the feudal system.

  Great Council - barons could meet and have their views and concerned heard.

  Medival kings didn't always lisen to the Great Council.

  believed that the king was appointed by God.
• 'Bad' king John - His relation with the Pope


  -Disagreement with the pope when he refused to support the appointment of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.

  -John didn't want somebody in power who would obey the Pope and go against his wishes.

  -In reaction, Pope banned church services in England.

  -Frightened people, thought they'd go to hell.

  -Barons worried of invasion of forign king because of divission in relationship between king and pope
• 'Bad' King John - high taxes


  -Known as the Scutage (to help John pay for wars in France)

  -nicknamed 'lackland' and 'softsword' bc of record in battle

  -Barons lost land in France, so they lost money.

  -John continued to charge higher feudal payments.
• where people educated in King Johns reign?

  few could read and write in the Middle Ages so it was down to the edcuated Monks and barons to record the events of the day.
• what did King John loose that made his look incompetent?


  lost the crown jewels, in a marshland called the Wash
• who was the leader of the Baron army?

  Robert Fitzwalter
• Why did John agree to sign the Magna Carta?


  • the Barons had the upper hand
  • he needed their support to keep power
• How many promises did the Magna Carta contain?


  63
• What did King John do after agreeing to the Magna Carta?

  • quickly backed out of the agreement, saying he was forced to sign it.
  • it was a stalling tatic to gather troops and rally support.
• Who did the Magna Carta refer too?

  • freemen, such as barons
  • didn't free peasants and villeins
  • didn't change anything for ordinary people of Medival England
  • Barons were looking out for their own interests, only inclueding the church and merchantsas they needed to get more support against John.
• What did the magna carta do in the future?

  • developed a greater significance
  • applied to more people as they gained their freedom
  • introduced the idea that there are rules and laws that even Kings have to follow (they can't do whatever they want)
  • other kings signed similar verisions of Magna Carta
  • today it is viewed as one of the first major steps in britians journey to becoming one of the best known democracies.
• what did the pope say about the Magna Carta?


  stated it was invalied as John had calimed to be'forced'.
• The Siege of Rochester 


  • barons occupied Rochester Castle in october 1215
  • John arrived with siege engines, they bombarded the castle with stone balls, not strong enough to break 3-6 metre wide walls
  • John tried to starve the barons out
  • 25 november - order to Canterbury to have pickaxes made(dig beneth the castle)
  • by end of november - dug a tunnel, set fire with wooden props and pig fat, walls collapsed
  • John now held the power by 30th November
• May 1216


  • barons promised the French Prince, Louis the english throne
  • John fled to southwest England
  • Louis managed to take control of most of England by capturing towns and castles.
  • John gave rebel barons land to supporters to bid to regian control
  • Louis announced king on 2nd June 1216, St Pauls Cathedral.
  • John died in October
  • Barons decided to CROWN John's young son Henry III as king.(crownd 28th october 1216), only 9 years old
• Was the magna carta a failure?

  -King could go against if he wished

  -not until 1295 during Edward I reign that there was a parliemnt that presented the people other than the barons

  -it was only in the long-term that its impact evaluated and its significance was clear
• Simon de Montfort (1208-65)

  • became a opponent of the king and a controversial figure
  • married the kings sister, opened opptunitys and wealth
  • earl of Leicester from 1239
  • died in Battle of Evesham, august 1265