Magna Carta: The Making of a Myth - Game Script A journey into the past that shapes our present


Background

Your history teacher was full of surprises but nothing has prepared you for today's lesson. 

A small golden box was waiting for each and every one of you on your desk when you entered class today. Inside the beautiful ancient box was a small pill.

"When I will tell you will all swallow the time capsule " explained our teacher  "Once doing that you will be traveling in time to the 12th century.  Your mission is do make 2 decision the first is weather King John was bad or just misfortunate. The second is to decide whether the Magna Carta is just a myth a true game changer agreement in human history".

"In order to help you truly live the era everyone of you will receive a character upon landing in the 1th century, nevertheless, stay together and stay focused, " he said. "The time capsule impact last only 45 minutes you do want to get stuck in the 12th century and you definitely want to come back with an answer".

Characters

Isabella of Angoulême King John's wife

King John’s wife. She canceled her engagement with French nobleman, Hugh de Lusignan, which eventually led to a war. She was only 12 when she got married. 


Your Task

Well being a queen is far better than being nobleman’s wife. So you are committed to take the best out of it and live luxuries life. 


Resources

Scene - 01 Scene - 11

Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury

The most important churchman on England. King John wished for another candidate and it took strike of the clergy were imposed throughout England. as well as excommunicated the king  from the sacraments and services of the Church to force John to agree.    


Your Task

Well no one can blame you King John is by all means not your cup of tea.  You are committed to protect the church and its special role in the British society. 


Resources

Scene - 01 Scene - 11

Lord Robert Fitzwalter The leader of the baronial opposition against

Fitzwalter was married to Gunnor daughter and heiress of Robert de Valognes. Fitzwalter came to be one of the greatest men in England, and one of the most powerful ones. He served King John in the wars in Normandy in which he was taken prisoner by King Philip II of France. Was forced to pay a heavy ransom for his freedom. Was the leader of the baronial opposition against King John, and one of the twenty-five sureties of Magna Carta.


Your Task

You were part of the strongest opposition to King John and plotted to murder the king together with Eustace de Vescy. 


Resources

Scene - 01 Scene - 11

Norman Peasant Farmer

Norman lives with wife, 7 children and 5 grandchildren in a small brick house. Wakes up at dawn and work until sunset. His Lord takes the income he makes; he is left with less than needed to feed his family. Peasants represent the lower level of society. Ordinary often lived together in close proximity to domestic animals, sharing their houses with cattle, sheep and pigs. With little medical services their life is short. 


Your Task

You adore the King. Admire Roylty. You were born to serve him no way of changing this you know that and it perfectly fine after all he is above all. 


Resources

Scene - 01 Scene - 11

Maggie Fortuneteller Mystery women

A mystery women that is trusted by many but trust no one. Since the age of 6 wonder between basements and attics never stay in one place too long. In the crystal ball all secrets reveal. People seek an advice a direction and encouragement. 


Your Task

You trust no one believe to no body. You do not always tell everything that you see.


Resources

Scene - 01 Scene - 11

Scene 1: Was King John a bad king or just unlucky?


1.

Public Message

The aristocrats, the barons, based their wealth on possession of land. They lived in stone castles and the peasants worked their land. Daily life in late twelfth- and thirteenth-century England could be brutal, harsh, insanitary and short for the lower levels of society. At that time there was no prime minister. The king was the supreme source of authority answerable to no one other than God.

King John’s reign was widely regarded as a catalogue of failures. He became involved in a number of wars loosing most of them. To make matters worse, John became involved in a bitter quarrel with the pope over the appointment of a new archbishop of Canterbury. As a result of losing the greater part of his family’s continental lands, he made endless attempts to raise as much money as possible from his English subjects to pay for a military campaign to recover his lost territories. King John taxed his barons and his other subjects very heavily. Numerous English barons became heavily indebted to the crown. If this was not all bad enough, King John also interfered in the marriages of his earls and barons. He insisted on large payments from barons who wanted to marry important heiresses and widows. King John also demanded payments from aristocratic widows who did not wish to remarry. He also collected scutage on more occasions than any of his predecessors. 

