Magna CartaMagna Carta

Background on King John

Prince JohnKing Henry II believed that his youngest son John would “in the end will insult (him and his family) more grievously and more dangerously than any of the others.”

When his brother Richard became King, John began to plot against him.

When Richard was captured on his way home from a crusade, John pretended to raise money for his release!

Prince John

John actually tried to bribe Richard’s captor to hold him longer!!!

Richard eventually returned to England, but died 5 years later.

John was crowned King one month after Richard’s death!

John’s Mistakes“Allegedly” had his nephew killed because people believed that the nephew should be king.

He would falsely accuse someone in order to collect fines in order to get money to fight France.

He forced the barons (lords) to pay “scutages” (taxes) instead of supplying soldiers for the campaigns against France. What happened is England lost many battles & land because they didn’t have a strong army.

Disney’s Song about the Nasty

King Johnhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37bbj8HbM5I

John’s MistakesKing John was excommunicated by the Pope due to an argument over power. King John was the first King to ever be excommunicated. This meant that all of the churches in England were closed and priests couldn’t hear confessions, perform marriages, funerals and baptisms.

The people were nervous of not going to heaven and started to rebel.

John finally agreed with the Pope only because his lords weren’t supporting him, they were supporting the church.

John Isn’t All Bad!!Expanded the civil service system which allowed courts to maintain the law and resolve disputes.

Granted self-government to growing cities.

Established a uniform system of weights and measures.

creating a royal navy

requiring government offices to keep formal archives.

Runneymede ~ site of Magna Carta Signing ~Monday, June 15, 1215

through June 19, 1215

Runnymede was used a meeting place.

Memorial of Where Signature took

place

One of the four remaining

Scribes wrote very small because parchment paper was expensive.

It was written in Latin because Latin was the universal language.

Negotiated for four days on an

agreement called the Articles of the

Barons

These demands became known as

the Magna Carta or also known as

“Great Charter”.

Most famous article ~ Article 39

“No free man shall be...put in prison or deprived of his possessions except by the legal judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.”

(Peasants unfortunately were not considered “free” so they could still be put in jail for no apparent reason.)

Has 63 articles

Good News!!!

The Magna Carta limited the King’s power and strengthened the rights of the nobles.

John up to his Old Tricks

King John did not want to follow this charter. However, he made an “OATH”.

King John asked Pope Innocent III to release him from the OATH, and the Pope agreed. The Pope stated that any oath made under such frightening circumstances could not be enforced.

WAIT...there’s more Drama!!

King John overlooked the fact that if he did not hold up his end of the deal, the nobles and townspeople were willing to fight to make sure it goes through...a civil war broke out!!

The nobles got an army form the French King to help them fight against King John!

BAD NEWS FOR JOHN!!!

King John fought back until he was shipwrecked and ate a bad meal of peaches and cider.

This meal turned out to be his LAST!!