Medieval Monarchs and The Magna Carta

Strong Monarchs in France Hugh Capet was the first of the Capetians, a long line of rulers in France The Capetians made the throne hereditary They were supported by the Church The built an effective government with officials who collected taxes and enforced royal law

Strong Monarchs in England In 1066, William the Conqueror (a Norman from France), invaded England William granted fiefs to the Church and nobles, but also kept land for himself He required that nobles swear loyalty directly to him, as well as their lords He issued a census called the Domesday Book to help collect taxes Video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ8A5gRe_Dw

Strong Monarchs in England Henry II became king in 1154 He turned customs into laws, establishing the common law system based on both custom and court rulings England also developed a jury for trials

Strong Monarchs in England Henry II also fought with the Church over whether clergy should be tried in royal courts or church courts His knights murdered Archbishop Thomas Becket Although Henry denied a role, he gave in to the demands of the Church

King John Henry II’s son, John had many troubles He fought to keep Norman land in France He fought with the Pope to be able to select the new archbishop He fought with his own barons about his high taxes and abuses of power http://www.robertsewell.ca/english1200.jpg

King John On June 15, 1215, the barons of Medieval England confronted King John at Runnymede, and forced the king to put his seal on the Magna Carta. King John had been an unpopular king who abused his power, oppressed his subjects, and angered the barons by increasing taxes and demanding many soldiers for his military campaigns abroad.

The Magna Carta is an important historical document that took some power away from the king and gave some rights and freedoms to the people. Magna Carta means "Great Charter" in Latin.

The Magna Carta was the source of many of the important ideas contained in founding documents of the United States, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

a. Idea taken from the Magna Carta: Rule of Law Laws exist, and all citizens must obey them. The king is not above the law. If the king breaks the law, his vassals can remove him from the throne.

b. Idea taken from the Magna Carta: Balance of Power Even though the king is the nation’s leader and authority, his vassals have both the right and the responsibility to check or limit his power.

c. Idea taken from the Magna Carta: No taxation without representation The king cannot levy any extra taxes “without the common consent of the realm.” Without new taxes, the king cannot increase his army and overturn the balance of power by attacking his vassals.

d. Idea taken from the Magna Carta: Security of Private Property Things that do not belong to the king (land, tools, livestock) cannot be taken from their owner without their consent. This agreement not only preserves the right of subjects to own property but also stops the king from becoming richer or more powerful by taking property from his subjects.

e. Idea taken from the Magna Carta: Limited Government There are limits to the powers of both the king and his barons. This idea relates to the balance of power.

f. Idea taken from the Magna Carta: Due Process of Law Someone who is accused of a crime cannot simply be condemned by the king or his sheriffs. There is a process for hearing both sides of the case and making a fair judgment.

g. Idea taken from the Magna Carta: Judgment By One’s Peers This idea is the seed of our jury system, which guarantees that the guilt or innocence of a citizen accused of a crime will be decided by a jury of his or her peers.