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Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty
From the author of the New York Times bestseller The Plantagenets, a short, lively, action-packed history of how the Magna Carta came to be
The Magna Carta is revered around the world as the founding document of Western liberty. Its principles can be found in our Bill of Rights and in the Constitution. But what was this strange document that dwells on tax relief and greater fishing rights, and how did it gain legendary status?
Dan Jones takes us back to 1215, the turbulent year when the Magna Carta was just a peace treaty between England’s King John and a group of self-interested, violent barons who were tired of his high taxes and endless foreign wars. The treaty would fail within two months of its confirmation.
But this important document marked the first time a king was forced to obey his own laws. Jones’s 1215 follows the story of the Magna Carta’s creation, its failure, and the war that subsequently engulfed England and is book that will appeal to fans of microhistories of pivotal years like 1066, 1491, and especially 1776—when American patriots, inspired by that long-ago defiance, dared to pick up arms against another English king.
The Magna Carta is revered around the world as the founding document of Western liberty. Its principles can be found in our Bill of Rights and in the Constitution. But what was this strange document that dwells on tax relief and greater fishing rights, and how did it gain legendary status?
Dan Jones takes us back to 1215, the turbulent year when the Magna Carta was just a peace treaty between England’s King John and a group of self-interested, violent barons who were tired of his high taxes and endless foreign wars. The treaty would fail within two months of its confirmation.
But this important document marked the first time a king was forced to obey his own laws. Jones’s 1215 follows the story of the Magna Carta’s creation, its failure, and the war that subsequently engulfed England and is book that will appeal to fans of microhistories of pivotal years like 1066, 1491, and especially 1776—when American patriots, inspired by that long-ago defiance, dared to pick up arms against another English king.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2015
About the author
Dan Jones
59 books6,192 followersDan Jones is a NYT bestselling author and broadcaster. His books, which include The Templars, Henry V, The Plantagenets and Powers & Thrones, have sold more than 2 million copies and are published in 23 languages. He is the author of the Essex Dogs novel trilogy. Dan writes and hosts the popular weekly Sony Music Entertainment podcast This Is History. He has presented dozens of television documentaries, including the popular Netflix series Secrets of Great British Castles, and has executive produced and consulted on a number of films and television shows including Anne Boleyn (Channel 5/Sony Pictures Television) and Knightfall (A+E/History). His journalism has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post; for a decade he was a columnist for the London Evening Standard. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and in 2025 was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Historic Royal Palaces.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 447 reviews
October 21, 2015
When one hears mention of Magna Carta , it is immediately associated with the meadow where it was established, Runnymede. If you happen to live there today, it is a lushly green memorial park where you go to walk your dog; to American lawmakers, it is considered the birthplace of democracy. Eight centuries ago, Runnymede was a wet, marshy meadow, not quite the place where one would imagine barons and the King of England convening to settle their disputes; nor was the intent of the Great Charter anything to do with 'democracy.'
Author Dan Jones suggests that under the circumstances that forced King John to yield to his rebellious barons' demands, boggy Runnymede was well picked to deter any thoughts of battle, if it came down to that.
The Conception of Magna Carta
What egregious acts brought this infamous king 'under duress' (as John later claimed) to put his seal to articles that have become the foundation of freedom and human rights as we know them today? To answer this question, Jones recaps Angevin history, a subject he is expertly specialized in, evident by his preceding successful books 'The Plantagenets' and 'The Wars of the Roses.' He puts Magna Carta in historical context as it was conceived during the problematic reign of King John in the early thirteenth century, which included the loss of Normandy to France in 1204, followed by Anjou and Maine - devastating losses of the vast Angevin empire built by his formidable father, Henry II.
