2022 AQA A-Level History 7042 Practice Paper with Answers

### Evaluation of Extract A
- **Core Argument**: Religious zeal, papal endorsement, and spiritual devotion (such as the impact of the Holy Lance) were the primary drivers of success, sustaining the crusaders through extreme hardships.
- **Support/Convincing aspects**: Contemporary accounts (e.g., *Gesta Francorum*) heavily emphasize spiritual motivation and divine intervention. The concept of armed pilgrimage and remission of sins appealed broadly across social classes. Spiritual events, notably the discovery of the Holy Lance by Peter Bartholomew during the siege of Antioch (1098), undeniably restored morale at a critical juncture when the army faced destruction by Kerbogha.
- **Limitations/Weaknesses**: Religious zeal alone was insufficient, as demonstrated by the total failure and annihilation of the unorganized 'People's Crusade' led by Peter the Hermit. Zeal did not solve logistical, tactical, or political problems, and often led to strategic recklessness, such as the initial ill-prepared assaults on Jerusalem.

### Evaluation of Extract B
- **Core Argument**: Muslim disunity (particularly Sunni Seljuk vs. Shi'a Fatimid rivalries and conflicts between Syrian cities like Aleppo and Damascus) prevented a coordinated defense, allowing a piecemeal crusader victory.
- **Support/Convincing aspects**: The Seljuks of Rum (under Kilij Arslan) initially underestimated the crusaders due to their easy defeat of the People's Crusade. Bitter rivalries between Duqaq of Damascus and Ridwan of Aleppo prevented Syria from presenting a united front. Furthermore, the Fatimids of Egypt seized Jerusalem from the Seljuk Turks just before the crusaders arrived, meaning the crusaders fought a garrison that had only recently established control and lacked regional reinforcement.
- **Limitations/Weaknesses**: It minimizes Christian agency, military skill, and endurance. Even with Muslim divisions, the crusaders faced massive numerical disadvantages, harsh terrain, and extreme hunger, requiring extraordinary resilience and military success to exploit these divisions.

### Evaluation of Extract C
- **Core Argument**: Tactical expertise of Western knights, competent leadership (Bohemond, Raymond), and Byzantine material/logistical support (Alexios I Komnenos) were the decisive factors.
- **Support/Convincing aspects**: Byzantine aid was indeed crucial in the early phases, particularly during the Siege of Nicaea and the crossing of Anatolia. The military leadership showed great adaptability, such as Bohemond’s tactical deployment of a reserve force at the Battle of Dorylaeum (1097) and his ingenious plan to take Antioch.
- **Limitations/Weaknesses**: Byzantine assistance largely ceased after the siege of Antioch, as Alexios believed the crusader cause was lost and retreated, leading to a deep diplomatic rift. Furthermore, rivalry among the leadership (especially between Bohemond and Raymond) nearly ruined the crusade, showing that unity of leadership was highly fragile.

### Conclusion
Students should conclude by synthesising these perspectives. They may argue that while Extract B provides the essential structural context that made conquest possible, and Extract C explains the practical means of victory, Extract A explains the psychological cohesion without which the crusaders would have abandoned the campaign during its darkest moments.

**Level 5 (25–30 marks)**: Evaluates all three extracts with excellent, highly precise contextual knowledge. Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the differing interpretations. Formulates a sustained and analytical judgment on which arguments are most convincing.

**Level 4 (19–24 marks)**: Offers a balanced evaluation of all three extracts with good, relevant historical detail. Analyses strengths and limitations, though some evaluations may be deeper than others. Clear, purposeful judgment is provided.

**Level 3 (13–18 marks)**: Explains the main arguments of the extracts and provides some contextual evaluation. May tend towards describing the historical events rather than critically assessing the persuasiveness of the arguments.

**Level 2 (7–12 marks)**: Limited evaluation. Mostly paraphrases the extracts with thin, general, or occasionally inaccurate contextual knowledge. The judgment is weak or missing.

**Level 1 (1–6 marks)**: Extremely limited understanding of the extracts. Assertions are unsupported by historical evidence.

Arguments supporting the premise (Byzantine hostility and lack of cooperation as the primary reason):
1. During the Second Crusade (1147–1149), Manuel I Comnenus's truce with the Seljuk Turks freed Seljuk forces to attack the Crusader armies in Anatolia. Additionally, Westerners blamed untrustworthy Byzantine guides and inadequate food supply networks for the disastrous crossings.
2. In the Third Crusade (1189–1192), Emperor Isaac II Angelos formed a secret treaty with Saladin to impede the progress of Frederick I (Barbarossa) and the German army, demonstrating active Byzantine obstruction of Western crusading objectives.
3. The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) represents the ultimate breakdown in relations, where internal Byzantine dynastic disputes directly diverted the crusade from its original Egyptian target to Constantinople, leading to the sack of the city in 1204 and the total collapse of the campaign's holy war objectives.

