H3H03 MEDIEVAL ENGLAND 1066-1399 TUTORIAL TOPICS

05 KING HENRY III AND THE COMMUNITY OF THE REALM

a)   Identify the historians who have specialised in the reign of king
     Henry  III ? How have their views changed ?  What is the  current
     opinion on Henry III ?

b)   What are the principal contemporary sources for this reign ?  How
     reliable are they ?

c)   What  were the principal features of Henry's minority ?  How  was
     England  ruled  in  the period after the death  of  John  ?  What
     problems  arose  during the minority ? How did Henry  resume  the
     powers of the monarchy ? What policies did he pursue ?

d)   How  and why did Henry come into conflict with the barons ?  What
     were  the main baronial grievances against Henry ? How were  they
     articulated by the barons ?

e)   What was the 'Paper Constitution' of 1244 ? Why did it fail?

f)   What  was  the 'Sicilian Adventure' ? How did it  affect  Henry's
     relationship with both the Papacy and the English barons ?

g)   What  reforms were proposed by the Provisions of Oxford  of  1258
     and the Provisions of Westminster 1259 ?

h)   Why did the Baronial Reform Movement split after 1259 ? What were
     the objectives of Simon de Montfort ? Why did he fail ? What  was
     the problem of the 'Disinherited' ?

i)   Why did the knights and the gentry become more important in  this
     period  ?  Examine  the relationship between  local  and  central
     government  during the thirteenth century ? In what ways did  the
     role of the Sheriff change during this period ?

j)   Account  for the development of parliamentary  assemblies  during
     this  reign ? What were these assemblies used for, how  did  they
     differ  from  other kinds of representative  assemblies  in  this
     period  ? Is it possible to distinguish between  Parliaments  and
     Great Councils under Henry III ?

Using the  relevant volume of ENGLISH HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS find,  read
     and annotate the following documents:

a)   Refusal of the barons to grant Henry III an aid 1242
b)   The Paper Constitution 1244
c)   The Provisions of Oxford 1258
d)   The Provisions of Westminster 1259
f)   The Dictum of Kenilworth 1266
e)   The Statute of Marlborough 1267