The Decline Of The Middle Ages
Magna Carta: The Great Charter (1215)
INTRODUCTION:
The Magna Carta is a document signed by King John of England in 1215 that established a democratic system which not only the king could influence on political decisions, and led to the creation of significant democratic documents. The Magna Carta not only secured liberties for English aristocracy, but also limited the power the absolute monarchy that existed for nearly 800 years. Hence, the Magna Carta brought an end to the absolute power of English sovereigns, in effect making the king subject to law, not the law being the subject to the king.
The Magna Carta, or the Great Charter of England is consisted in total of 63 clauses dealing with law, justice, feudal customs, the church, inheritance, and constitutional rights. It was proposed by the archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, and King John’s barons.
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THE LEGACY OF MAGNA CARTA
“No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled . nor will we proceed with force against him . except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land. To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.”
- Magna Carta clause 12-
“ In the first place we have granted to God, and by this our present charter confirmed for us and our heirs for ever that the English church shall be free,and shall have her rights entire, and her liberties inviolate; and we will that it be thus observed; which is apparent from this that the freedom of elections,which is reckoned most important and very essential to the English church, we,of our pure and unconstrained will, did grant, and did by our charter confirmand did obtain the ratification of the same from our lord, Pope Innocent III.,before the quarrel arose between us and our barons: and this we will observe,and our will is that it be observed in good faith by our heirs for ever. We have also granted to all freemen of our kingdom, for us and our heirs for ever,all the underwritten liberties, to be had and held by them and their heirs, of us and our heirs for ever.”
- Magna Carta, Clause 1-
“ The city of London shall enjoy all its ancient liberties and free customs, both by land and both by water. We also will and grant that all other cities, boroughs, towns, and ports shall enjoy all their liberties and free customs.”
- Magna Carta, Clause 13.-
“ All these customs and liberties that we have granted shall be observed in our kingdom in so far as concerns our own relations with our subjects. Let all men of our kingdom, whether clergy or laymen, observe them similarly in their relations with their own men.”
- Magna Carta, Clause 60-
Video about King John and Magna Carta
SUMMARY: EVENTS THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF MAGNA CARTA
Henry II Philip II John I
(father of King John)
John Lackland ascended to throne in 1199 after the death of his brother, Richard the Lionheart. He also inherited England’s French overseas domains from his father, Henry II.He was named as the Count of Anjou, and the duke of Aquitaine and Normandy. However in 1202, Philip declared that John no longer had a right to own his French domains from the complaints by his barons who ruled over his lands. John’s mishandling and neglect of his lands angered his barons in France,King John attempted to conquer Normandy and Anjou from Philip II, but he was not successful. As a result of the constant wars against France, King John eventually came bankrupt. For this reason, he frequently demanded money from his barons and laid a heavy tax all throughout England without consulting with his barons.
Moreover, he lost an important battle in the Bouvines when he attempted to gain the lost lands from France. King John’s constant demands and his tyrannical behaviour greatly angered his barons. Subsequently, the barons revolted against him in the First Barons War (1215-1217). King John tried to resist against his barons, but he couldn’t possibly defeat them with his own army. Finally, John decided to accept his barons’ demands. On June 15, 1215, he met with his barons at Runnymede. After a long series of wars and power struggles, King John reluctantly signed the Magna Carta forced by his barons on June 15, 1215.
In addition, this grumpy despot had several serious quarrels with Pope Innocent III over claiming Stephen Langton as the archbishop of Canterbury in 1207. In 1208, King John ordered the confiscation of Catholic property, which meant rebelling against the church. Consequently, Pope Innocent III banned all religious services throughout England in 1208 infuriated by John’s unethical actions as well as excommunicating King John in 1209.
Significance of the Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was the first document to be granted by the King in the history to set detailed limits on royal authority. In addition, it also established the democratic system that we have now in our governments and also contributed the creation of future democratic documents, such as the United Nations Charter, and the Declaration of Independence.