Question 1
1 ‘John’s quarrel with Innocent III resulted from John’s refusal to compromise.’
Use the four sources in their historical context to assess how far they support this view.
Source A: The pope writes to John about the election of Stephen Langton.
Let no one suggest to you that we can in any way be diverted from the completion of this business. When a canonical election is made according to rule, without fraud or cunning of a fitting person, we could not, without loss of our good name or danger to our conscience, delay the completion of it. Therefore, well beloved son, to whose dignity we have yielded deference more than we ought, endeavour to pay proper deference to our dignity. Should you act otherwise you may bring yourself into difficulties from which you will not be easily extricated. It would not be safe for you to show resistance to God and the church.
Innocent III, Letter, November 1207.
Source B: A chronicler describes John’s reaction to papal proposals in 1208.
The bishops of London, Ely and Winchester went to king John and entreated him to recall the archbishop and monks of Canterbury. The king went nearly mad with rage and broke forth in words of blasphemy against the pope and his cardinals, swearing by God’s teeth that if they, or any other priests, dared to lay his dominions under an Interdict, he would immediately send all the prelates in England to the pope and confiscate their property. Any priests of Rome he found in his lands he would send to Rome with their eyes plucked out and their noses slit. The bishops, not finding any repentance in the king, departed.
Roger of Wendover, Flowers of History, written before 1236.
Source C: A chronicler gives an account of events in 1208.
The pope was angry about the harassment of the church and sent letters ordering the king to receive the archbishop and monks of Canterbury. The king sent to Rome and promised that he would make amends for everything to God, the Holy Church and the pope. When the pope heard that the king had repented he was overcome with joy. When the royal messengers returned, they brought with them two bishops and two monks to receive the possessions of the church of Canterbury. The king was angry and swore that he had not sent them for that purpose. Therefore the king withdrew from the negotiations and so did the bishops and everyone else.
Gervase of Canterbury, The Deeds of Kings, written before 1210.
Source D: A chronicler outlines the outcome of the quarrel in 1213.
The king prepared to make peace with the pope. He exacted from all the prelates a confirmation of all that he had taken from them, since the beginning of the reign, so that they would greatly modify their claims for the restoration of their goods. The English bishops who were in exile petitioned the pope on behalf of the English Church. Moved by their pleas he agreed to bring about an end to the evil. He wrote to Philip, the king of France, that, unless the king of England capitulated, they should liberate England from his rule with a strong army.
Barnwell Chronicle, written before 1235.
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