Arguments challenging the premise (Other, more significant reasons for failure):
1. Western divisions and poor leadership: The Second Crusade was crippled by the mutual suspicion and lack of strategic coordination between Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany, as well as the disastrous decision to abandon the siege of Damascus in 1148. The Third Crusade suffered from intense personal and political rivalries between Richard I of England and Philip II of Augustus of France, leading to Philip's premature departure.
2. The rise of unified Muslim opposition: The crusaders faced far more formidable and cohesive opposition than the fragmented forces of 1099. Nur ad-Din's unification of Aleppo and Damascus, followed by Saladin's creation of a vast Ayyubid empire spanning Egypt and Syria, shifted the balance of power decisively against Outremer.
3. Logistical and geographical barriers: The sheer physical distance, harsh terrain, disease, and lack of sustainable supply lines through Anatolia and the Levant consistently degraded Crusader military capabilities before they even engaged Muslim forces.

Conclusion:
Byzantine relations certainly acted as a major catalyst for failure, especially by altering the target of the Fourth Crusade and creating friction in the Second. However, it was the strategic brilliance and unified front of Muslim leaders combined with chronic Western factionalism and tactical errors that ultimately guaranteed the failure of these major expeditions.

AQA A Level History Mark Scheme (25-mark Essay):

Level 5 (21–25 marks): Answers will display a very good understanding of the full timeframe (1147 to 1204). They will evaluate both the role of Byzantine-crusader friction (across the Second, Third, and Fourth Crusades) and alternative factors (such as Muslim unity and Western divisions). The analysis will be balanced, well-supported with specific historical details, and arrive at a highly analytical, well-reasoned conclusion.

Level 4 (16–20 marks): Answers will show a good understanding of the key issues. They will provide arguments on both sides of the debate, though one side may be more detailed than the other. There will be clear historical knowledge of at least two of the crusades within this timeframe (e.g., the Second and Fourth Crusades), with a structured, persuasive argument.

Level 3 (11–15 marks): Answers will show some understanding of the role of Byzantium and other factors in the failures of the crusades. However, they may focus excessively on one crusade (such as the Fourth) at the expense of the wider timeframe, or the essay may be more narrative than analytical.

Level 2 (6–10 marks): Answers will show limited understanding of the question. They may provide general, descriptive information about the Crusades without addressing the analytical core of Byzantine relations or the specific chronological range.

Level 1 (1–5 marks): Answers will be extremely brief, generalized, or inaccurate, with little to no historical evidence or structured argument.

Arguments supporting the premise (The importance of the Military Orders):
1. Permanent Standing Armies: Unlike secular lords who owed temporary feudal service, the Templars and Hospitallers provided highly disciplined, permanent, and professional standing armies. This was vital given the chronic shortage of European settlers in Outremer.
2. Fortifications and Border Defense: From the 1130s onward, the orders were entrusted with critical frontier castles (such as Krak des Chevaliers, Margat, and Belvoir) which they fortified and defended successfully. This established a protective network that controlled key mountain passes and supply routes.
3. Financial Independence: The extensive network of estates held by the orders in Western Europe generated a continuous stream of revenue, allowing them to fund expensive castle construction, hire mercenaries, and sustain campaigns without depleting the local treasuries of the Crusader States.

Arguments challenging the premise (Other, more significant factors in survival):
1. Political and Dynastic Disunity in the Muslim World: Until the rise of Nur ad-Din and later Saladin, the Muslim states of Aleppo, Damascus, and Mosul were frequently at war with one another. This internal division prevented them from mounting a cohesive, sustained effort to expel the crusaders.
2. Secular Fortifications and Geography: The initial defensive posture of Outremer relied heavily on secular lords maintaining well-fortified coastal cities and key strongpoints. The natural geography of the Levant, bordered by the sea and desert, channeled invasion routes into narrow passes that could be monitored.
3. Byzantine and Western Support: Diplomatic ties and strategic alliances (such as Baldwin III's and Amaury's alliances with the Byzantine Empire) provided vital military and naval backup. Furthermore, periodic smaller fleets of Western pilgrims and crusaders arrived to bolster the defense of the kingdom during crises.
4. Tactical and Internal Leadership: Competent leadership by early monarchs, such as Baldwin II and Baldwin III, maintained internal stability and cohesion, ensuring that the crusader nobility acted collectively during existential crises.

