101
See also: The Norman conquest of England 132 ■ The Battle of Castillon 156–57 ■ The execution of Charles I 174–75 ■
The signing of the Declaration of Independence 204–07 ■ The storming of the Bastille 208–13THE MEDIEVAL WORLD
king the mocking nickname
“Lackland”). Scutage, a further
cash levy that left many barons in
debt to money-lenders, was bitterly
resented. Not only was the king
proving lamentably unsuccessful
in war, but he had also broken the
unspoken contract between himself
and the barons, that allowed them
to run their lands as they chose.
Hoping for support from the
pope, who had excommunicated
John in 1209, the rebellious barons
confronted the king. Attempts at
diplomacy failed, and by May 1215,
the barons had occupied London,
forcing John to enter into a treaty
with them to avoid a civil war. After
careful direction of negotiations by
Archbishop Stephen Langton of
Canterbury, the agreement—more
a truce than a peace—was signed.Provisions of the charter
The charter was known as the
Magna Carta, or Great Charter, to
distinguish it from a more restricted
Forest Charter issued in 1217. Much
of the Magna Carta dealt with
redressing baronial grievances,as arrest or confiscation of land.
The charter survived the civil war
that broke out soon after the Magna
Carta was agreed, and the papal
repudiation of the charter’s terms
in August 1215, which led to the
barons’ excommunication. Chapter
39 was extended under a 1354 law
of Edward III to protect not only
“free men” (a small minority in
England where most people were
technically serfs), but also any man
“of whatever estate or condition
he may be.” It survived longer
than most of the other provisions,
including the security clause that
allowed barons to seize all the
king’s land if he failed to fulfil his
obligations under the agreement.
What had seemed a small
concession that day in Runnymede
provided a long-lasting rallying cry
for opponents of royal tyranny. ■Influence of the Magna Carta
The Magna Carta has acquired
an almost mythical status as
the constitutional bedrock of
subjects’ rights. It contributed to
the development of parliament
from the 13th century, and was
used by 17th-century rebels to
argue against the divine right
of kings propounded by the
Stuart monarchs Charles I and
James II. Several American
colonies’ charters contained
clauses modeled on it, while
the design of the Massachusetts
seal chosen at the start of theRevolutionary War depicts a
militiaman with sword in one
hand and the Magna Carta in
the other. Revolutionary feeling
was fueled by Americans’
belief that the Crown had
breached the fundamental law
enjoyed by all English subjects,
and both the United States
Constitution, enacted in 1789,
and the Bill of Rights adopted
two years later, were influenced
by the Magna Carta’s limitations
on the arbitrary powers of a
government against its subjects.but the section that has exerted
the most influence down the ages
was Chapter 39. This open-ended
clause protected all “free men” from
arbitrary actions by the Crown suchRights of individuals
against arbitrary
punishment by the
Crown are established.Financial demands
to fund wars
in France increase.Centralization
of royal administration
reduces barons’ power
and income.The principle that new
taxes can be raised only
after consultation with
a royal council evolves.Barons revolt and
force King John to sign
a charter of rights.US_100-101_Magna_Carta.indd 101 15/02/2016 16:41