John inherited the volatile Angevin temper his father was noted for, and though he lacked the great military leadership that his brother Richard I was noted for, he knew the English system well. John's rule was a disaster, ranging from wily financial schemes and extortion practices created to garner funds for war against France, eruptive disagreements with Pope Innocent III which resulted in John being excommunicated, to violent conflicts with the landed aristocracy or tenants-in-chief: the barons, primarily over severe taxations levied upon them. He was an unjust and unlikable ruler who maintained foreign mercenaries, sacked cities in his own kingdom and was exceedingly cruel in his punishments. It is pointed out that one of his favorite forms of punishment was death by starvation, as in the case of the most often recalled example in any biography of King John - that of Matilda de Briouze and her son:
In 1210 Matilda and her son had been starved to death on the king’s orders: it was said that when the door to their cell was finally opened they were found huddled against one another in a grotesque knot of death. The mother had died insane with hunger. Her last earthly efforts were to try to eat her child’s face. p. 51
It is easy to comprehend the barons' rebellion against this out-of-control monarch, but no sooner had the deal been consummated that it was annulled by John and strangely, Innocent III. The country was plunged once again in civil war; this time the baronial rebellion had its allies in the French. Obviously, John had no intention of honoring "the treaty that would impose devastating new restrictions on every future King of England's ability to govern the realm as he pleased." The author takes a moment to paint a humorous caricature of John while charming in public, "behind the scenes he 'gnashed his teeth, rolled his eyes, grabbed sticks and straws and gnawed them like a madman.' " p. 125
The Rearing of Magna Carta
Dan Jones explains with great clarity the 800 year old charter, time worn of its legal relevance but drawing specific attention to the few enduring words which have influenced "any major constitutional document in the last thousand years:"
(1) No free man is to be arrested or imprisoned or disseized, or outlawed, or exiled, or in any other way ruined, nor will we go or send against him, except by the legal judgment of his peers or by the law of the land
and
(2) To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice
have encapsulated "the principle of trial by jury, the right of habeas corpus, and the basic idea that justice should always restrain the power of government.” pp.138-9
Magna Carta was reconfirmed several times over the centuries to keep its monarchs in check. For example, it became a political weapon in the long war between John's inept son Henry III and his 'warmongering' grandson Edward I against Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester during the 1250s and 1260s.
In the 17th century, Charles I would eventually lose his head over his perverse attempts to revive a feudal monarchy, to arbitrarily imprison his enemies, and rule by tyranny and extortion. The strategic move by Sir Edward Coke held Charles I "to certain principles of government in precisely the same way that John had been bound by the barons in 1215." p.193
Principles of the great charter sailed across the Atlantic and settled with the English colonies, becoming the basis for independence from British rule and served as a model for the American Bill of Rights, validated in 1791.
Dan Jones has written a fascinating history of the 1215 Magna Carta whose fundamental principles mutated to become the foundation for governmental systems in the free world, and might further inspire principles protecting freedoms and rights as far reaching as The Web. Peppered engagingly with humorous anecdotes, this book is relatively short - its first half appearing to be a biography of King John, and a rehash for myself just having finished the larger biography 'King John' by Marc Morris. But, the two are inseparable: John's legacy is the Magna Carta from which have sprouted our concepts of human rights, democracy, justice and freedom.
The narrative, including 5 pages of photos, ends at page 200 of 272 in the book; the rest are notes, appendices, bibliography and index - a quick, easy read. For the observant Dan Jones reader, his earlier released Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of the Great Charter is embedded practically verbatim in this one, Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty, the latter more detailed and boasting extended chapters.
Author Dan Jones suggests that under the circumstances that forced King John to yield to his rebellious barons' demands, boggy Runnymede was well picked to deter any thoughts of battle, if it came down to that.
The Conception of Magna Carta
What egregious acts brought this infamous king 'under duress' (as John later claimed) to put his seal to articles that have become the foundation of freedom and human rights as we know them today? To answer this question, Jones recaps Angevin history, a subject he is expertly specialized in, evident by his preceding successful books 'The Plantagenets' and 'The Wars of the Roses.' He puts Magna Carta in historical context as it was conceived during the problematic reign of King John in the early thirteenth century, which included the loss of Normandy to France in 1204, followed by Anjou and Maine - devastating losses of the vast Angevin empire built by his formidable father, Henry II.
