John and the Baronial Rebellion of 1215
How was England governed between 1204 and 1212?
- An expansion in the formal administration of England and the Chancery – e.g.
increase in the number of sheep being bred for skins to make parchment
- Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury, came under John’s instructions
- The treasury and exchequer, based at Westminster, dealt with revenue
- Westminster had its own judges, usually for financial cases
- Strongly departmentalised system because of John’s personal involvement
- Justiciar under John is Geoffrey fitz Peter
‘Personal government’
- John had castles at the Tower of London and Windsor and a palace at
Westminster, though he often stayed at Winchester and Nottingham
- He had about 60 other castles and numerous other hunting lodges
- John gained a reputation for rapacity and he needed a substantial war-chest
for his expeditions into France
- After 1206 John was in England constantly until his expedition to Poitou in
1214 (this was unusual for Norman and Angevin kings)
- John was suspicious of the loyalty of the barons and his government was
exercised through members of his household, the ‘curiales’
- The barons saw their standing being diminished – for instance, their control of
castles had declined since, by 1215, half of the castles were in royal hands
- John was transferring cases to royal courts, which previously the barons
would have dealt with in their baronial courts
- Sheriffs, appointed by John, were taking on the baronial role in local affairs
- John got his information from foreigners and from his own observations and
hence he did not need to call baronial councils to hear reports
- He also relied heavily on bishops for advice and administration – he called
also on the services of at least 11 of the earls, such as William Marshal I,
Ranulf of Chester and the Earl of Salisbury
- John was criticised for his promotion of foreigners, such as Fawkes de
Breauté, and for the power he gave to Peter des Roches, who became Bishop
of Winchester and later justiciar after Geoffrey fitz Peter died
- The proliferation of the curiales meant there were fewer rewards for the native
barons – the Angevins had limited patronage at their disposal
What efforts did John make to recover the Angevin inheritance?
- In January, amid concerns that Philip II might invade England, John planned
another campaign. But the refusal of English barons to accompany him on
this mission scuppered his hopes
o Along with the galleys at Cinque Ports John planned to cross the
channel once again
o One of his experienced clerks, William of Wrotham, who had been
responsible for collecting the 15th changed on goods entering ports,
was to supervise this work
o John made all men over the age of 12 take an oath to promise to
oppose foreigners and other troublemakers and to set up a system of
constables to collect troops together locally
