A concise, entertaining history of the world-changing medieval document known as the Magna Carta.
1215 is one of the most famous dates in English history, and with good reason, since it marks the signing of the Magna Carta by King John and the English barons, which altered the entire course of English and world history.
John Lackland was born to King Henry II and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitane in December 1166, the youngest of five sons—but he unexpectedly became the favored heir after a failed rebellion by his older brothers in 1173. His short, tumultuous reign as king began in 1199, and after a brief peace with Phillip II of France, war broke out again in 1202 and King John lost most of his holdings on the continent.
This, coupled with unpopular fiscal policies and treatment of nobles back home, led to conflict upon his return from battle. Buffeted from all sides, King John was pushed in 1215 to sign along with his barons the Magna Carta, a precursor to constitutional governance. But both sides failed to uphold the agreement’s terms and conflict quickly resumed, leading to John’s untimely death a year later to dysentery. 1215 and All That tells the story of King John’s rule—and how his signing of the Magna Carta changed England—and the English—forever.