Conclusion:
The Military Orders were undoubtedly the backbone of Outremer's defense, especially after 1150 as secular lords increasingly lacked the resources to maintain their own fiefs and castles. However, their efforts would have been overwhelmed much earlier had it not been for the protracted disunity of their Muslim opponents, which gave the crusaders a crucial window of security to establish and fortify their states.

AQA A Level History Mark Scheme (25-mark Essay):

Level 5 (21–25 marks): Answers will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the period 1119 to 1187. They will evaluate the specific contributions of the military orders (including key castles and military engagements) against other factors like Muslim disunity and external support. The essay will exhibit strong conceptual control, rigorous analysis, and a balanced, well-substantiated conclusion.

Level 4 (16–20 marks): Answers will provide a clear, analytical discussion of the military orders and alternative factors. There will be good, accurate historical detail, demonstrating understanding of the challenges faced by Outremer during this timeframe, though the depth of coverage across the full range (1119–1187) may be slightly uneven.

Level 3 (11–15 marks): Answers will display some knowledge of the Templars and Hospitallers and their role in defense. However, the response may be largely descriptive of crusader warfare or castles, with limited analysis of alternative factors such as Muslim division or Western diplomacy.

Level 2 (6–10 marks): Answers will show a limited grasp of the topic. They may discuss the crusades or the military orders in very general terms, with little chronological focus on the specific period between the Field of Blood (1119) and the Battle of Hattin (1187).

Level 1 (1–5 marks): Answers will be weak, disjointed, or highly inaccurate, offering little or no relevant historical knowledge of the Crusader States.

### Analysis of Source A
* **Provenance:** William of Newburgh was an English Augustinian canon writing in Yorkshire in the 1190s. Although writing roughly twenty years after the rebellion, he is widely regarded as one of the most reliable, analytical, and objective medieval chroniclers.
* **Tone and Perspective:** The tone is moralistic ("proud young men", "unnatural war"), which reflects his clerical background and disapproval of familial rebellion. He seeks to explain the rational causes behind the conflict.
* **Content and Context:** The source correctly identifies the primary causes of the rebellion: the coronation of Henry the Young King in 1170 without any real territorial authority, the instigation of Louis VII of France (the Young King's father-in-law) who wished to weaken the Angevin Empire, and the alliance of the Young King with his brothers Richard and Geoffrey. It also highlights baronial discontent ("barons... who resented the King's firm rule"), referencing Henry II's assertive administrative and legal reforms which had curtailed baronial independence.
* **Value and Limitations:** Highly valuable for understanding the multi-causal nature of the rebellion (dynastic, geopolitical, and internal baronial friction). The main limitation is the retrofitted nature of a narrative written in the 1190s, though this is mitigated by Newburgh's access to reliable oral and written accounts.

### Analysis of Source B
* **Provenance:** Jordan Fantosme was a clerk to the Bishop of Winchester. He wrote his chronicle in the late 1170s, making it highly contemporary. He was an eyewitness to several events of the northern campaign, giving his account high immediacy.
* **Tone and Perspective:** The style is that of a *chanson de geste* (Anglo-Norman verse), which means it contains dramatic elements, heroic speeches, and chivalric tropes. It is strongly pro-Angevin and hostile to the Scots.
* **Content and Context:** It details the Scottish intervention on behalf of the rebels. William the Lion, King of Scotland, invaded northern England to reclaim Northumberland. The source describes the Battle of Alnwick (July 1174), where a small force of loyalist Yorkshire barons (led by Ranulf de Glanvill) captured the Scottish king in the mist. It attributes the victory to divine favor.
* **Value and Limitations:** Extremely valuable for detailing the military dimension of the rebellion's collapse. It reveals the vital role played by local, loyalist administrative figures (the Yorkshire knights/sheriffs) rather than Henry II's direct mercenary forces in ending the northern threat. Its limitations lie in its literary, poetic style, which may embellish dialogue and dramatize the battlefield reality.

