The beginning of King John’s reign was turbulent and troubled. Coming to power already mistrusted by the populace not only hurt his image, but also influenced how he acted as king. Inspired by King John’s unfair rule over England, barons and other nobles created the Magna Carta in 1215 in order to limit his influence, thus creating a balance of power between the king and his subjects that ultimately served as the basis for a strong and stable government.
Written in 1215 the Magna Carta, directly translated as “The Great Charter”, allowed King John to appease his restive subjects. King John was the youngest son of Henry II and came to power in 1199 as the king of England. His rule was seen as one of the worst England had ever known. John was a …show more content…
At the beginning of the Magna Carta it states, “All barons who have founded abbeys, concerning which they hold charters from the kings of England, or of which they have long continued possession, shall have the wardship of them, when vacant, as they ought to have (Primary Document: Magna Carta”, 46).” This protected the barons from unfair seizure of their property, a practice John had employed before. The Magna Carta added further protections by guaranteeing that “Earls and barons shall be fined only by their equals, and in proportion to the gravity of their offence” (“Primary Document: Magna Carta”, 21). One of the major perceived inadequacies of King John’s rule was the tendency to tax disproportionately large amounts for small ordeals. This clause gave the barons the ability as a group, to decide on any punishments for the nobility, and to set them at a reasonable amount. These new rights accorded to the barons and the Catholic church not only limited the king’s power, but also the barons (and to a lesser extent the king’s subjects) on a more even footing with the
Written in 1215 the Magna Carta, directly translated as “The Great Charter”, allowed King John to appease his restive subjects. King John was the youngest son of Henry II and came to power in 1199 as the king of England. His rule was seen as one of the worst England had ever known. John was a …show more content…
At the beginning of the Magna Carta it states, “All barons who have founded abbeys, concerning which they hold charters from the kings of England, or of which they have long continued possession, shall have the wardship of them, when vacant, as they ought to have (Primary Document: Magna Carta”, 46).” This protected the barons from unfair seizure of their property, a practice John had employed before. The Magna Carta added further protections by guaranteeing that “Earls and barons shall be fined only by their equals, and in proportion to the gravity of their offence” (“Primary Document: Magna Carta”, 21). One of the major perceived inadequacies of King John’s rule was the tendency to tax disproportionately large amounts for small ordeals. This clause gave the barons the ability as a group, to decide on any punishments for the nobility, and to set them at a reasonable amount. These new rights accorded to the barons and the Catholic church not only limited the king’s power, but also the barons (and to a lesser extent the king’s subjects) on a more even footing with the