What events transpired prior to the introduction of the Magna Carta? What was the impetus for the introduction of this revolutionary document? Why is the Magna Carta still revered both within Canada and around the world? Over the next two days, we will answer these questions through exploring the history of the Magna Carta.
The years preceding the drafting of the Magna Carta were marked by civil unrest. King John of England was unpopular among his subjects because of his tyrannical nature and the high taxes he imposed. English barons were particularly aggrieved by this financial extortion and contemplated rebelling [1]. The rebel barons decided to embark on a “programme of reform”, since there was no alternative royal dynasty that they could fight for [2]. The rebels drafted a charter of liberties, which aimed to bring governmental reform by restricting the monarch’s power.
Civil war began on May 5, 1215, and on May 17, 1215, the rebels seized the city of London. As a result of this victory, and the increase in public support for the rebels, King John discussed various peace proposals with the rebel barons. The Magna Carta was the result of these negotiations. On June 15, 1215, King John affixed his seal to the Magna Carta at Runnymede (a meadow along the River Thames in England). However, King John secretly annulled the Magna Carta in July. Further, only three months after the Magna Carta was sealed, civil war broke out once again [2].
While the Magna Carta failed as a peace treaty in 1215, after King John died in October 1216, his heir, Henry III, was crowned king. Henry III brought the Magna Carta back into force, by issuing a modified form of the document in both 1217 and 1225. The 1225 version “became the definitive text” of the Magna Carta [1].
[1] http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30641742
[2] Danny Danziger & John Gillingham, 1215: The Year of Magna Carta (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2003).
