Magna+Carta

Magna Carta King John became king in 1199 when his older brother, King Richard died. John was a terrible king and would often violate feudal and common laws. He was disliked by all for his foreign policy and his actions in England. King John considered himself above the law and would increase the taxes that he demanded from his subjects. King John had also angered Pope Innocent II, who excommunicated him (kicked him out of the Roman Catholic Church). After King John lost an important battle against the French and had lost a lot of English land held by barons in France, the barons decided that something needed to be done and engaged in open rebellion against King John. Since King John did not have any obvious replacements or heirs to the throne, the barons chose to pressure the king to confirm a charter of liberties. Since both the church and his barons were pushing pressure on him, King John signed and put his seal to the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was written to balance the power between the king and his subjects, but especially between the king and his barons. When King John signed and put his seal on the Magna Carta, he agreed that even as a king he was not above the law, and that he and future rulers would not have as much power as before. The Magna Carta also stated that people had rights to not be unlawfully imprisoned, and the king was bound to rule within the law. King John disregarded the Magna Carta, causing a war which lasted until his death in 1216. His son, Henry III took the throne and reissued a different version of the Magna Carta. Several more versions of the Magna Carta were created until the final version was released by Edward I in 1297. The Magna Carta disappeared until the Elizabethan era, around 200 years later. The Magna Carta contains 63 clauses, three of which are still in law today. The king d efends the freedom and rights of the English Church, confirms the liberties and customs of London and other towns, and the most famous clause: "No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or taken 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 we deny or delay right or justice." This clause limits the power of rulers and introduced the idea of trial by jury. Only four of the original thirteen copies survive today. The four copies are in The British Library, Lincoln Castle and Salisbury Cathedral. By: Caitlyn Dixon