King John Source Deck

Question 1

1. Who were King John’s parents? (2)

Answer 1

Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine

Question 2

2. When did John come to the throne? (1)

Answer 2

April 1199

Question 3

3. What are three facts about Arthur, Duke of Brittany? (3)

Answer 3

• The designated heir to the throne by his uncle Richard (1190) before Richard changed his mind in 1199 and chose John
• Had a better claim to Normandy and England than John.
• It’s believed that John may have killed Arthur

Question 4

4. Which French king joined Arthur to attack John’s castles in Normandy, and when? (2)

Answer 4

Philip II in 1202

Question 5

5. Why was Normandy important? (3)

Answer 5

• Prestige and reputation of the king.
• Land belonging to important barons.
• ‘Jewel in the crown’ of English possessions

Question 6

6. When was a new Pope selected and what was his name? (2)

Answer 6

1198, Pope Innocent III

Question 7

7. What year did John begin to argue with the new Pope? (1)

Answer 7

1205

Question 8

8. What argument did John have with the new Pope? (2)

Answer 8

• The pope wanted Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury,
• John favoured John, Bishop of Norwich.

Question 9

9. What happened as a result of John’s dispute with Innocent III? (2)

Answer 9

John was excommunicated (1) between 1209-1213 (2)

Question 10

10. What did the Pope’s ‘Interdict’ mean and when was it passed? (3)

Answer 10

• No Christian marriages or burials were allowed to take place in England
• Church services were stopped
• Passed in 1208

Question 11

11. What were three of John’s strengths? (3)

Answer 11

• He travelled the whole country and judged cases for the royal court himself
• Increased the strength of the navy
• Provided feast days for paupers (the poor)

Question 12

12. How did John strengthen the monarchy? (4)

Answer 12

• He collected a new land tax from the knights and the barons.
• He modernised the government and kept good records.
• He increased his control over Ireland and Wales, and built up his forces in northern England.
• The King of Scotland signed a peace treaty with John.

Question 13

13. How did John strengthen the navy? (3)

Answer 13

• John built new ships
• Strengthened Portsmouth’s defences
• Established a new port at Liverpool.

Question 14

14. Name three reasons the Barons were angry with John. (3)

Answer 14

Any three from:

• He punished churchmen because of his quarrel with Pope Innocent II
• He kept demanding scutage tax (paid by knights)
• He took barons family as hostage so that they would not rebel, e.g. sons of Welsh barons in 1211
• John had favourites like Gerrard d’Athee of France and gave them possessions
• Introduced an inheritance tax, demanding £6000 from one baron
• Lost lands in Normandy

Question 15

15. What was Magna Carta and when was it signed? (2)

Answer 15

• Magna Carta (Great Charter) was a set of rules about how the king should treat the freemen of England, - Signed in 1215.

Question 16

16. How many clauses were in Magna Carta (1)

Answer 16

63 clauses

Question 17

17. Name four of the clauses of Magna Carta (4)

Answer 17

• The king will not interfere with the Church
• The king will not imprison nobles without a trial
• The king will stop unfair taxes
• The king will not ask for extra taxes
• Merchants will be able to travel around the country and buy and sell without having to pay extra taxes
• Trials will be held quickly and fairly

Question 18

18. Only three of the promises of Magna Carta remain in force today. What are they? (3)

Answer 18

• The monarchy will not interfere with the church.
• To respect the rights and freedoms of the City of London and other towns and ports.
• No one can be arrested or imprisoned without a proper trial.