Baronial uprising and Magna Carta - Baronial Resentment

Growing sense of treachery was that John increasingly hired mercenaries. Since he could rely on such men, he appointed them to positions which the established political elite would normally occupy (the barons). The mercenaries insistence on levying taxes caused further disaffection against John - these Kingsmen were mentioned by name clause 50 of the MC

John fearful that he was under attack from his barons - it appeared that some wanted him murdered. Suspects in the plot to kill him were Eustace de Vesci and Robert FitzWalter - De Vesci had served in the royal service since Richard - likely to be angered by John seducing his wife. Along with other northern barons he was opposed to John's harrasment of England's wealth to fund continental aims. FitzWalter probably angered as John tried to seduce his eldest daughter - both fled into refuge when details of the plot leaked. 

The movement was inspired by dislike of John's policies over a number of years. The revolt came about gradually and with much uncertainty

Events were serious enough for John to postpone his expedition to Poitou and reconcile with the papacy

Barons received grievance from John's justiciar,Peter des Roches, during John's absense 

Documents show opposition was widespread - failure to produce payments in 1214 in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Essex.

John was preparing counter activity by fortifying castles, changing sheriffs, summoning mercenaries and making concessions to Pope Innocent. By 1215 he was continuing to strengthen his weak position - made two concessions to the pope, including the surrender as England as a fief. 

Initially John did not retaliate to uprisings, instead ordering sheriffs to seize the land of those against him, and reinforced castles. However, the situation changed when rebels captured London

John didn't attack London, but aimed to surround it by harrying the Eastern and Midland counties.

Soon Prince Louis of France joined the rebels in London

The south of England defected to Louis, and John had to withdraw to the West. However, by the end of summer 1216 the position changed; crucial men came back to John. In September he returned to the offensive, sweeping up into the Midlands and East Anglia

All was still in the balance when John died October 1216. Shortly after, peace returned to England

John's finances angered barons - putting up scutages, aids, fines, reliefs ect unpopular. In his reign Henry put up 8 scutages in 34 years, Richard 3 in 10 years and John 11 in 15 years.

Baronial resentment was inevitable: The king wanted control and security in his far-reaching domains, the barons wanted independence and local power

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The barons heyday had been in Stephen's reign, and they had resented Henry II

Magna Carta was not an indictment of John's reign alone, but of the whole system of Angevin government

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John did not invent his methods, he used those his father had employed

Evidence that John was seducing barons' wives and daughters: Rolls of 1204 'The wife of Hugh de Neville promises the lord king 200 chickens that she might lie one night with her husband'

Medieval Kingship was a personal office. The subjects expected much of their king - leader in war, chivalrous (knightly), an effective diplomat, a generous patron, an able administrator, a fair judge. John was able and clever, but he had many problems, and his subjects didn't trust him. 

Believed that John's maladministration provoked a document that would revolutionise the freedom of the subjects thereafter

Both Henry and Richard had faced opposition, therefore the opposition towards John and Magna Carta may have been an inevitable culmination if all grievances against the Angevin Kings

John's reputation has been blackened by his chroniclers' prejudices towards the Canterbury succession crisis and papal overlordship - these writings have coloured historians' interpretations of him for centuries

Incompetence and cowardice in warfare, loss and failure to regain Normandy, prolonged contest with the papacy, fierce money-raising tactics, cruelty towards groups and his own nephew - all sparked baronial resentment

John preferred to rule through authoritarianism rather than appeasement  - Magna Carta = an indictment of this tyranny 

Magna Carta and the rebellion were a reaction against the arbitrary and exploitative tendencies of Angevin government as a whole - John inherited a legacy of long-standing resentment and flagging loyalty in his lands. Henry had helped create the tradition which was to be used against his sons. Yet John did have flaws

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Magna Carta's concepts were not innovative. Many were a declaration of existing law, confirming ideas men had come to expect from government

Suggest that it was written to enshrine the constitutional principles solely for public good, as opposed to being a specific condemnation against John

His treatment of Matilda Briouse and her son (starved to death in John's prison) caused many of John's barons to distrust him 

John failed to command the respect of the baronage because he could not measure up to the warlike virtues of his brother

John's rule was just as oppressive as his rulers - most of the grievances were long standing, with John's reign providing an opportunity for their redress. 

John had financial difficulties not of his own making, but the barons could not be expected to cooperate if John attempted to solve his problems by summoning his barons to a campaign, taking the money they had brought with them, then dismissing them, as he did in 1201

One of the most serious consequences of the loss of Normandy was that it confined the King to England for long periods of time. John's presentism oppressed the growing rule of the barons

Notoriously demanded 10 000 marks from Nicholas de Stutevill in 1205 for relief payment 

The amount was not so much the problem, it was the fact that the king could foreclose the payments when he wanted - if the baron couldn't pay sheriffs would seize their lands, property or even people. As John was so unpredictable and untrustworthy, the threat was always real. Thus, any baron had to stick to John's good side if he could not pay outstanding dept.

William de Briouse - John had kept Briouse close for 8 years, richly rewarding him, then suddenly decided that he had made him too powerful so decided to break him. John claimed Briouse had failed to pay 5000 marks for the town of Limerick, and orders were placd to remove Briouse's property in England. Briouse attempted to make terms, by surrendering castles and giving hostages. His wife and son soon fell into John's hands, and they were starved to death. 

Treatment of the powerful William de Briouse concerned other barons; the only hope they had was to break him before he broke them

William Marshal and Ranulf, Earl of Chester, stood by the king throughout the 1215 threats. It is unlikely they were interested in the concessions of Magna Carta, as their primary aim was the destruction of John. Their immediate aim was to provoke John into infringing the charter so that they could rally the whole baronage against him

When John signed Magna Carta he was only buying time and never had any intention of honouring the charter; it proved but a temporary truce

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John made a major mistake in avoiding dealing with the most serious threat; London. Thus, Louis was able to reinforce the london garrison and launched a full scale invasion force. Sensing this new momentum, leading royalist barons went over the the rebel side. Louis and the rebels swiftly established about 1/3 of England - by the end of the summer 2/3 of the baronage had defected to Louis

Louis luck ran out when John died

Unlike previous rebellions in the Angevin's reigns, the rebels had no royal princes whose discontent could serve as a focus for revolt; to gain widespread support the barons could not promote their personal grievances. Lacking a prince they devised a document, a programme for reform, Instead they were fighting for the rights of the whole realm

As the rest of the century was relatively peaceful, John can be held responsible for this war

Magna Carta meant little to John - just bought him time. Also wasn't of much significance to the barons, who broke their agreement to surrender London after the singing

Only lasted three months - was reissued after John's death under William the Marshall's regency 

Barons who were prepared to battle John now flocked to his son, and the conflict shifted from civil war to resistance against foreign invasion. Louis was defeated and agreed to withdraw in Sep 1217

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By 1300 the majority of males were freemen. In 1200 only 1 in 10 were free

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