Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

King John, Magna Carta and the Community of the Realm

Tutor: Elizabeth Gemmill

Hilary Term 2012

1. Book review

Write a review of one of the books recommended for the course. (Please ask me if you wish to review a different book which you have used for the course.) Your review should include: a brief summary of the book; consideration of its strengths and weaknesses; why you like or dislike the book; and whether you think it is a useful contribution to the subject.

2. Oral presentation

This should be a presentation to the class of ten minutes' duration. It should be on a subject of your choice from the course syllabus. You might, for example, choose to evaluate a particular kind of written source, such as a document relating to the revolt of the barons and the issue of Magna Carta, or you might offer an biographical appraisal of one of the chief ‘players’ of John’s reign, such as Stephen Langton or William Marshal. You might focus on a visual source such as King John’s tomb in Worcester Cathedral. You might choose to discuss one of the questions listed below (item 4). Please discuss your choice of subject and your approach with me. We will schedule a slot for your presentation in advance. You will need to submit your presentation notes to me.

3. Course journal

Keep a course journal for a minimum of six sessions. Write a brief (150-200 words) report for each session which you plan to include. This could summarize the content of the session, describe what you found particularly interesting, highlight areas or skills which you would like to pursue further, or points that you wish to discuss. The report should be reflective in character and should enable you to evaluate the knowledge, skills and ideas that you gain or develop as the course progresses.

4. Discuss one of the following questions.

(a)What were the chief characteristics of Angevin kingship?

(b) In what ways was King John successful in his dealings with the Church?

(c) To what extent were King John’s problems due to his personal failings as a ruler, or did he inherit insurmountable difficulties?

(d) What are the chief primary sources for the historian of King John, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?

(e) Why did the Great Charter continue to be important in English medieval politics and government after the death of King John?

You may, by all means, devise a different title to the ones listed here, but please discuss your topic with me in advance.

This work by Elizabeth Gemmill is licensed by the University of Oxford under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 UK: England & Wales Licence.