King John
In 1215, King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta stating that the king was not above the law of the land and protecting the rights of the people. Today, the Magna Carta is considered one of the most important documents in the history of democracy.
Background:
John became king in 1199 when his brother, Richard the Lionheart, died without any children. King John was not a very pleasant person. He told lies. He put innocent people in prison so that he could steal their belongings. He put a poor man in prison once just so he could steal the man's horse and cart. Promises never bothered King John. He would promise anything to anybody, especially if there was money in it for him, but he soon broke his word.
The nobles confronted King John. King John promised he would do better. He promised the nobles that he would raise taxes again without discussing it first. After all, it was the law.
In truth, however, the law had as much value to King John as did his word. Weeks later, he raised taxes again without consulting anyone. He had two of his nobles arrested, and seized their lands, without allowing them to present any defense.
By 1215, the barons of northern England had had enough of John's high taxes. They decided to rebel. Led by Baron Robert Fitzwalter, they marched on London calling themselves the "army of God". Armed and ready, they gathered a huge force of nobles at the town of Runnymede. They brought the king there. The archbishop read aloud to the king from a parchment he held, a parchment called the Magna Carta, the Great Charter.
As the king listened, he became more and more angry. How dare his nobles treat him like this. How dare the archbishop read from a piece of paper and except him to sign it. It was clear, even to selfish King John, that if he did not sign, his nobles would desert him. Without an army behind him, some pretender would soon steal his throne. The king was furious about it, but he signed the Magna Carta.
The Magna Carta was a list of rights. Most rights were already law. The Magna Carta stated them again so there would be no confusion. Plus, the Magna Carta added new rights. One of the new rights was that nobles could keep watch over the king. They could seize his castles if he did not keep his word.
In 1215, King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta stating that the king was not above the law of the land and protecting the rights of the people. Today, the Magna Carta is considered one of the most important documents in the history of democracy.
Details of the Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was not a short document. There were actually 63 clauses in the document outlining various laws that the barons wanted the King to enforce. Some of the rights these clauses promised included:
- Protection of church rights
- Access to swift justice
- No new taxes without the Barons' agreement
- Limitations on feudal payments
- Protection from illegal imprisonment
- A council of 25 Barons who would insure that King John followed the laws
Legacy
The ideas put forth in the Magna Carta became lasting principles of liberty to the English. Three of the clauses are still in force as English law including the freedom of the English Church, the "ancient liberties" of the City of London, and the right to due process.
The ideas of the Magna Carta also influenced the constitutions and development of other countries. The American colonists used the rights guaranteed in the document as a reason to rebel and form their own country. Many of these rights are written into the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.