John inherited the volatile Angevin temper his father was noted for, and though he lacked the great military leadership that his brother Richard I was noted for, he knew the English system well. John's rule was a disaster, ranging from wily financial schemes and extortion practices created to garner funds for war against France, eruptive disagreements with Pope Innocent III which resulted in John being excommunicated, to violent conflicts with the landed aristocracy or tenants-in-chief: the barons, primarily over severe taxations levied upon them. He was an unjust and unlikable ruler who maintained foreign mercenaries, sacked cities in his own kingdom and was exceedingly cruel in his punishments. It is pointed out that one of his favorite forms of punishment was death by starvation, as in the case of the most often recalled example in any biography of King John - that of Matilda de Briouze and her son:
In 1210 Matilda and her son had been starved to death on the king’s orders: it was said that when the door to their cell was finally opened they were found huddled against one another in a grotesque knot of death. The mother had died insane with hunger. Her last earthly efforts were to try to eat her child’s face. p. 51
It is easy to comprehend the barons' rebellion against this out-of-control monarch, but no sooner had the deal been consummated that it was annulled by John and strangely, Innocent III. The country was plunged once again in civil war; this time the baronial rebellion had its allies in the French. Obviously, John had no intention of honoring "the treaty that would impose devastating new restrictions on every future King of England's ability to govern the realm as he pleased." The author takes a moment to paint a humorous caricature of John while charming in public, "behind the scenes he 'gnashed his teeth, rolled his eyes, grabbed sticks and straws and gnawed them like a madman.' " p. 125
The Rearing of Magna Carta
Dan Jones explains with great clarity the 800 year old charter, time worn of its legal relevance but drawing specific attention to the few enduring words which have influenced "any major constitutional document in the last thousand years:"
(1) No free man is to be arrested or imprisoned or disseized, or outlawed, or exiled, or in any other way ruined, nor will we go or send against him, except by the legal judgment of his peers or by the law of the land
and
(2) To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice
have encapsulated "the principle of trial by jury, the right of habeas corpus, and the basic idea that justice should always restrain the power of government.” pp.138-9
Magna Carta was reconfirmed several times over the centuries to keep its monarchs in check. For example, it became a political weapon in the long war between John's inept son Henry III and his 'warmongering' grandson Edward I against Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester during the 1250s and 1260s.
In the 17th century, Charles I would eventually lose his head over his perverse attempts to revive a feudal monarchy, to arbitrarily imprison his enemies, and rule by tyranny and extortion. The strategic move by Sir Edward Coke held Charles I "to certain principles of government in precisely the same way that John had been bound by the barons in 1215." p.193
Principles of the great charter sailed across the Atlantic and settled with the English colonies, becoming the basis for independence from British rule and served as a model for the American Bill of Rights, validated in 1791.
Dan Jones has written a fascinating history of the 1215 Magna Carta whose fundamental principles mutated to become the foundation for governmental systems in the free world, and might further inspire principles protecting freedoms and rights as far reaching as The Web. Peppered engagingly with humorous anecdotes, this book is relatively short - its first half appearing to be a biography of King John, and a rehash for myself just having finished the larger biography 'King John' by Marc Morris. But, the two are inseparable: John's legacy is the Magna Carta from which have sprouted our concepts of human rights, democracy, justice and freedom.
The narrative, including 5 pages of photos, ends at page 200 of 272 in the book; the rest are notes, appendices, bibliography and index - a quick, easy read. For the observant Dan Jones reader, his earlier released Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of the Great Charter is embedded practically verbatim in this one, Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty, the latter more detailed and boasting extended chapters.
