During the Middle Ages, the Church was a daily presence from birth to death. It provided education and helped the poor and sick. In fact, religion was so much a part of daily life, that people even said prayers to decide how long to cook an egg!

The church, too, became part of the feudal system. By the 900s the church owned vast amounts of land, some of which it granted as fiefs to nobles in return for military protection. Feudal relationships. Only nobles could be vassals.

What role did the Church play in the feudal system? Most people – kings and commoners alike – belonged to the Roman Catholic faith. This gave the Church huge influence, and as bishops were key members of the feudal system, they held valuable land too.

The Church had the power to tax, and its laws had to be obeyed. Those who held contrary ideas were considered heretics and could be subject to various forms of punishment, including execution. The Church in the Middle Ages was to be feared and obeyed, and its influence spread into every area of society.

Europe’s medieval period lasted from the fall of Rome in the 5th century to the spread of the Renaissance in the 15th century. In this time, the pope (the head of the Catholic Church) became one of the most powerful figures in Europe.

The Catholic Church became very rich and powerful during the Middle Ages. Because the church was considered independent, they did not have to pay the king any tax for their land. Leaders of the church became rich and powerful. Many nobles became leaders such as abbots or bishops in the church.

During the Middle Ages, the Church was a major part of everyday life. The Church served to give people spiritual guidance and it served as their government as well. Television has become more powerful than the church. The church still plays an important role in my life.

Magna Carta was sealed by King John on 15 June 1215. The document was drawn up after his barons rebelled and forced him to agree to limitations on his power, because he had demanded heavy taxes to fund his unsuccessful wars in France.

While the king was waging a disastrous war in France, the leading barons of England met secretly and swore to compel him to respect the rights of his subjects. When John returned, they presented him with a series of demands. King John of England signed the Magna Carta in 1215. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Magna Carta, which means ‘The Great Charter’, is one of the most important documents in history as it established the principle that everyone is subject to the law, even the king, and guarantees the rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial.

The Hereford Cathedral Magna Carta is one of only 24 believed to be in existence. As part of the tour it will leave the United Kingdom and fly to New York, followed by Luxembourg, China (including Hong Kong), Singapore, Malta and Portugal, where it will be displayed at a number of public venues.

It is the great egalitarian legacy of Magna Carta, that all are equal under the law, and all can be held to account. It is that idea that gave birth to so many of our rights and freedoms, to parliamentary democracy, fair trial, and a series of controls on the abuse of arbitrary power.

The Magna Carta expresses four key principles: that no one is above the law, not even the monarch; that no one can be detained without cause or evidence; that everyone has a right to trial by jury; and that a widow cannot be forced to marry and give up her property ― a major first step in women’s rights.

Consequences of Magna Carta

• a £100 limit on the tax barons had to pay to inherit their lands.
• the king could not sell or deny justice to anyone.
• the royal forests were to be reduced in size.
• an heir could not be made to marry someone of a lower social class.
• foreign knights had to be deported.