You are the barons of England
You are the richest and most powerful people in the country
What matters to you?
1. Keeping your land and wealth and increasing it if possible
2. Being respected as a good soldier
3. Being trusted by the King and being one of his most important advisers – this may lead to
you being given more lands by the King
4. Being loyal to the King who was chosen by God to be king
What would make you angry?
5. Losing your wealth and lands
6. Unfair treatment by the King, especially if he does not rule the country in the ways you
expect
7. Your family, especially your sons and daughters, being mistreated by the king
1
King John’s Actions
Here are some of the things King John has done that affect you, the barons:
It is said John had his nephew, Arthur, murdered after Arthur rebelled against him. Many
had thought Arthur should be king.
When you inherit your father’s lands you have to pay the King a tax called a relief. John has
increased this tax – a lot.
If you do not fight in the king’s army in France you have to pay a tax called scutage (shieldmoney). John has increased this tax – a lot.
He has forced rich widows (women like your mother) to pay him huge amounts of money so
he does not order them to marry again
He has made foreign soldiers his main advisers instead of listening to barons like you who
own most of the lands in England.
He has forced many barons to agree to pay him huge amounts of money if they do anything
he says is illegal.
He has forced barons to give him their children as hostages. If the barons rebel their
children could be in danger. [Remember Arthur and the de Briouze family]
He has imprisoned barons and other landowners without holding trials.
2
The story of William de Briouze
For use by teachers for story-telling – this outlines the detail you can work into the story.
It will help to have 3 students come to front in role as William, Matilda and their eldest son
who was an adult.
William one of greatest landowners of the time. He was married to Mathilda and they had
at least nine children
William was loyal to Richard I, fighting fought alongside him in France and supported John in
1199 – some had wanted Arthur as King but William backed John.
Arthur disappeared in 1203, probably murdered in Rouen on John’s orders. Some said John
had murdered Arthur himself. William was there and knew what had happened.
Ask student playing William – are you confident of John’s support? Do you expect rewards?
[lead to answer ‘Yes!’]
And he was well-rewarded by John – at first - but by 1208 the situation began to change –
John no longer seemed to trust William.
John asked William to hand over son as hostage for good behaviour
Ask each student in role – what do you think of this? Think about Arthur!
At this stage sources suggest that Mathilda may have said something indiscreet about what
happened to Arthur and John feared truth coming out!
Relationship between William and King now went downhill fast – the family were heavily
fined and forced to hand over castles – John said they had rebelled – but no trial took place.
The family fled – William to France but Matilda and their eldest son were captured and
imprisoned. They starved to death in 1210. William died in 1211
3
Eustace de Vesci
Lands
You are a landowner in the north - Lord of Alnwick in Northumberland and Malton
Family and friends
Your wife is a daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland.
You are friendly with William de Mowbray and Roger de Montbegon
Relationship with King John
You helped King John with negotiations with the Scots.
You believe King John had made advances to your wife.
In 1212 you plotted with Robert Fitzwalter to kill King John – and failed. You fled abroad and
your castles were destroyed by the king. You have been pardoned but the King does not
trust you – and you do not trust him.
William de Mowbray
Lands
You have land in the north and midlands - Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire
Family and friends
You are friendly with Eustace de Vesci and Roger de Montbegon
Relationship with King John
You are a brave soldier and supported John for a long time but you now owe John a huge
sum of money. In 1200 you offered 2000 marks to John to win his support in your dispute
with William de Stuteville over who owned land. John accepted the offer but his court then
declared in favour of Stuteville.
King John did not at first ask you for the 2000marks but in 1208, he demanded you pay off
the debt at a rate of £100 per year. It’s a huge amount and you have had to borrow money
from moneylenders.
4
Roger de Montbegon
Lands
You hold land in the north and midlands - Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and
Lincolnshire
Family and friends
You are friendly with Eustace de Vesci and William de Mowbray
Relationship with King John
You supported John’s rebellion in 1194 and when John became King you expected to
prosper – but this did not happen. In 1204 John seized control of your lands, claiming this
was a punishment for failing to come to court.
John de Lacy
Lands
Your lands are in Yorkshire.
Relationship with King John
Your father fought for John in France and was an important member of John’s
administration.
When your father died you were too young to inherit. In 1213 you had to pay a vast sum of
money - 7,000 marks - to gain your inheritance.
Even now John still holds Pontefract and Donington castles and has members of your family
as hostages until you pay off the debt.
5
Gilbert de Gant
Lands
You own land in the east, south Lincolnshire
Relationship with King John
John has failed to support your claim to the earldom of Lincolnshire
You owed 1,200 marks to moneylenders. King John took over the debt but now says you
have to pay off the debt in just two years.
Nicholas de Stuteville
Lands
You hold land in the north, in Cumberland and Yorkshire
Relationship with King John
To inherit your lands in 1205 you had to pay King John the enormous sum of 10,000 marks.
You also had to surrender Knaresborough and Boroughbridge to the King until you paid the
debt. You have never recovered those lands and your debts to the king are now £10,000.
Geoffrey de Mandeville
Family and friends
Your first wife was the daughter of Robert FitzWalter. You believe John tried to seduce her.
Relationship with King John
Your father was one of King John’s leading advisers until he died.
After your wife’s death, you agreed to pay 20,000 marks to marry Isabella of Gloucester.
Then the King told you to pay the money in just 10 months.
You say that John promised you the title of earl of Essex but never gave you the title.
6
Robert fitz Walter
Lands
You have lands in the north, East Anglia and London.
Family and friends
You believe that John has tried to seduce your daughter and threatened to hang your sonin-law during a quarrel at court.
You are close friends with the de Briouze family
Relationship with King John
John gave you Hertford castle but then took it back in 1209.
In 1212 you plotted with Eustace de Vesci to kill King John – and failed. You fled abroad and
your lands and castles were seized by the king. You have been pardoned but the King does
not trust you – and you do not trust him.
Richard de Clare, earl of Hertford
Lands
You hold land in East Anglia
Family and friends
Your daughter was married to William de Briouze’s son who died, starved to death after
being imprisoned by John.
Relationship with King John
In 1208 you owed the king £1,229. The King has ordered you to pay £1000 within 3 years.
John suspects you of being involved in the plot led by Fitzwalter and de Vesci to assassinate
him in 1212. You were forced to hand over his daughter Matilda (William’s widow) as
hostage.
7
Roger de Cressy
Lands
You hold land in East Anglia
Relationship with King John
In 1207 you were punished with a 1,200 mark fine for marrying an heiress without the king’s
permission.
The King seized your lands and those of your wife until you promised to pay 1200 marks to
get your lands back.
William d’Aubigny
Family and friends
You are related to Robert Fitzwalter.
Relationship with King John
You had to give your son to King John as a hostage. If you did not hand over your son he
threatened to seize your lands and castles. The king clearly does not trust you.
Robert de Vere
Lands
You hold lands in East Anglia.
Relationship with King John
You had to pay a huge sum of money to inherit your father’s lands. You should also have
been made an Earl like your father but King John has refused to make you an Earl.
8
Richard de Percy
Lands
You hold land in Yorkshire in the north
Relationship with King John
You owed the King money. He is putting pressure on you to pay £400 per year. This is a huge
sum of money even for a baron.
9