October 28, 2019
At this point I'm convinced that Dan Jones is incapable of writing a boring book even if he actively tries to. A book about a legal document of any kind, no matter how significant, should have been bound to be yawn-inducing, but Jones's talent for writing page-turning narrative history accompanied by rigorous scholarship makes this book an absolute delight. The only "boring" part of the entire book is the last chapter, which is simply the Magna Carta itself cited in full and an English translation, but even this was mitigated by Jones's excellent narration in the audiobook version. This is a book most perfectly suited for students first introduced to the subject of Magna Carta and its historical and political importance, and - as I was one of those students only a few years ago - one that I deeply regret not having read earlier.
June 13, 2015
June 2015 sees the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta at Runnymede and in this book Dan Jones presents a useful guide to bring the general reader up to speed. Dan Jones is of course, the author of the bestselling non fiction work THE PLANTAGENETS which sets out the dynasty's rise to power and eventual ruin over several centuries of medieval British history. The work is also the basis for the recent TV series, written and presented by the author.
The following blurb is from the inside jacket of MAGNA CARTA and an excellent summary of what the book is about:
'"On a summer's day in 1215, a beleaguered English monarch met a group of disgruntled barons in a meadow by the River Thames named Runnymede. Beset by foreign crisis and domestic rebellion, King John was fast running out of options. On 15 June he reluctantly agreed to fix his regal seal to a document that would change the world.
A milestone in the development of constitutional politics and the rule of the law, the 'Great Charter' established an Englishman's right to Habeas Corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time a group of subjects had forced an English king to agree to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights."
This book is a joy to read, not just for a medieval-obsessive like myself, but for anyone with a general interest in history. It's one of those reference works that should be on every non fiction bookshelf.
The writing style is clean and accessible, edged with dry humour and has broad appeal. Dan Jones educates his readers without patronising, and he never dumbs down the content. The history is straight, clear, and unfudged. Oh what a joy and a relief this is to come across. I have studied the Angevin period for more than forty years. I'm not university trained, but I am very well read in non fiction works of this era (12th and 13th centuries). Often the academic studies are dry and soporific. The eyes glaze over, the same 5 pages take an hour to read and the information doesn't stick, but unabsorbed, just passes through. Unfortunately the popular books with a less dense writing style are frequently unreliable and have to be double-checked and taken with large pinches of salt. Dan Jones, however, walks a perfect line between the popular and the academic. He puts over the need to know material with depth and complexity while telling it in a vibrant way that hold the reader's attention. That's a very rare talent indeed.
The book itself is a tactile thing of beauty. It's ornate, with gold embossing on the cover to give that added luxurious feel of holding the real thing in your hand. The paper is of thick, fine quality,perhaps gently hinting at parchment. The rich ornamentation and fabulous illustrations are put together in an uncluttered way that means the book is simple and practical to use. It is divided into ten easily digestible chapters beginning with an introduction that sets the scene and discusses the fame of Magna Carta and then continues to the historical background including an assessment of the reign of King John, not forgetting the input of his predecessors. He might have brought about Magna Carta by his policies and the way he dealt with his barons, but he wasn't acting in a vacuum and Dan Jones takes us through the wherefore and the why.
There is a section on what happened between 1215 and now, and a couple of wonderful quotes from David Cameron and Winston Churchill which made me laugh - albeit wryly. Dan Jones has a wicked sense of humour and appreciates the ironies.
Having guided us through the history, the book follows with several appendices including the full text of the Magna Carta in the original Latin with an English translation alongside so the reader can see the exact wording for themselves. There are interesting short biographies of the barons involved in witnessing and enforcing the charter, and a timeline of the charter from its origins to where it sits now.
By the end of the book the reader has been given an in depth history lesson but in such a way that there's not a single moment of eye-glaze or stodge. Hooray! There are copious illustrations and page breaks that will suit those with shorter attention spans but at the same time, those who prefer a meaty read will not be let down. There's a lot of learning crammed into these 190 pages.
Any caveats? I suspect that there may be a few raised eyebrows among those in the know about the comment accompanying the illustration of King John's tomb in Worcester cathedral. The caption says it's made from 'carved wood' when it fact it's Purbeck marble. It seems a pity for that one to have slipped through the editorial net when King John is one of the major players. However, that really is a nit-pick when compared with the rest of the book's excellent content.
