Year 7 History Project Middle Ages - Power and Protest Session 1: King Edward I • In the following slides you will find information relating to: • Edward and parliament • Edward and Wales • Edward and the War of Independence Edward I • Edward facts • Edward was born in 1239 • In 1264 Edward was held prisoner when English barons rebelled against his father Henry III. • In 1271 Edward joined a Christian Crusade to try and free Jerusalem from Muslim control • Edward took the throne in 1272. • Edward fought a long campaign to conquer Wales • Edward built lots of castles in Wales such as Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech castles • Edward had two nicknames - 'Longshanks' because he was so tall and the 'Hammer of the Scots' for obvious reasons • Edward’s war with Scotland eventually brought about his death when he died from sickness in 1307 when marching towards the Scottish Border. Llywelyn Ap Gruffudd • In 1275 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd of Wales refused to pay homage (respect) to King Edward I of England as he believed himself ruler of Wales after fighting his own uncles for the right. • This sparked a war that would result in the end of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (the last) who was killed fighting the English in 1282 after several years of on off warfare. • Edward I destroyed the armies of Llywelyn when they revolted against England trying to take complete control of Wales. • As a result Llywelyn is known as the last native ruler of Wales. • After his death Edward I took his head from his body and placed it on a spike in London to deter future revolts. He built lots of castles to assert his power such as Caernarfon. Edward humiliated the Welsh by giving them a Prince who did not speak the language, his new born son. Edward I vs Llewelyn Ap Gruffudd • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpy7N90BtIQ History of Parliament Parliament background: • The Norman kings called a Great Council of barons and bishops three times a year – at Christmas, Easter and Whitsun, which is the Sunday 50 days after Easter. These meetings came to be called 'parliaments'. The word 'parliament' comes from the French word 'parler', meaning 'to speak’. • The Model Parliament: In 1275 Edward I called two knights from each county and two burgesses (freemen who were elected) from each town to the Model Parliament. It was called 'model' because this became normal. After 1327 they became a permanent part of Parliament, and after 1332 they sat in one chamber and became known as the House of Commons. • They were called on primarily to listen to and approve the King's plan for a new tax. Over the following years it became an accepted rule that the representatives of those who were going to be most affected by taxation had to give their consent to it in Parliament. Model Parliament • However, the practice of summoning these representatives did not become standard for many years. The next time the burgesses were summoned along with the knights of the shire was in 1295. • From 1278 official records were kept of its proceedings and decisions, written up and sewn together in long scrolls, the Rolls of Parliament. Edward revolutionised parliament over the course of his reign of 35 years (1272-1307) as he summoned it on 46 occasions making it a frequent and increasingly powerful system. For the first 20 years of his reign it met ‘regularly’ - almost twice a year. • Parliament increased power under Edward because he was constantly fighting wars. This needed more money than they had from their own wealth and they had to demand "extraordinary" taxes from the people, with Parliament’s permission, to raise the funds. • But each time the King requested assent to a tax from Parliament, it could ask a favour back again and often used the King's desperation for money to get what it wanted. As a result after Edward’s death, the Parliament was stronger than it ever had been and future King’s and Queens would forever be wary of its influence and power. • Eventually the Constitutional Monarchy would form in 1688 – The Ruling King/Queen still remained as a customary role but decision making powers lay with the House of Commons/Lords. Wars of Independence - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z8g86sg/articles/z77dbdm • Why did Edward I invade Scotland? • In 1292, Alexander III , the King of Scotland, died. • Scotland's nobles turned to the Edward I to help them choose a new king. • Edward was seen as being friendly to Scotland. What could possibly go wrong? • When John Balliol became King of Scots, Edward demanded that Balliol recognise him as his superior! He expected John and Scotland to support him in a war against France. • The Scottish lords wanted John to stand up to Edward. So in 1295 John signed a treaty with France, the Auld Alliance. This greatly angered Edward who did not like the French! • In 1296 Edward raised a large army and invaded Scotland. Wars of independence • What happened next? • In 1306 Edward defeated the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar but he faced more trouble when William Wallace and then Robert the Bruce started to fight back. • Edward punished Robert by imprisoning his sister Mary for 4 years. • Edward marched to Scotland with a large army to fight the new Scottish king, Robert the Bruce. As a powerful King he wanted to rule over as any people as possible and control all hostile territories. • He got as far as the border of Scotland but then he got sick and died. • According to one story, his last wish was that his body should not be buried until Scotland had been conquered. That didn't happen, though, and Edward was buried in Westminster Abbey. • Scotland did not join England until the Act of Union in 1707 which formally created the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Although England and Scotland had shared a Monarch since 1603 when James VI of Scotland became James I of England. William Wallace - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z8g86sg/articles/z6q8382 • Wallace was born around 1270. He might have been born at Elderslie near Paisley or Ellerslie in Ayrshire • In 1296 after John Balliol surrendered to Edward I of England and was removed as King of Scots, Edward took control of Scotland and forced 2000 Scottish nobles to swear they would be loyal to him. Some Scots refused to see Edward as their king and fought back. • One of those people was a man called William Wallace . • In 1297, he is reported to have killed William de Heselrig, the English High Sheriff occupying the Scottish town of Lanark. • Instead of going into hiding, Wallace continued his rebellion. He attacked other Scottish places controlled by Edward. William Wallace • Wallace is famous for two battles. In the first, Wallace and his co-commander, Andrew Murray , defeated a large English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. • After this, Wallace was made a Guardian of Scotland - a man who would defend the nation. • The next battle didn't go so well. At the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, Wallace was defeated when Edward I took personal control of the battle. • After the Battle of Falkirk, Wallace resigned as Guardian on Scotland and went on the run. • Seven years later, Wallace was captured near Glasgow. He was sent to London where he was tried for treason (disobeying the English King). He was executed in London in 1305 by being hung, drawn (cut open) and quartered (his body was cut into four parts) • After his death, his head was dipped in tar and put on a spike on London Bridge! • The four parts of his body were sent to Berwick, Newcastle, Stirling and Perth • Wallace is still remembered to this day for standing up for what he believed in. Session 2 – Medieval Kings In this session you will find: Information on Medieval Kings and rebellions Session 3 – Peasants Revolt 1381. In this session: • Information on the Peasants Revolt • Slides with decision making game 1381: The decisions of a Kentish villager A Man of Importance • You are an important man in your village, trusted by the other villagers. This year they’ve chosen you as the constable, to protect the village from crime. Of course this is on top of your work, farming your land. • You own enough land and animals to feed your family. You also work 2 days a week on your lord’s land but he pays low wages, the same as in your grand-dad’s time. The law says you have to work for the same wages as 30 years ago. • Some villagers are even worse off. They’re villeins – they’re not free. They have to work for the lord on 2 days a week – for no pay. The law says that the lord can’t free them. 18 The King’s Law No hope for the villagers • Why is the law so harsh? Remember the Black Death 30 years ago? After all those deaths the lords didn’t have enough people to farm the fields. People hoped this would lead to higher wages or getting their freedom. • But the lords were frightened. They didn’t want to pay people higher wages – or set them free. • So the King made a law saying • Villeins could not be freed • Freemen had to work for the same wages as before the Black Death • People’s hopes of a better life disappeared. 19 More problems – Wars and Taxes And now things are even worse! And the government has collected 5 taxes in 4 years.