Starter quiz
- Which definition best describes what a baron is?
- a great lord or landholder in the kingdom ✓
- a ruler of the kingdom
- a skilled farmer tied to the land
- a traveling minstrel and storyteller
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- What is a "succession crisis"?
- a failed attempt to conquer a neighbouring kingdom
- a period of extreme weather conditions and crop failures
- a situation in which there is no clear heir to the throne ✓
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- Which definition best describes what an empire is?
- a group of countries ruled from the centre by one person or a group ✓
- a powerful group of knights sworn to protect the king
- a religious organisation headed by the Pope
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- Write the missing word. A __________ is a military mission against a group considered by the Pope to be an enemy of the Church.
- 'crusade' ✓
- Write the missing word. The __________ is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
- 'Pope' ✓
- Which term best describes an early Norman fortress used to station troops?
- Concentric castle
- Moat and Billy fortress
- Motte and Bailey castle ✓
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Exit quiz
- What did King John have a reputation for being?
- a charismatic and fearless leader
- a wise and just ruler
- an untrustworthy and greedy ruler ✓
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- Which two countries did King John's empire stretch across?
- England ✓
- France ✓
- Spain
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- Why were the scutage and tallage taxes resented by the barons?
- because the amount was fixed and not likely to change
- because the amount was not fixed and caused heavy taxation ✓
- because they were too low and didn't contribute to the defence of the realm
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- Why were many barons angry with King John after he agreed to give up some of his French lands?
- they believed it was a wise diplomatic decision
- they held land in France and had paid taxes to raise his army ✓
- they thought John was being too aggressive in France
- they were pleased with the reduced tax burden
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- What did King John do when he and his soldiers captured Arthur of Brittany?
- held him for ransom
- imprisoned him ✓
- released him without any conditions
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- How much land had King John lost by 1204?
- one ninth
- one sixth
- one third ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Many consider John to be the model of a bad king with a reputation for untrustworthiness and greed.
- King John raised unpopular taxes which caused anger amongst the English barons.
- King John had a reputation for avoiding battle and was known as 'Softsword'.
- King John was said to have killed his nephew.
- King John lost a third of his lands, including his family’s ancestral homelands.
Common misconception
King John only ruled England.
King John inherited the Angevin Empire which stretched across England and France.
Keywords
Crusade - a crusade is a military mission against a group considered by the Pope to be an enemy of the Church
Tax - tax is a compulsory payment to the government to cover various costs
Scutage - scutage was a tax paid by the barons when they were unable to send enough knights to fight for the king
Tallage - tallage was a tax charged by Norman and Angevin kings on their lands and towns
Ancestral - ancestral means relating to members of your family from the past
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