Highly recommended.
The following blurb is from the inside jacket of MAGNA CARTA and an excellent summary of what the book is about:
'"On a summer's day in 1215, a beleaguered English monarch met a group of disgruntled barons in a meadow by the River Thames named Runnymede. Beset by foreign crisis and domestic rebellion, King John was fast running out of options. On 15 June he reluctantly agreed to fix his regal seal to a document that would change the world.
A milestone in the development of constitutional politics and the rule of the law, the 'Great Charter' established an Englishman's right to Habeas Corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time a group of subjects had forced an English king to agree to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights."
This book is a joy to read, not just for a medieval-obsessive like myself, but for anyone with a general interest in history. It's one of those reference works that should be on every non fiction bookshelf.
The writing style is clean and accessible, edged with dry humour and has broad appeal. Dan Jones educates his readers without patronising, and he never dumbs down the content. The history is straight, clear, and unfudged. Oh what a joy and a relief this is to come across. I have studied the Angevin period for more than forty years. I'm not university trained, but I am very well read in non fiction works of this era (12th and 13th centuries). Often the academic studies are dry and soporific. The eyes glaze over, the same 5 pages take an hour to read and the information doesn't stick, but unabsorbed, just passes through. Unfortunately the popular books with a less dense writing style are frequently unreliable and have to be double-checked and taken with large pinches of salt. Dan Jones, however, walks a perfect line between the popular and the academic. He puts over the need to know material with depth and complexity while telling it in a vibrant way that hold the reader's attention. That's a very rare talent indeed.
The book itself is a tactile thing of beauty. It's ornate, with gold embossing on the cover to give that added luxurious feel of holding the real thing in your hand. The paper is of thick, fine quality,perhaps gently hinting at parchment. The rich ornamentation and fabulous illustrations are put together in an uncluttered way that means the book is simple and practical to use. It is divided into ten easily digestible chapters beginning with an introduction that sets the scene and discusses the fame of Magna Carta and then continues to the historical background including an assessment of the reign of King John, not forgetting the input of his predecessors. He might have brought about Magna Carta by his policies and the way he dealt with his barons, but he wasn't acting in a vacuum and Dan Jones takes us through the wherefore and the why.
There is a section on what happened between 1215 and now, and a couple of wonderful quotes from David Cameron and Winston Churchill which made me laugh - albeit wryly. Dan Jones has a wicked sense of humour and appreciates the ironies.
Having guided us through the history, the book follows with several appendices including the full text of the Magna Carta in the original Latin with an English translation alongside so the reader can see the exact wording for themselves. There are interesting short biographies of the barons involved in witnessing and enforcing the charter, and a timeline of the charter from its origins to where it sits now.
By the end of the book the reader has been given an in depth history lesson but in such a way that there's not a single moment of eye-glaze or stodge. Hooray! There are copious illustrations and page breaks that will suit those with shorter attention spans but at the same time, those who prefer a meaty read will not be let down. There's a lot of learning crammed into these 190 pages.
Any caveats? I suspect that there may be a few raised eyebrows among those in the know about the comment accompanying the illustration of King John's tomb in Worcester cathedral. The caption says it's made from 'carved wood' when it fact it's Purbeck marble. It seems a pity for that one to have slipped through the editorial net when King John is one of the major players. However, that really is a nit-pick when compared with the rest of the book's excellent content.
Highly recommended.
December 15, 2015
If I were to teach a course on the Magna Carta, this would be my text. It is pithy making it ideal for busy students to get both information and perspective. It is written so that students would actually like the material.
When finished, students would have the background for some engaging class discussions: Why did the Pope support King John? What would have happened had he not? How could Louis have been successful in his invasion? If you were Archbishop Steven Langdon how would you handle the negotiations? Students would also have the background for assignments such as research on the “enforcers”, how John lost the continental lands, William Marshall's service to the Plantagenets or castles and their defenses.
