First Barons' War Worksheets
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Summary
- Historical Background of the First Barons’ War
- The Magna Carta
- War with the Barons
- Aftermath of the First Barons’ War
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about the First Barons’ War!
The First Barons’ War, which occurred between 1215 and 1217, was a civil war in England during the rule of King John. The barons, led by Robert Fitzwalter, initiated a war against the king, which led to England’s war with Philip II of France, and later, to the collapse of the Angevin Empire. The war continued with Philip’s son, Louis, who had ambitions to rule England.
Depiction of the troops of King John of England and Louis of France
Historical Background of the First Barons’ War
- John, King of England, ruled the kingdom from 1199 until his death in 1216. He was the youngest son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. During the Third Crusade, he was known for his unsuccessful rebellion against his brother Richard I.
- After the death of Richard I in 1199, John succeeded to the throne and among his first matters was the peace treaty of Le Goulet with Philip II of France in 1200, which recognised England’s possession of the continental Angevin lands, including Normandy, Aquitaine, Anjou, Touraine and Maine. However, by 1204, King John’s empire in northern France collapsed following a war with France. The defeat was followed by a decade of challenges to regain the lands, reform the armed forces, and attempt to raise revenues.
- Furthermore, King John had a strained relationship with the church, particularly with Pope Innocent III, over the election of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury. As a result, church services were banned until 1214 following the Papal Interdict of 1208.
- The following year, King John was excommunicated until 1213. By 1214, King John’s forces were once again defeated by Philip’s at the Battle of Bouvines.
- Upon his return to England, the unpopular King John faced discontented barons. Many were unsatisfied with the kingdom’s fiscal policies and the king’s treatment of the nobles. In 1215, the Magna Carta was drafted to appease the barons.
The Magna Carta
- Also known as the Great Charter, the Magna Carta was a royal charter of rights sealed by King John at Runnymede. It stipulated the protection of the rights of the church and the barons, and limitations on feudal payments. However, neither side stood by their commitments. The charter was annulled by Pope Innocent III, and the First Barons’ War ensued.
- Prior to the Magna Carta, King John and his predecessors ruled under the principle of force and will or vis et voluntas. Decisions over the Kingdom of England were justified by the king’s power over the law.
- In 1100, Henry I of England proclaimed the Charter of Liberties, also known as the Coronation Charter, which sought to bind the King to laws governing the church, nobles, and individuals. Before the Magna Carta, historians considered the Charter of Liberties a landmark document in English legal history.
Henry I of England
- On 10 June 1215, the rebel barons presented King John the ‘Articles of the Barons’, which was later renamed Magna Carta. Five days later, the general agreement was drafted, and on 19 June, the rebel barons renewed their oaths of loyalty to John. The charter promised the following:
- Church rights
- Protection of nobles from illegal imprisonment and access to swift justice
- Limitations on taxation and feudal payments to the Crown
- Rights of free men, specifically, the barons
- Rights of serfs
- Creation of a council of 25 barons to monitor the Crown’s adherence to the charter
War with the Barons
- As no party implemented the peace accord, the baronial council was packed with hardliners. In response, King John appealed to Pope Innocent III for help, yet the rebellion happened rapidly.
- The rebel barons first targeted the almost unguarded Rochester Castle, owned by Archbishop Langton. But they lacked engineering expertise for an effective assault. Meanwhile, prepared for the conflict, King John hired mercenaries and marcher lords. Among his strategies were the isolation of rebel barons in London and the protection of supply lines.
- In November 1215, King John’s forces successfully retook Rochester Castle, the north side of London, and East Anglia. By January 1216, John faced Alexander II of Scotland, who sided with the rebel barons, and took back northern England.
- In response to their multiple setbacks, the rebel barons invited Prince Louis of France, who also claimed the English throne through his marriage to Blanche of Castile, granddaughter of Henry II.
- Despite his excommunication, Prince Louis launched the invasion of England in May 1216. Landed in Kent, Louis immediately joined the rebel barons as they marched west. John retreated to Winchester, and many also deserted his army, including his half-brother William Longespée.
- With little resistance, Louis entered London and was received by the rebel barons and the city’s citizens. Though not crowned, Louis was proclaimed king at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Aftermath of the First Barons’ War
- After the invasion of London, Prince Louis moved on to Guildford Castle, Farnham Castle, and reached Winchester Castle on 14 June. Following a ten-day siege, Winchester fell to Louis, including about a third of England.
- Amidst the initial discouragement from Philip and Pope Innocent III, Louis seized the royal castles in Canterbury, Rochester, and Kent. It was followed by a siege at Dover Castle, which was then protected by constable Hubert de Burgh. The castle, being well-supplied with a garrison of men, repelled the attack, and after three months, Louis returned to London.
- Apart from Dover Castle, Windsor Castle was able to hold out against Louis’ siege. 60 loyalist knights defended the castle for two months, and despite the severe damage, much of the castle survives today, including the western curtain wall repaired during the reign of Henry III.
- Occupied by the rebel barons, King John besieged Rochester Castle on 11 October. With five siege engines, John’s forces took the castle on 30 November 1215. The surrender was mainly due to the cutting of supply lines, causing severe starvation.
- In October 1216, King John died of dysentery at Newark Castle. While the rebel barons initially joined forces with Louis of France, they rushed to crown John’s nine-year-old son, Henry, as King of England. The young king was crowned at Gloucester Abbey since Louis was holding London.
- In Henry’s name, the Magna Carta was reissued on 12 November and sealed by Henry’s regent, William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.
- With great influence, Marshal secured the support of the barons and the pope. On 6 December 1216, the conflict between Louis and Henry’s supporters began at Hertford Castle.
- Due to initial defeats, Louis planned to return to France for reinforcements; however, he faced loyalist resistance in Kent, Sussex, and Dover. By May 1217, Louis’ reinforcements led by Eustace the Monk were destroyed.
- Louis’ forces faced a crushing defeat at the Battle of Lincoln on 20 May 1217. By 24 August, the fleet assembled by his wife, Blanche of Castile, was destroyed at the coast of Sandwich.
- On 11 September 1217, under the Treaty of Lambeth (also known as the Treaty of Kingston), Louis of France gave up his claim to the throne of England. Furthermore, the treaty also included provisions on amnesty, payments, and surrender of castles. Lastly, Louis agreed not to attack England again.
- Further revisions were made to the Magna Carta. In 1225, Henry’s commitment to the charters was questioned as Louis VIII of France invaded Poitou and Gascony. Decades later, another coup d’état instigated by the barons occurred, now joining forces with Louis IX of France. The Second Barons’ War lasted between 1264 and 1267.
- Other additions were made in 1297 and 1300 under Edward I, and 1331 and 1369 under Edward III.
Frequently Asked Questions About The First Barons' War
- What was the First Barons’ War?The First Barons’ War (1215–1217) was a civil war in England between King John and a group of rebel barons.
- What caused the First Barons’ War?The war was caused by King John’s heavy taxes, military failures, and refusal to follow the terms of the Magna Carta, which limited royal power.
- What was the significance of the First Barons’ War?The war helped secure the reissue of the Magna Carta, strengthening the idea that the king was not above the law.