What does the reign of Henry II suggest about the future of English foreign relations?
It suggests that monarchs will only marry for political power, and that Henry II did not think about diplomacy. He thought that he deserved all the land that he could possibly get. He passed down his selfish and irrational thinking, making English monarchs want to own everything within their site. He would only help people when he would get something in return, which is no way to make allies.
Does the common conception of Richard as 'good' and John as 'bad' hold up to reality?
Although Richard the Lionhearted was brave, he was not a 'good' king to his people. He was never in his kingdom, so he never had to give them bad news or rule with unpopular laws. Instead of taking responsibility for his kingdom, he left the unpleasantness to John, making him look like the bad guy. John was not brave or personable, and was extremely attentive to detail, so he was in every part of every decision that made his people angry. By being the one left behind, John was going to have to take the blame no matter what he did. However, he was not without fault, as he was unable to trust and was greedy.
How did the Magna Carta change the relationship of the Monarch and his subjects?
Monarchs could no longer make decisions while ignoring the barons. The barons were considered the voice of the people, so by having to listen to the barons the king had to answer to his subjects. This made surre that the king would not ignore the greater good of his kingdom. The Magna Carta was another step to equality.
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