While other histories and biographies include the Magna Carta reading about it as its own gives a fuller picture. I came away with a better understanding of the roles of Pope Innocent III and the City of London.
The Appendix includes the actual document, biographical descriptions of the 25 barons who were appointed to enforce the Magna Carta’s provisions and a chronology of the document’s history. There are b&w plates, the most interesting showing the Exchequer sticks with notches showing the status of a loan, a photograph of one of the actual documents and the monument placed at Runnymede by the American Bar Association.
When finished, students would have the background for some engaging class discussions: Why did the Pope support King John? What would have happened had he not? How could Louis have been successful in his invasion? If you were Archbishop Steven Langdon how would you handle the negotiations? Students would also have the background for assignments such as research on the “enforcers”, how John lost the continental lands, William Marshall's service to the Plantagenets or castles and their defenses.
While other histories and biographies include the Magna Carta reading about it as its own gives a fuller picture. I came away with a better understanding of the roles of Pope Innocent III and the City of London.
The Appendix includes the actual document, biographical descriptions of the 25 barons who were appointed to enforce the Magna Carta’s provisions and a chronology of the document’s history. There are b&w plates, the most interesting showing the Exchequer sticks with notches showing the status of a loan, a photograph of one of the actual documents and the monument placed at Runnymede by the American Bar Association.
June 16, 2023
The Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, was originally issued in 1215 in England and has established principles that have influenced legal systems and the concept of government in many countries around the world to this day. In this (short) book, Dan Jones takes us back to the events leading up to the creation of this document and the influence and misconceptions that endure to this day.
Jones delves into the immediate political and social context that led to the creation of the Magna Carta and the motivations of the barons. It also highlights King John's motivations and the concessions he made. As he makes clear, the original intent of the Magna Carta lay in terms of restoring peace and addressing grievances by the barons, and never was intended as a political statement intended for future generations. However, in later history he traces down how this document became a symbol of liberty and the fight for rights and its impact on important historical documents, such as the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Beautifully illustrated, this book illuminates the intricate complexities and profound influence of the Magna Carta, far surpassing my initial expectations. It revealed the layers of significance that this historic document holds, leaving me with a deepened understanding on how this document gained the image we have of it today.
Jones delves into the immediate political and social context that led to the creation of the Magna Carta and the motivations of the barons. It also highlights King John's motivations and the concessions he made. As he makes clear, the original intent of the Magna Carta lay in terms of restoring peace and addressing grievances by the barons, and never was intended as a political statement intended for future generations. However, in later history he traces down how this document became a symbol of liberty and the fight for rights and its impact on important historical documents, such as the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Beautifully illustrated, this book illuminates the intricate complexities and profound influence of the Magna Carta, far surpassing my initial expectations. It revealed the layers of significance that this historic document holds, leaving me with a deepened understanding on how this document gained the image we have of it today.
August 5, 2020
King John was a great scoundrel, you could even say he was the Trump of his time, and if he hadn't been so villainous, there would be no Magna Carta. And, as every American knows, the Magna Carta is the foundation of our liberties and our democratic form of government. Dan Jones, in his rather short and to- the- point book, tells us the compelling story, keeping to the main points and not getting bogged down in details.
Jones starts with the background--the Plantagenet kings Henry II (1154-1189) and his son Richard I ( "Lionheart") (1189-1199). Both were absolute rulers and, at Richard's death, his little brother John came to the throne intending to rule as his father and big brother had done. Unfortunately for John, he was unlikeable to say the least. He was extremely greedy and squeezed the kingdom for all the taxes he could get. And then squandered his wealth in losing wars in France. Finally, a group of barons banded together to oppose the king--before they were all ruined!
This brings us to the meadow of Runnymede on June 15, 1215 ( it should be a national holiday!). There the barons forced John to sign (or rather have seals affixed to) their document protecting their rights. There was no concept of empowering the serfs or peasants in the Magna Carta and certainly no notion of "democracy." But, as the barons' document put limitations on the king and extended the idea that not even the king was above the laws, the Magna Carta provided the foundation for the further expansion of rights and liberties.