### Analysis of Source C
* **Provenance:** Roger of Howden was a royal clerk who was actively employed in Henry II's court during the 1170s. This gives him direct access to official correspondence and a close-up view of the King's actions and policies.
* **Tone and Perspective:** The tone is reverent and celebratory, depicting a direct connection between Henry's humility, the intercession of Saint Thomas Becket, and divine intervention.
* **Content and Context:** Describes Henry II's public penance at Canterbury in July 1174. Henry had been heavily implicated in Becket's murder in 1170, which had severely damaged his moral and political authority. By submitting to public scourging, Henry sought to reconcile with the Church and the English public. Howden explicitly links the timing of the penance to the capture of William the Lion at Alnwick.
* **Value and Limitations:** Highly valuable for showing the ideological and political resolution of the crisis. It demonstrates how Henry II successfully co-opted the cult of Becket—which had previously been a massive threat to his rule—to frame his military victory as divine vindication. Its limitation is its courtier perspective; Howden promotes the official royal narrative that Henry's victory was a direct sign of God's forgiveness, masking the highly pragmatic and strategic nature of Henry's penance.

### Marking Scheme (Out of 30 Marks)

* **L5 (25–30 marks):** Answers show a very good understanding of the value of all three sources. They contain a balanced, highly analytical evaluation of the provenance, tone, and content of each source, seamlessly integrated with precise historical knowledge of the 1173–1174 rebellion. The evaluation of their utility to an historian is sophisticated and sustained.
* **L4 (19–24 marks):** Answers show a good understanding of the value of the sources, with some good contextual knowledge. All three sources are evaluated, although one may be analyzed in less depth than the others. The analysis of provenance, tone, and content is generally secure.
* **L3 (13–18 marks):** Answers show some understanding of the value of the sources, but may rely more on summarizing content than analyzing utility. Contextual knowledge is present but may be applied unevenly. There may be a tendency to accept the sources at face value.
* **L2 (7–12 marks):** Answers show limited understanding of the sources' value. They may focus on only one or two sources or offer very generalized comments about reliability and bias without specific historical context.
* **L1 (1–6 marks):** Answers show extremely limited understanding, perhaps merely paraphrasing the extracts without addressing their value to an historian.

Analyse the role of financial reforms: restoration of the Exchequer, the Cartae Baronum of 1166, the recovery of crown lands (demesne) to boost revenue. Analyse other key factors: military action and castle demolition (dismantling adulterine castles, enforcing submission of rebellious barons like William of Aumale and Hugh Mortimer); administrative and legal reforms (the restoration of sheriff authority, the introduction of returnable writs, and the Assize of Clarendon in 1166 which asserted royal jurisdiction over crime); and diplomatic stability. Conclude by comparing these factors to judge which was primary.

Level 5 (21-25 marks): Evaluates a wide range of factors with precise historical evidence. Explores both financial and non-financial factors (such as legal reforms and baronial control) with excellent analytical depth, delivering a clear and well-substantiated judgment. Level 4 (16-20 marks): Mostly analytical, showing good understanding of Henry II's early reign. Covers both financial reforms and other factors with good historical detail. Level 3 (11-15 marks): Provides a structured narrative or explanation of Henry's restoration of authority, but may lack depth in comparing financial reforms directly to other factors. Level 2 (6-10 marks): Mostly descriptive, with limited focus on the specific timeframe or the concept of royal authority. Level 1 (1-5 marks): Weak, showing minimal knowledge of Henry II's reign.

Arguments validating the view: The loss of Normandy broke the cross-Channel estate system, forcing barons to choose between English and French lands, creating deep resentment. John became a 'restless' king permanently residing in England, micro-managing justice and directly exploiting his subjects. Crucially, the drive to recover Normandy led to unprecedented fiscal pressure: severe scutages (11 collections), exploitation of feudal incidents, and arbitrary fines. The ultimate failure at the Battle of Bouvines (1214) shattered his prestige and made rebellion inevitable. Arguments challenging the view: Other causes were also critical, such as John's abuse of feudal justice and the royal prerogative, his lengthy conflict with Pope Innocent III (resulting in the Interdict and his excommunication), and his highly suspicious and cruel personal nature (e.g., the death of Arthur of Brittany, starvation of the de Briouze family). Conclude with a balanced judgment on whether Normandy's loss was the underlying engine of all these grievances.

Level 5 (21-25 marks): Exceptional analysis of the link between the loss of Normandy and the outbreak of the 1215 rebellion. Provides a balanced, sophisticated debate comparing military/territorial loss to financial, personal, and ecclesiastical grievances, supported by precise evidence. Level 4 (16-20 marks): Clear analysis of the causes of the 1215 rebellion, explaining both the impact of Normandy's loss and other factors like financial exactions and relations with the Church. Level 3 (11-15 marks): Descriptive explanation of the events leading to Magna Carta, showing some understanding of why the barons rebelled, but with limited focus on the analytical link to 1204. Level 2 (6-10 marks): General narrative of King John's reign, with limited structure or argument. Level 1 (1-5 marks): Superficial assertions about King John with little historical substance.