One of the most famous and celebrated documents in world history is the Magna Carta. Magna Carta was a charter of rights that came into existence during the reign of King John of England during the early 13 th century, precisely 1215. It first came into being as a way of making peace between a group of rebel barons and the king, who was largely growing unpopular due to his leadership tendencies. At the time of its creation, England had persevered 16 years under the draconian rule of King John. 1 The rule was characterized by various forms of injustices including extortion, violence, blackmail, and legal chicanery among others. The struggle between the monarchs and subjects was a common happening during the medieval times. The Magna Carta was an attempt by the civilians to preserve their existing rights and create other favorable ones that prevented leaders from practicing to their advantage.
First, it remains fundamentally important to note that from the beginning of the rule of King John in 1199, he engaged in a leadership style that alienated his barons. The barons, therefore, created a long list of grievances with several demands that touched on their rights and overall welfare. First, the barons viewed John as predatory and rapacious. They believed that he had a hand in the murder of his nephew Arthur. Secondly, John was defeated by France, meaning that the barons remained landless following French's activities in reclaiming the property. 2 As a consequence, John spent the majority of his time in England where he raised taxes to facilitate the expensive war that continued in France. People who could not afford or those unwilling to pay the taxes had to endure cruel and severe punishments. Also, historians have also claimed that John engaged in a heated argument with the Pope regarding the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury. As a result, church services effectively stopped in England up to five years leading to deep concerns among the people with regards to their prospects of going to heaven. 3
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Towards 1215, the barons showed an increased discontentment with John. However, the major problem was that there was no suitable replacement for him. As a result, the barons decided to draft a royal charter that would guarantee their freedoms and rights. However, it was well within the knowledge of the barons that it would be difficult to compel Jon to authorize the operationalization of the charter. However, they decided to form an army under the stewardship of Robert FitzWalter. The army occupied London meaning King John was unable to raise an army to counter the influence of the barons. As a result, he agreed to negotiate. The first meeting was slated for 10 June 1215 where John met the delegation of barons at a place called Runnymede. 4 The deliberations took over five days with intense negotiations and discussions. As they progressed, John appeared to be leaning towards the support of the Magna Carta charter and effectively granted it on June 15 th . 5
It soon dawned on the barons that King John had acted in bad faith and was not committed to his actions of authorizing the charter. By August, he had disowned the Magna Carta and effectively convinced the Pope to support him citing that no one had the moral grounds to challenge anybody appointed by God to rule. 6 As a result, there was a sharp division of the barons. A portion remained loyal to the king while there were others who continued with a spirited rebellion. The rebellious ones went as far as inviting the French prince to take over the English throne. Fortunately or unfortunately, in October 1216, King John suddenly died for an illness that was suspected to be dysentery. Although his son Henry was the heir to the throne, he was unable to take over because he was only nine years old. As a result, William Marshall, his guardian took over and in 2017, he authorized the charter. After Henry took over power in 1225, Magna Carta came to full effect and was coroneted with a royal seal.
The medieval monarchy was a big paradox in its system of governance. 7 The rulers at this time believed that for there to be a success in leadership; all the people had to surrender the sovereignty to a single. They drew connotations from the position of God who had all the superiority over human beings. However, the problem was that such a system meant that the leader was unquestionable and would rule to their benefit and not that of the people. As such, the barons knew that it was difficult to overthrow King John because he enjoyed the backing of the Pope, a prominent religious figure. 8 Therefore, the only eligible way was to change or improve the laws by drafting the Magna Carta. Shami Chakrabarti, a renowned politician in England, used the 800 th anniversary of the Magna Carta to remind people of the importance of human rights. In her words, she said, “If we allow the Human Rights Act’s destruction, the precious house of rights we’ve built together will come tumbling down.” 9
In conclusion, the medieval period was characterized by conflicts between the rulers and the subjects who wanted a system that took consideration of the rights and grievances. It reflects the continued problem that many countries, especially in the Middle East, have continued to face. Democracy demands a system of rules and laws where the rights of the ordinary citizens are protected. The long fight to achieve Magna Carta was hinged on providing the barons with a better way of life free from oppression.
Bibliography
Daniell, Christopher. From Norman Conquest to Magna Carta: England 1066–1215. Routledge, 2013.
1215: Magna Carta The American Republic: Primary Sources, ed. Bruce Frohman (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2002). http://oll.libertyfund.org/pages/1215-magna-carta
Hudson, John. The formation of English common law: law and society in England from the Norman Conquest to Magna Carta. Routledge, 2014.
Loengard, Janet Senderowitz, ed. Magna Carta and the England of King John. Boydell & Brewer, 2010.
Magna Carta, British Library https://www.bl.uk/magna-carta
Morris, Marc. King John: Treachery, Tyranny and the Road to Magna Carta. Random House, 2015.
Siegan, Bernard. Property Rights: From Magna Carta to the Fourteenth Amendment. Routledge, 2018.
The Road to Magna Carta https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/visit-the-city/attractions/guildhall-galleries/learning/Documents/Magna_Carta_road_to.pdf
Vincent, Nicholas. Magna Carta: a very short introduction. OUP Oxford, 2012.
Yerli, Kenan. “Understanding Shakespeare’s King John and Magna Carta in the Light of New Historicism.” Bilgi 20, no. 1 (Summer 2018): 241–59. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=130874657&site=eds-live .
1 The Road to Magna Carta
2 Vincent, Nicholas. Magna Carta: a very short introduction. OUP Oxford, 2012.
3 1215: Magna Carta The American Republic: Primary Sources, ed. Bruce Frohman (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2002).
4 Loengard, Janet Senderowitz, ed. Magna Carta and the England of King John. Boydell & Brewer, 2010.
5 Yerli, Kenan. “Understanding Shakespeare’s King John and Magna Carta in the Light of New Historicism.” Bilgi 20, no. 1 (Summer 2018): 241–59.
6 Morris, Marc. King John: Treachery, Tyranny and the Road to Magna Carta. Random House, 2015.
7 Magna Carta, British Library
8 Hudson, John. The formation of English common law: law and society in England from the Norman Conquest to Magna Carta. Routledge, 2014.
9 Daniell, Christopher. From Norman Conquest to Magna Carta: England 1066–1215. Routledge, 2013.
