King John and the Magna Carta

King John The first king to give up some of his power was John. He is famous as Prince John in make believe stories of Robin Hood. In the stories he is a wicked and foolish prince who taxes the people of England unfairly. Some historians say John was just as foolish in real life. Others say he was simply unlucky! John ruled England from 1199 to 1216. He faced the following problems.

Problem Number 1 He quarreled with the Pope about how to run the Church. From 1208 until 1213, the Pope banned all church services in England English people feared that their souls were in danger Some Church leaders blamed John for the trouble.

John went to war twice against the French king Problem Number 2 John went to war twice against the French king His army was badly beaten both times He lost almost all the land that his father had gained in France

Problem Number 3 John raised taxes in England to pay for the wars This upset his barons He ordered them to pay far more tax than earlier kings had

How did the barons strike back? In 1214 many barons rebelled against John Believed that he could not rule the country properly and was treating them unfairly In 1215 the barons forced John to grant a charter, which was the first time anyone had expected an English king to obey a set of rules.

THE MAGNA CARTA The Charter later became known by the Latin name Magna Carta which means “great charter”.

Why Should I Know This? The Magna Carta stands for freedom, that the people have certain rights that cannot be taken away by anyone Stands for the only real true rule of law; that no one, not even a king, is above the law. It still has major influence on our legal system today, and has ensured equality for all citizens under the law.

The Magna Carta is an English document created by the barons during King John’s rule in 1215. Up until this point, English kings had been able to rule without limitations, as they claimed to have been given absolute power by God. This document forced the King to follow the same laws as their subjects, which was a huge step towards equality for all citizens under the law.

Who Was Involved? A total of 25 barons, 13 bishops, and 20 abbots were party to the signing of the Magna Carta. The barons accepted the responsibility of ensuring that King John followed the clauses of the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta I, King John, accept that I have to govern according to the law. So I agree: 1. Not to imprison nobles without trial 2. That trials must be in courts; not held in secret by me 3. To have fair taxation for the nobles 4. To let freemen travel wherever they like 5. Not to interfere in Church matters 6. Not to seize crops without paying for them No-one is above the law, even the king. Right to a fair trial. People who are taxed should have some kind of representation.

Famous clause from the 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" This clause limits the power of rulers, and introduces the idea of lawful process and the idea of a jury.

Think! Use the examples from Magna Carta to work out the different ways in which John has been upsetting people. What was so new about Magna Carta for English kings? At the time, Magna Carta was not designed to help everybody. What kind of people were not helped by the charter?

Review Unlike most past English kings, King John was extremely unsuccessful in his military campaigns. In order to pay for the wars, John raised taxes without consulting his barons, against common custom. In response, the barons rebelled and forced John to sign the Magna Carta, and give up some of his power.

Surviving Clauses Only three clauses of the original Magna Carta are still in effect today: The Church of England shall be free and maintain all of its rights and liberties. The City of London shall keep all of its old customs and liberties. No one shall be imprisoned or have their rights taken away without a trial.

Today’s Relevance Everyone is equal under the law is very important in our legal system today. What once applied to kings still applies to our politicians. Ensures that no person can gain unlimited power in our society. No person shall be imprisoned or judged without a fair trial This has become the basis for our legal system in Canada, and gives everyone a chance to attempt to prove their innocence.