 

It was only a matter of time before a rebellion broke.


2.

Private (Shortly After previous message)

Isabella of Angoulême:

 You got married at age of 12. Well everyone knew it was not pure love. You were promised to a nobleman but your family knew being a queen is far better. You have every intention to enjoy it and no you do not care how the subjects are taxed. 

Stephen Langton:

 He did not want you as the bishop of Canterbury. Thank G-D the pop stood by you. He is not your friend do not ever forget this.    

Lord Robert Fitzwalter:

 Well if you could have killed him you would. He tried to seduce your eldest daughter. 

Norman Peasant:

 You work hard from down to sunset. The labor of your work provides glories life for your Baron as well as the king. You dislike your Baron abut adore your King. You are proud to serve him. Long Love the King!    

Maggie Fortuneteller:

 You see the future but you cannot tell it to your team. You now how each and every one of them will be judged by history and you can guide them accordingly. 


3.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

The reasons for the French invasion of Normandy, 1202-1204.

David Carpenter, The Struggle for Mastery (2003), p. 264.

 

‘In August 1200, having divorced his first wife, John married Isabella, daughter and sole

heir of the count of Angoulême…. But instead of compensating Hugh de Lusignan, the

great Poitevin noble to whom Isabella had already been engaged, John tried to bully

him into submission. Hugh appealed for justice to the king of France, and thus gave

Philip his chance. His [Philip’s] court in the spring of 1202 sentenced John to forfeit all

his continental fiefs’.     


4.

Private (a while after previous message)

Isabella of Angoulême:

 If wars are lost it is not King John’s fault it is the armed knights that did not deliver therefor he should tax them

Stephen Langton:

null

Lord Robert Fitzwalter:

 In 1212, John was preparing to march at Nottingham against his rebellious son-in-law. He suspected that his barons were plotting to capture him. He turned back to London with his foreign mercenaries, disbanding his regular forces. He demanded of all barons to send a relative to him as a hostage. Most of the barons did so, but you and de Vesci decided to flee.    

Norman Peasant:

null

Maggie Fortuneteller:

“In the sixteenth century, historians of the Tudor period praised John for standing up to the pope (like the Tudor King Henry VIII) and criticized the barons for rebelling against him.” 



5.

Public Message (a while after previous message)

“In the 1950s and 1960s, historians began to examine the government records for John’s reign more closely than before, and argued that John was a hardworking king and an unlucky ruler. These historians dismissed the work of chroniclers like Roger of Wendover and Matthew Paris as unreliable because they were written after John’s death and were prejudiced against him. 
”


6.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

Only few minutes left before you are asked to vote please sum-up with your best argument. 


Vote

After your short journy into 12th centry what do you think?



Option 1
Bad
Option 2
Unlucky

Ending message for when most people voted for option



Option 1

You agree with the new voices that claim he was actually a good king not different that others but extremely unlucky. 


Option 2

You think history was right and King Jojn was realy a bad king.



Discussion Points

  • What did you learn about the 12th century history?
  • What was a king expected to do in the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries?
  • Why is King John seen as a Failure?
  • What were the relationships between the king and the church? 

Scene 2: An important historical document or a myth?


1.

Public Message

If Magna Carta was an abject failure as a peace treaty in 1215, how can we explain its reputation today as one of the most important documents in the world? 

Describe the road to the Magna Carta and the importance of the Magna Carta in world’s history.  

It is a teamwork and you joint presenting should not exceed 700 words. 

 


2.

Private (Shortly After previous message)

Isabella of Angoulême:

You role in the team is to explain why king John agreed to sign the Magna Carta?

Please read the attached material search for more and explain your friends the Magna Carta from King John's point of view.

