An Examiner's Verdict on the 2023 AQA AS History Series
The June 2023 examinations for AQA AS History (7041/1A and 7041/2A) present a classic, highly structured challenge that tests both the breadth of the Crusader states and the depth of the early Angevin reign. Scoring a 3.5 out of 5 on our difficulty index, the papers were highly accessible for students with strong chronological frameworks, yet penalised those who relied on generic, pre-prepared narratives. Success required a precise alignment with command words and strict temporal parameters.
Component 1A: Navigating Motives and Empires
In the Crusader States paper, Section A focused on the establishment of Outremer (1099–1120). High-scoring students successfully differentiated between Extract A's emphasis on religious devotion and continuous pilgrim flow, and Extract B's analysis of tactical military adaptability and Islamic division. Marks were lost when candidates treated these modern historiographical extracts as primary sources instead of evaluating the validity of their central interpretations.
For the Section B essays, the principal pitfall lay in chronological discipline:
- Question 2 (Byzantine Relations): Strong answers examined the return of Nicaea and Anatolia versus the persistent Seljuk threat and the chaotic consequences of the Peasants' Crusade.
- Question 3 (Outremer Travel 1124–1149): Examiners highlighted that weak responses drifted into the First Crusade, whereas top-tier answers stayed strictly within the specified window, utilizing key evidence such as the Venetian privileges at Tyre (1124) and the Papal Bull Quantum Praedecessores.
Component 2A: Deconstructing Royal Authority
The Henry II paper demanded a highly sophisticated level of primary source criticism. The comparison between Roger of Howden (Source A) and the biography of William Marshal (Source B) required students to unpack court insider bias and the utility of hindsight. While Howden sensationalised Scottish atrocities to legitimise Henry's response, Marshal’s biography cleverly deflected blame onto King Louis VII of France to protect the reputation of Young Henry.
The essay section tested two foundational themes:
- The 1154 Accession (Question 2): Successful candidates avoided the trap of historical inevitability, demonstrating that whilst Henry had a strong title via the Treaty of Winchester, the near-collapse of the Exchequer and baronial independence posed severe initial threats.
- The Irish Intervention (Question 3): High-scoring scripts established the direct causal link between the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 and Henry's sudden departure to Ireland in 1171 as a defensive maneuver to stave off papal excommunication.
Strategy for Future Success and Predictions
To maximize marks in upcoming series, students must master the distinction between modern interpretations (AO3) and contemporary sources (AO2). Furthermore, weightings dictate that essay clarity is paramount, where the relative value of a question can be expressed as: \( \text{Weight} = \frac{\text{Section Marks}}{\text{Total Marks}} \times 100 = 50\% \). For future papers, candidates should prepare for highly likely, currently overdue topics, specifically the preaching and launch of the Second Crusade in Component 1A, and Henry II's domestic legal and administrative reforms (such as the Assizes of Clarendon and Northampton) in Component 2A.