Page 49 - All About History - Issue 18-14

Bluffer’s Guide

THE MAGNA CARTA

Key events

CharterofLiberties
1100
A precursor to the Magna Carta,
bindingKingHenryItolawsfor
histreatmentofindividuals.
England interdicted
1208
After King John refuses to accept
the new Archbishop of Canterbury,
Pope Innocent III suspends all
King John lost the duchy of Normandy church services in England.
afterhisdefeatattheBattleofBouvines
Battle of Bouvines
Why was it created? Is it still in use today? 27 July 1214
This battle ends the 1202-1214
King John had suffered a number of military Much of the Magna Carta dealt with very specific
Anglo-French War with a French
defeats abroad, but still demanded men and money personal grievances, which are no longer relevant victory and costs the barons
from the barons. He also fell out with the Church today. Out of the document’s 63 clauses, only three are their possessions in Normandy.
and the Pope banned all church services and still valid. The first ensures the liberties of the English
excommunicated King John. The barons rebelled Church, the second confirms the rights of the cities of Demanding scutage
1215
and the Magna Carta was created to end the dispute. England, and the third is the famous ‘free man’ clause.
John tries to regain his losses by
demanding 40 shillings for every
Howmanycopiesarethere? man the barons failed to provide
for the war.
Numerous copies of the Magna Carta
The barons rebel
werepennedbyroyalscribestosendto 1215
religiousandlegalfigures,althoughit’s The angry barons band their
forces together and march
impossible to ascertain just how many. south, denouncing their
allegiance to the king.
Fourversionsofthecharterstillexist

today,oneisinSalisburyCathedral, Key figures
anotherinLincolnCathedralandthe
King John
last two are in the British Library. 1166-1216
John’s exploitation of the
A baron’s life Standing the test barons’ money led to the
creation of the Magna Carta.
ThebaronsoffeudalEnglandownedlargeamounts of time
of land and answered only to the king. The king could TheimportanceoftheMagnaCartaextendsfar Pope Innocent III
demand payment from them for multiple reasons, such past the 1215 and 1225 versions; it was used time 1160-1216
The head of the Catholic Church,
as the marriage of his eldest daughter and ‘scutage’ if andtimeagainthroughoutthereignsofBritish he ended all church services in
they refused military service. King John pushed these monarchs.EdwardI,II,IIIaswellasRichardII, England and cancelled the Magna
privileges to breaking point. Robert Fitzwalter, the baron Charles I, James II and countless others all felt the Carta shortly after it was written.
of Little Dunmow, Essex used his influence in London direct effects of the charter upon their reigns.
to gain support for the baron uprising. Archbishop Stephen
Langton
Atrickyread 1150-1228
Archbishop Langton mediated
NotonlyistheMagnaCartawritten between the warring forces and
heavily influenced the contents
inMedievalLatin,butthescribeswho of the charter.
createdcopiesofthedocumentmade William Marshal
many abbreviations of words in order 1147-1219
Marshal ruled England until
touselessoftheexpensiveparchment. John’s son came of age, and
created two revised Magna
Thereisalsoevidencethatitwas Cartas in 1216 and 1217.
writtenwithsomehasteandchanged Robert Fitzwalter
oftensoeveryone’sgrievancescould Unknown-1235
Fitzwalter was the leader of the
bemet,makingitachallengingand barons who rebelled against
There is still great debate over the true King John and one of the 25 ©Alamy
meaning of many of the clauses of the charter somewhat confusing read. sureties of the Magna Carta.

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