How did King John anger the barons?
The barons
William Marshall
Eustace de Vesci
You are the Lord of
Alnwick in
Northumberland and an
extensive landowner in
northern England.
You are sometimes
known as ‘the best
knight that ever lived’
and are the winner of
over 500 jousts! Your
titles include Earl of
Pembroke (in Wales)
and you also have lands
in Ireland.
William de Mowbray
You are a landowner in
Yorkshire and
Lincolnshire. In the
Histoire des Ducs de
Normandie you are
described as being ‘as
small as a dwarf, but
very generous and
valiant’.
Robert Fitzwalter
You are a landowner in
Essex and constable of
Barnard’s castle in
London.
Roger de Montbegon
You are the owner of
extensive estates in
Yorkshire and
Northumberland.
Your family holds the
barony of Hornby in
Lancashire and has
other estates in
Nottinghamshire,
Lincolnshire and
Yorkshire.
Ranulf de Blondeville
Roger Bigod
You are the Earl of
Chester and also have
lands in Normandy.
You are Earl of Norfolk
with vast estates in East
Anglia.
Robert de Ros
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How did King John anger the barons?
Letter to King John
Dear King John,
I, Baron ………………………………, am fed up of the constant demands
for money from you. I want you to change the way you are governing
England.
Firstly,
Secondly,
Thirdly,
I hope you will be able to agree to these demands.
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Page 2 of 3
How did King John anger the barons?
Teaching notes
This is a lively activity designed to introduce students to baronial dissatisfaction before the
Magna Carta. No prior knowledge is required but it would help if students had some
understanding of feudal society. For greater historical rigour, students could prepare by
researching ‘their’ baron online in advance of the lesson (a good website is
http://magnacartabarons.info/barons).
The students are in role as a one of eight barons. Each baron can be allocated to a group or
to an individual (this might mean roles would be duplicated, which doesn’t matter, but it will
require more ‘currency’!).
Over the course of 1199–1214 you will present various events and tax/fine the barons in the
form of sweets.
You need to provide enough wrapped sweets for every baron to have 15 sweets at the start
of the activity. The good news is that due to John’s taxation you will get most of these back
again and can re-use with other classes.
As the teacher you will be in role as King John. A crown and sadistic laugh work well to add
to the drama of the role-play! A bucket or similar to collect in your ‘scutage’ and fines also
comes in handy, although when confiscating a baron’s entire estate you’ll need to keep the
booty separate as John generally returned them eventually!
In role as King John, read out the scenarios described for each year. This information is
available as PowerPoint presentation for subscribers. Collect in the scutage, fines and levies
in the form of sweets from each baron. In 1210 Roger Bigod will be unable to pay. In 1211
you will need to come to an arrangement with him to postpone payment of his scutage until
after 1215.
The activity will leave the majority of the barons feeling hard done by and angry with King
John. The suggested follow up is to write a letter to John including a list of their demands.
This can then be developed further with a lesson on the Magna Carta.
Over the course the activity these key words will be used.
 Scutage – money due in lieu of personal military service.
 Villeins – peasants. The feudal term for a tenant farmer legally tied to the lord of the
manor.
 Interdict – command from the Pope forbidding priests from performing marriages and
baptisms. This was placed over England from 1208 to 1213 because John refused to
accept the Pope’s appointee, Stephen Langton as the Archbishop of Canterbury.
 Merchet payments – a tax villeins paid to their barons to allow their daughters to marry.
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How did King John
anger the barons?
1199
• The royal treasury is empty.
• King John is levying a land tax. Each
baron must pay 2 sweets, except Roger
Bigod who must pay 4 sweets
.
• A re-enactment!
• The rules:
• Do not eat the currency.
• Listen to King John.
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• Roger de Montbegon wants to marry
Olivia Fitzjohn. He must pay 2 sweets to
the King.
1
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1200
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• The tour continues …
• Eustace de Vesci must pay a tax of 2
sweets for the port he has built at
Alnmouth in Northumberland.
• Robert Fitzwalter has let a royal
prisoner escape. He must pay 3 sweets
as a fine.
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1202
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1204
• The King is fighting rebel Norman barons
in France. All the barons must pay a
scutage (
), except Roger Bigod who
must pay double scutage (2 sweets).
• Ranulf is in Normandy working for the
King and his loyalty is rewarded. Receive 3
sweets
from King John.
• Ranulf is suspected of dealings with the
rebellious Welsh and of contemplating
revolt himself. All his estates are
confiscated by the King (King John takes
all his sweets).
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1200 (again!)
• The King goes on tour of the country to
keep the King’s justice.
• Robert de Ros’ father has died. He must
pay 3 sweets to inherit the land.
• William de Mowbray has had some
land stolen by the king’s sheriff, William
de Stuteville. He must pay 3 sweets to
get justice from the King (but he does not
get his land back!).
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1
1205
1207
• Ranulf has decided to be loyal to the
King. His estates (sweets) are returned.
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• The King is alarmed at the power of the
barons in south Wales. To set an example,
he confiscates most of William
Marshall’s land in England, and takes
two of his sons hostage to force William
to behave loyally. William Marshall
must pay 3 sweets .
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1208
1209
• The Pope has put England under an
‘Interdict’. The Church has gone on strike.
Nobody can be married in church. All
barons lose income from the loss of
villeins ‘merchet’ payments (a tax villeins
pay to their barons to allow their
daughters to marry).
• Each baron pays 2 sweets, except Roger
Bigod who must pay 6 sweets
.
• The King wants to strengthen the north of
England against invasion by the Scots.
Each baron pays a scutage (
), except
Eustace de Vesci and Robert de Ros,
and Roger Bigod who pay 2 sweets.
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1210
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10
1211
• The King is fighting in Irish barons in
Ireland. Each baron pays a scutage (
).
• In addition, William Marshall
accommodates the royal army at his own
expense and pays 2 sweets extra (i.e. 3 in
in total)
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• The King has invaded Wales to destroy the
power of the rebel Llewelyn of Gwynedd.
Each baron pays a scutage (
).
However, William Marshall and
Ranulf must pay double this amount
(
).
• Rogor Bigod owes the King so much
money he cannot pay. He must negotiate a
deal with the King.
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2
1212
1213
• Eustace de Vesci is accused alongside
Robert FitzWalter, of plotting against
John’s life.
• The King seizes all Eustace’s lands (give
all your sweets to King John).
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• King John agrees to return Eustace’s
lands (his sweets are returned).
• The King of France is planning an invasion
of England. King John needs to build up
the English fleet. Each baron pay a tax of 1
sweet.
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1213 (again!)
1214
• However, King John also wants to ensure that, if
the French invade, the barons will support him.
So he decides to buy some support:
• Robert de Ros is made Sheriff of Cumberland
(receive sweet).
• William Marshall becomes the king’s chief
adviser (receive 12 sweets
).
• Ranulf is also in the king’s favour (receive
6 sweets
).
• The King is mounting an invasion to try to
reconquer Normandy. He is asking for
triple scutage. Each baron pays 3 sweets .
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1215
Dear King John,
• How do you feel about
King John?
• Write the King a letter.
You should include at
least three things you
would like him to change
about the way he governs
England.
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I, Baron ………………………………, am fed up of the constant demands
for money from you. I want you to change the way you are
governing England.
Firstly,
Secondly,
Thirdly,
I hope you will be able to agree to these demands.
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