King John Signs Magna Charta

1215: While the Great Charter is criticized for granting rights to the aristocracy and not to the commoners, its true legacy is that it marks the transition from the age of traditional rights to the age of written legislation, — of parliaments and statutes, which was soon to come.  King John, the villain of the Robin Hood legends, had oppressed England in three ways: (1) the remaining oppressions of the Norman kings after the Conquest; (2) the necessity of raising taxes and other measures for wars against France; and (3) his own odious personal and official conduct.

Individually, his personal scandals could have been tolerated; his constant demands of war measures could have been tolerated (if there were any success); indeed, the Norman tyranny had in fact been tolerated since 1066. It was the combination of all these together which brought on the crisis.

A conference between the King and the barons was appointed at Runnymede, between Windsor and Staines; a place which has ever since been extremely celebrated, on account of this great event. The two parties encamped apart, like open enemies; and after a debate of a few days, the King, with a facility somewhat suspicious, on June 19, 1215, signed and sealed the charter which was required of him. http://dld.bz/heBvH

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