Stephen Langton:

Your role in the team is to explain and write the part on the role of the church as well as the benefits to the church.

Please read the attached document, search for more.

Lord Robert Fitzwalter:

Your role in the teamwork is to explain and write the part that describes your role in getting King John to sign the Magna Carta? Are you satisfied? 

Please read the attached document and search for more if needed. 

Norman Peasant:

Your role in the teamwork is to explain and write the part on the main achievements of the people of England? You should Name at least 5.

Please read attached document and search for more id needed. 

  

Maggie Fortuneteller:

Your role in the teamwork is to provide the historical perspective and write about the contribution of the Magna Carta worldwide?

Please read attached documents and search for more if needed.

 


3.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

"It was the first formal document stating that a King had to follow the laws of the land and it guaranteed the rights of individuals against the wishes of the King. This meant people couldn't be arrested, imprisoned of have their possessions taken away except by the judgement of his equals and/or the law of the land. This laid the way for trial by jury, which means people, are tried by their peers and guaranteed the civil rights of the individual.

The Magna Carta established the principle that the people of England, at this stage represented by the Barons, could limit the power of a King, if he was doing things that were not good for the country."

From Schools Educational Resource Pack Key Stage 3

The Magna Carta Project: Why did King John issue Magna Carta? 


4.

Public Message (a while after previous message)

Magna Carta should not be seen as a sign of surrender. In John's mind, it was only ever a stalling action, intended to demonstrate his reasonableness to the undecided baronial majority in the run-up to inevitable hostilities. It was a bargaining chip: nothing more.


5.

Private (Shortly After previous message)

Isabella of Angoulême:

From the start, they were a minority movement, as their choice of leader illustrates. FitzWalter was a somewhat unsavoury character with a series of grudges against John and a history of disaffection. He also had little regard for law or custom.

Stephen Langton:

Of the 63 clauses of the Magna Carta only 3 are still in use. The three include a defence of the rights of the English church, the liberties and customs of London and the right to a fair trial and only being arrested for a just cause.

Lord Robert Fitzwalter:

From the start, they were a minority movement, as their choice of leader illustrates. FitzWalter was a somewhat unsavoury character with a series of grudges against John and a history of disaffection. He also had little regard for law or custom.

Norman Peasant:

 It was because it made the king subject to the law and not above it.   

Maggie Fortuneteller:

It is the basis for constitutions throughout the world including the United States of America.


6.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

"After an opening chapter guaranteeing the rights of the Church, the next 15 chapters were provisions designed to curb the king's exploitation of loopholes in feudal custom: limiting scutages and relief payments, and banning the abuses of privilege common in wardship. A further ten chapters dealt with finances, and another important block confirmed people's rights under the Common Law.

It is these latter that have been seen as crucial, as they subjected the king to the law of the land for the first time in Britain's history, and this clause is the only one that remains on the statute books today. Finally, they sought to ensure that the king carried out his promises, safeguarded the rebels from any comebacks, demanded that he fire his hated mercenary captains and tied the king to a council of 25 members in an effort to ensure his co-operation.

It was doomed to failure. Magna Carta lasted less than three months."

 

From Schools Educational Resource Pack Key Stage 3

The Magna Carta Project: Why did King John issue Magna Carta? 


7.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

"Although Magna Carta contained 63 clause when it was first granted, only three of those clauses remain part of English law. One defends the liberties and rights of the English Church, another confirms the liberties and customs of London and other towns, but the third is the most famous:

No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land.

To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice." 

  

From Schools Educational Resource Pack Key Stage 3

The Magna Carta Project: Why did King John issue Magna Carta? 


End Message

Few minutes left to finish please make sure that you put your joint document together and submit it in time. 


Discussion Points

  • What did the Magna Carta bring in?
  • What were the most important values it offers?
  • How did it influence the different parts of society?
  • What would you change if you had been there?
  • What would you keep until these days? 
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