Evil King John?
Today’s Objective: Was John a
good or a bad King?
Assessment Time!
• You are now going to complete the assessment
• You are being assessed on your ability to
explain your knowledge of historical
interpretation (e.g. different views people hold
about people and events). This will involve
analysing sources and questioning their
reliability by looking at who wrote them, when
they were written and the purpose (why) of the
source (PROVENANCE). You will also need to
recognise and explain the difference between
fact and opinion.
Introductions
• You need to give a brief explanation about
King John’s reign and set out your main
arguments in your introduction. You also
need to briefly explain why his reputation
has varied over time.
Model Introduction
King John’s reputation is one of an evil king who fought with his own
family, heavily taxed the barons, fell out with the church and lost English
territory his father had gained in France. However he also improved the
British military and improved the wealth of the country. Yet his reputation
has largely been tainted by two medieval chroniclers; Roger of Wendover
and Matthew Paris who recorded extremely negative accounts of John’s
reign. These views were then furthered by J.R Green who published a
book on the history of England in 1875 and based his views about John,
on Wendover and Paris’ accounts. Many people’s views have been
influenced by this book and therefore John’s reputation has suffered.
These views however are clearly biased due to the background of the
authors and this means it is not easy to draw a clear conclusion about
whether King John was a good or a bad king.
Speeches
• The main part of this assessment involves
you writing two speeches. One attacking
King John and the other defending him.
You must make use of the sources and
the facts you have gathered about him.
Speech 1 – Good King
I am writing to all of you good citizens of England to
defend King John’s honour. King John was a fair King,
who protected people and fought to make England a
fairer country. People who accuse him of being a tyrant
are biased and have a grudge against him. I have been
reading a recent history book which gives a balanced
account, so it more trustworthy than other one sided
accounts. It states; “John tried hard to be a good king.”
Even though this source also points out some negative
aspects to John’s rule, it does also portray him in a
positive light. King John has often been viewed as an
evil King because he is compared to other English
monarchs such as Elisabeth, but John should be judged
separately on his own merits.
Speech 2 – Evil King
I am writing to you sensible people of England to persuade
you that King John was an evil tyrant and a selfish ruler.
He did after all raise taxes and destroy the positive
relationship England held with the church. J. R. Green’s
account is a good example of how badly John is viewed.
“His court was a brothel.” However, this source has been
accused of being biased as it was based on Roger of
Wendover’s accounts of King John and he was a monk,
with a grudge against King John. J. R. Green has also
clearly exaggerated his views on King John. “Hell itself is
defiled by the fouler presence of King John.” A more
reliable interpretation of King John comes from a
contemporary monk, who still claims John was a tyrant. “…
a became drunk and possessed with the devil.” Even
though these sources are opinions, they overwhelming
show John in an evil light, and many facts about his reign
support this.
Level
Detail involved in write-up
What was King John like?
Reference to sources
3
Brief description.
You say what he was like and what he
did.
No mention of sources.
4
Reasonably detailed account.
You begin to understand what John’s
reputation was like.
You begin to show that you know what
is fact and what is opinion.
You mention 1 or 2 sources.
You begin to show that sources give
different views.
5
A detailed account.
You understand some of the different
views of King John and you give
some examples.
You know the difference between fact
and opinion.
You use some sources. You briefly say
who wrote the sources and
whether they saw him as a good or
a bad King. You are beginning to
consider if you can trust the
source.
You use several sources. You clearly say
who wrote the sources and
whether they saw him as a good or
bad King. You are explaining if you
can trust the source.
6
Very detailed and well
organised account. Your
account may show
evidence of your own
research into the
question to consider if
John deserves this
reputation or not.
You understand the different views of
King John. You clearly
understand which groups of
people would have held these
views and why. You begin to
realise and explain (why) his
reputation has changed through
time.
7
A very well supported
description of his
reputation. Your account
will show evidence of
your own research into
the question and good
overall understanding of
Medieval England.
You understand the different views of
King John. You clearly
understand which groups of
people would have held these
views and why. You clearly
understand how and why his
reputation has changed through
time.
You explain several sources. You
analyse how reliable the sources
are and give clear reasons for
their reliability or limitations.
• Using the books and what you have learnt in the
lesson write your introduction
Plenary – Check List
 Introduction
 Two speeches – providing balanced argument
 Use of sources
 Discussion of reliability of sources
 Identifying fact and opinion
 Explaining why his reputation has varied over
time
 Short conclusion