7042 · AQA A Level
7042/21
Paper 2
History · June 2022 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: AQA
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.8 / 5
160
300 min
Crusader States Survival and Angevin Royal Governance
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
160
Duration
300 min
Session difficulty
3.8 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The June 2022 AQA A-Level History examinations for both Component 1A (The Age of the Crusades) and Component 2A (Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings) presented a balanced but academically rigorous set of challenges.
Landing at a solid 4-star difficulty, these papers demanded not only a secure grasp of chronology but also a sophisticated understanding of contemporary perspectives and historiography.
In Component 1A, students had to evaluate highly nuanced modern historical extracts regarding the survival of Outremer, whilst Component 2A required a deep dive into the complex, often biased accounts of medieval chroniclers like William of Newburgh and Roger of Howden.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Source
Weight: 6100%Value
Weight: 583%Thematic Synthesis
Weight: 467%Historiographical
Weight: 233%Chronological
Weight: 117%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level A*
Approx. 74% of maximum mark
Level A
Approx. 63% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 52% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 42% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 31% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 21% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Match the expected response style for “convincing” questions.
Match the expected response style for “value” questions.
Match the expected response style for “extent” questions.
Match the expected response style for “validity” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 2
Min per mark: 2
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204
80 marks this session
Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216
80 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204
Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216
The Age of the Crusades, c1071-1204
Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154-1216
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Component 1A: The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204: Component 2A: Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204
80 marks this session
Practise in RevuiRoyal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216
80 marks this session
Practise in RevuiHistory
Session priority from examiner report
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The June 2022 AQA A-Level History examinations for both Component 1A (The Age of the Crusades) and Component 2A (Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings) presented a balanced but academically rigorous set of challenges.
- 2Message
Landing at a solid 4-star difficulty, these papers demanded not only a secure grasp of chronology but also a sophisticated understanding of contemporary perspectives and historiography.
- 3Message
In Component 1A, students had to evaluate highly nuanced modern historical extracts regarding the survival of Outremer, whilst Component 2A required a deep dive into the complex, often biased accounts of medieval chroniclers like William of Newburgh and Roger of Howden.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2022 2022
History
The June 2022 AQA A-Level History examinations for both Component 1A (The Age of the Crusades) and Component 2A (Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings) presented a balanced but academically rigorous set of challenges. Landing at a solid 4-star difficulty, these papers demanded no
The June 2022 AQA A-Level History examinations for both Component 1A (The Age of the Crusades) and Component 2A (Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings) presented a balanced but academically rigorous set of challenges.
Landing at a solid 4-star difficulty, these papers demanded not only a secure grasp of chronology but also a sophisticated understanding of contemporary perspectives and historiography.
In Component 1A, students had to evaluate highly nuanced modern historical extracts regarding the survival of Outremer, whilst Component 2A required a deep dive into the complex, often biased accounts of medieval chroniclers like William of Newburgh and Roger of Howden.
- Total marks
- 160
- Duration
- 300 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.8 / 5
Session analysis
The June 2022 AQA A-Level History examinations for both Component 1A (The Age of the Crusades) and Component 2A (Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings) presented a balanced but academically rigorous set of challenges. Landing at a solid 4-star difficulty, these papers demanded not only a secure grasp of chronology but also a sophisticated understanding of contemporary perspectives and historiography. In Component 1A, students had to evaluate highly nuanced modern historical extracts regarding the survival of Outremer, whilst Component 2A required a deep dive into the complex, often biased accounts of medieval chroniclers like William of Newburgh and Roger of Howden.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
Component 1A: The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204: Component 2A: Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
72% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Essay Questions
100·4·63%
Source/Extract Evaluation
60·2·38%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
1A Section A (Extra
0.50 m/min2A Section A (Sourc
0.50 m/minTotal marks
60
Total time
120 min
Avg pace
0.50
Cumulative marks ladder
The line is your running mark total question by question; dashed lines are the estimated grade cut-offs. See which question the line crosses your target grade at, so you know how far you must answer cleanly and which questions decide a band.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
The Military Campaigns of the Third Crusade
85%85%
Henry II's Legal and Administrative Reforms
80%80%
Assessment Overview & Difficulty Verdict
The June 2022 AQA A-Level History examinations for both Component 1A (The Age of the Crusades) and Component 2A (Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings) presented a balanced but academically rigorous set of challenges. Landing at a solid 4-star difficulty, these papers demanded not only a secure grasp of chronology but also a sophisticated understanding of contemporary perspectives and historiography. In Component 1A, students had to evaluate highly nuanced modern historical extracts regarding the survival of Outremer, whilst Component 2A required a deep dive into the complex, often biased accounts of medieval chroniclers like William of Newburgh and Roger of Howden.
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.