Background Information After King Richard’s death, his younger brother John took the throne in 1199 A.D. John was a cruel, ignorant, and unpopular king He received the nickname “Lackland” because he inherited no land from his father

King John King John angered his people by: Raising taxes Taking money for wars (which he ended up losing) Arguing with the Pope and trying to take control over Church decisions As a result, a group of nobles began looking for a way to limit the kings’ powers and protect their own rights in return

Magna Carta In 1215, at the meadow of Runnymede, a group of nobles and lords forced King John to approve a document they had written: Magna Carta Magna Carta means “Great Charter” and it focused on the rights of the nobles

The Effects of the Magna Carta No imprisonment without a trial by jury *habeas corpus-“you have the body”- meant that people could not be held in jail without a reason Must consult lords before raising taxes Must choose competent officials who understand and obey the law themselves Could not interfere with or limit the freedom of the church Most importantly, the Magna Carta required that everyone- even the king- had to obey the law

Changes after Magna Carta After King John signed the charter, the conflicts continued until his death the following year The Magna Carta lived on inspiring the English to find more ways to limit the king’s power A council of nobles who advise the king was created, which eventually developed into Parliament, the lawmaking body that governs England today By the late Middle Ages, kings could do little without Parliament’s support