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fandomhigh2006-02-21 01:58 pm
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History of Medieval England - Tuesday 6th Period: Lecture 6: The Magna Carta
Now we reach a portion of the class that actually lives up to the hype. So on, Henry II dies, so forth, Richard the Lionhearted and Stupidheaded goes on Crusade, and leaves his kid brother John at home minding the country.
Despite what every Robin Hood legend has told you, John was not evil. Or, at least, not any more evil than any monarch with power in the Middle Ages. He did a decent job of administrating the country under his brother's authority whilst Richard was gone, first on Crusade, then being held for ransom on his way back from Crusade. Richard's and John's formidable mother, Eleanor, raised the staggering ransom to free Richard -- and beggared Richard's lands to do it.
Much is made of the fact that in the ten years of his reign, Richard spent only a scant few months in England. But it is important to remember that, during Richard's reign, England was not his only holding. The time he did not spend in the Holy Land or imprisoned he spent in France, defending his French possessions in a losing battle against Philip II of France. And that's how he died; a chance arrow wound from a routine siege. The arrow was either poisoned or, more likely, the wound took septic and the physician blamed poison. Either way, Richard was dead and John, barring the minor inconvenience of a nephew with a claim on the throne, was king.
However, remember what I just said about losing battle. Richard the Lionhearted, brilliant solider that he was, was losing the Continental possessions of the family. Not surprisingly, John was not able to hold onto them. Which, within a few years of the beginning of his reign, left him with England alone.
Henry II and Richard had both spent significant time outside of England, leaving the country in the hands of capable administrators. John, however, was now spending 24/7/365 in the same country, riding length and breadth and breathing down the necks of his nobles. In addition, the old saw about power corrupting holds true, and John certainly gave them enough ammunition against him -- but no more than Henry or Richard. But they wanted to use it against John.
Which all lead to something called the Great Charter -- Magna Carta, if you will. In it, the nobles of England banded together against a common enemy -- the king -- and laid out in exacting terms exactly what he was and wasn't allowed to do. He wasn't allowed to hold people without cause. There were formal, legal procedures for things that had been done based on custom, or the king's whim. There were clearly stated procedures for redress in case of injustice.
What it was, in fact, was a codification of English law and custom to that point, for the purpose of restraining a monarch's control. As such, it was vastly important -- although to history more than the people of the time. John signed the charter, then promptly appealed to the Pope to annul it, claiming he had been forced into signing it -- which he had been. The nobility revolted, John managed to piss the Pope off in another manner, and the Pope handed over England to the French king's heir -- which meant, he gave formal permission for France to invade England and save the people of the land from their blasphemous king.
John usefully died at exactly this point, leaving as his heir a nine-year-old boy. But more importantly, leaving as Regent one of the most respected men in the world at that time, William the Marshel. William's life and career is worthy of a lecture all of its own, but suffice to say that when we discuss the ideal of chivalry, William Marshel could actually serve as a model for it. He ruled England for ten years while John's son grew, and then handed over the reins of power without the least sign of resistance when young Henry III came of age.
By that time, the Magna Carta was not considered to be in force in England. But neither the nobles or the monarchs forgot what it said, and that the nobility had been able to put pressure on the king to bend him to their collective will. Henry will run into this himself, with very different results.
And don't forget to sign up for your role in the mock trial If you haven't already. I'm looking at you, Adama and Evans.
[[OOC: OCD threads arecoming up!!]]
Despite what every Robin Hood legend has told you, John was not evil. Or, at least, not any more evil than any monarch with power in the Middle Ages. He did a decent job of administrating the country under his brother's authority whilst Richard was gone, first on Crusade, then being held for ransom on his way back from Crusade. Richard's and John's formidable mother, Eleanor, raised the staggering ransom to free Richard -- and beggared Richard's lands to do it.
Much is made of the fact that in the ten years of his reign, Richard spent only a scant few months in England. But it is important to remember that, during Richard's reign, England was not his only holding. The time he did not spend in the Holy Land or imprisoned he spent in France, defending his French possessions in a losing battle against Philip II of France. And that's how he died; a chance arrow wound from a routine siege. The arrow was either poisoned or, more likely, the wound took septic and the physician blamed poison. Either way, Richard was dead and John, barring the minor inconvenience of a nephew with a claim on the throne, was king.
However, remember what I just said about losing battle. Richard the Lionhearted, brilliant solider that he was, was losing the Continental possessions of the family. Not surprisingly, John was not able to hold onto them. Which, within a few years of the beginning of his reign, left him with England alone.
Henry II and Richard had both spent significant time outside of England, leaving the country in the hands of capable administrators. John, however, was now spending 24/7/365 in the same country, riding length and breadth and breathing down the necks of his nobles. In addition, the old saw about power corrupting holds true, and John certainly gave them enough ammunition against him -- but no more than Henry or Richard. But they wanted to use it against John.
Which all lead to something called the Great Charter -- Magna Carta, if you will. In it, the nobles of England banded together against a common enemy -- the king -- and laid out in exacting terms exactly what he was and wasn't allowed to do. He wasn't allowed to hold people without cause. There were formal, legal procedures for things that had been done based on custom, or the king's whim. There were clearly stated procedures for redress in case of injustice.
What it was, in fact, was a codification of English law and custom to that point, for the purpose of restraining a monarch's control. As such, it was vastly important -- although to history more than the people of the time. John signed the charter, then promptly appealed to the Pope to annul it, claiming he had been forced into signing it -- which he had been. The nobility revolted, John managed to piss the Pope off in another manner, and the Pope handed over England to the French king's heir -- which meant, he gave formal permission for France to invade England and save the people of the land from their blasphemous king.
John usefully died at exactly this point, leaving as his heir a nine-year-old boy. But more importantly, leaving as Regent one of the most respected men in the world at that time, William the Marshel. William's life and career is worthy of a lecture all of its own, but suffice to say that when we discuss the ideal of chivalry, William Marshel could actually serve as a model for it. He ruled England for ten years while John's son grew, and then handed over the reins of power without the least sign of resistance when young Henry III came of age.
By that time, the Magna Carta was not considered to be in force in England. But neither the nobles or the monarchs forgot what it said, and that the nobility had been able to put pressure on the king to bend him to their collective will. Henry will run into this himself, with very different results.
And don't forget to sign up for your role in the mock trial If you haven't already. I'm looking at you, Adama and Evans.
[[OOC: OCD threads are
ATTENDANCE: Sign In: MEH Lecture 6
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: MEH Lecture 6
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: MEH Lecture 6
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Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: MEH Lecture 6
QUESTIONS: MEH Lecture 6
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TALKING IN CLASS: MEH Lecture 6
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AFTER CLASS: MEH Lecture 6
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Re: AFTER CLASS: MEH Lecture 6
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OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Um, in spite of not being in this class.
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
(also with the not being in this class.)
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Even though, I too am not in this class.
OOC: MEH Lecture 6
So, Methos was totally William Marshel, huh? *has this ongoing 'spot the Really Old Guy' mentality*
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
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Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
It'd be like me making snarky comments in Western Civ's OOC thread...
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Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6
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Re: OOC: MEH Lecture 6