Rebellion of the 'Northerners' 1212-13

• Historically, was the North easy for kings to control?

  No
• Why were discontented northern barons a threat?

  They could easily make common cause with the Scottish King and threaten to break down royal power
• John tried to lessen the independence of northern barons and had also dealt with the Scottish king
• Why did the northern barons view John as a threat?

  John's regular visits to the North
• In 1209 who had there been contact between?

  Philip II and John de Lacy
• John de Lacy was the lord of where?

  Pontefract
• When was there contact between Philip II and John de Lacy?

  1209
• What did contact between Philip II and John de Lacy suggest?

  A revolt may have been simmering even then
• When was John planning on departing to invade France?

  Summer of 1212
• What prevented John from leaving to invade France in the summer of 1212?

  Rebellion broke out in Wales
• Who led the rebellion in Wales?

  Llywelyn
• How did John show vindictiveness in response to the Welsh rebellion?

  Hung 28 of the young men he had taken from Wales as hostages in 1211
• Many of the young men who John had taken from Wales were sons of Welsh chieftains
• John received news from the Scottish king and Joanna about what?

  There was a plot to kill him
• What did John do following the news of a plot to kill him?

  He disbanded his army and returned to London, ensuring the safety of his son and heir Henry
• What happened which showed threats of a plot were true?

  The departure of two disaffected barons, as soon as John asked for hostages from the barons suspected of plotting, one fled to Scotland, the other to France
• Which 2 disaffected barons fled?

  Robert fitz Walter, Eustace de Vesci
• John decided he needed to make peace with who?

  William Marshal
• When did John write to Marshal

  Autumn of 1212
• When did Marshal return to England to serve John loyally?

  May 1213
• Marshal regained his Welsh lands, which had been given to de Breaute
• What was the significance of John coming to terms with the pope?

  Discontented barons could no longer make pious claims about their reluctance to serve an excommunicated king
• John did not follow a consistent policy, sometimes it was leniency, sometimes it was harshness
• Who did John replace some of his own men who were northern sheriffs with?

  Men actually from the North (Robert de Percy took over in Yorkshire, Alexander de Pointon in Lincolnshire)
• Who did John pardon?

  Some of his debtors of some of their debts
• What did John promised Northern barons he would restore?

  Their ancient liberties
• How did John show his desire for vengeance?

  Attacking the castles belonging to Fitz Walter and de Vesci
• Fitz Walter and 9 of his men were outlawed
• John took both castles and hostages from two other barons of whose loyalty he had doubts (Richard de Umfraville, David earl of Huntingdon)
• Who did John arrest?

  Some exchequer clerks
• William of Cornwall was the archdeacon of where?

  Huntingdon
• What did William of Cornwall do after being arrested?

  Paid a fine to regain the king's goodwill and was restored to favour
• When the interdict was lifted, where did William of Cornwall become bishop of?

  Lichfield
• Neither leniency or harshness had the desired result
• What did barons, many of whom from the North, refuse to do in 1213?

  Join John's expedition to Poitou
• Why was John under pressure in 1213?

  Fears of a French invasion in the spring and the opposition of many of the barons forced him to postpone his invasion of France yet again
• How did John somewhat recover?

  The ending of the breach with Rome and his naval successes, along with his alliances with princes in continental Europe
• Who did the settlement with the pope bring back to England

  Fitz Walter, de Vesci and Langton
• What did John swear to do in 1213?

  Abolish bad laws, not to act against anyone without a judgement in his court, and to give every man his rights
• Did John stick to what he swore to do in 1213?

  There was some disparity between the words of the king and his actions