Of course, Runnymede was not the end of the story. After a few months, John fought back to crush the barons and war resumed. With John's rather sudden death in 1216, his young son was crowned Henry III. Some of the barons rallied around the boy king and secured his throne. Although Henry turned out to be a rather poor excuse for a king, he did confirm the Magna Carta, with revisions. Over time ( think of Henry VIII!), the Magna Carta would be almost completely forgotten. With the rise of Parliament in the 17th Century, it was revived. And, in the 18th Century, American revolutionaries would see the Magna Carta as the very basis of their struggle for independence.
All thanks to Bad King John.
Jones starts with the background--the Plantagenet kings Henry II (1154-1189) and his son Richard I ( "Lionheart") (1189-1199). Both were absolute rulers and, at Richard's death, his little brother John came to the throne intending to rule as his father and big brother had done. Unfortunately for John, he was unlikeable to say the least. He was extremely greedy and squeezed the kingdom for all the taxes he could get. And then squandered his wealth in losing wars in France. Finally, a group of barons banded together to oppose the king--before they were all ruined!
This brings us to the meadow of Runnymede on June 15, 1215 ( it should be a national holiday!). There the barons forced John to sign (or rather have seals affixed to) their document protecting their rights. There was no concept of empowering the serfs or peasants in the Magna Carta and certainly no notion of "democracy." But, as the barons' document put limitations on the king and extended the idea that not even the king was above the laws, the Magna Carta provided the foundation for the further expansion of rights and liberties.
Of course, Runnymede was not the end of the story. After a few months, John fought back to crush the barons and war resumed. With John's rather sudden death in 1216, his young son was crowned Henry III. Some of the barons rallied around the boy king and secured his throne. Although Henry turned out to be a rather poor excuse for a king, he did confirm the Magna Carta, with revisions. Over time ( think of Henry VIII!), the Magna Carta would be almost completely forgotten. With the rise of Parliament in the 17th Century, it was revived. And, in the 18th Century, American revolutionaries would see the Magna Carta as the very basis of their struggle for independence.
All thanks to Bad King John.
October 23, 2015
An independent local book store chain my wife and I support frequently hosts book signings. In addition to reading books I collect signed FE/FPs and occasionally get them at this store. A couple of weeks ago I received a notification that the author of "Magna Carta" would be speaking about and signing his book the following Friday evening. Friday night is our traditional date night for my wife and I and this book store happens to be across the street from one of our favorite restaurants. Dinner and a book signing, sounded like fate to us so our plans were set. I can't say I had any particular interest in the Magna Carta other than it is part of English history and I love reading about English history. I also had never heard of this author but we went and went without any expectations. The author is a delightful young English scholar. His talk was very conversational, humorous, and informative. I am now able to report that his speaking style is apparent in his writing style as well. Let's be honest, would anybody expect a book about the Magna Carta to be anything but mind numbingly boring? Well this book is not boring. The author writes about MC's place in English history, what events lead up to its creation , and what happened after it was issued. The author, thank God, also has a real understanding of the murder, mayhem, sex and sacrilege that liberally colors English history (a big reason I love their history) and he does not refrain from depicting these types of actions when explaining why MC' was needed. The author also exposes the myths surrounding MC especially as a foundation stone of Western democracy which it most certainly is not. This is a very well written narrow slice of English history about a document we have all heard of but know very little about. This book will correct that deficiency if you read it.
December 17, 2018
In the Disney version of Robin Hood, there’s a ditty that goes like this: “Too late to be known as John the first, he’s sure to be known as John the worst.” Well, the animals had it wrong (I guess wolves and snakes aren’t too sharp when it comes to English history.) John was the first king of England by that name—and he was so bad at the job, that he was also the last.
He did things like stealing a baron’s fiancée, collecting extreme taxes (and then losing the war those taxes paid for), starving his prisoners to death (one of those prisoners was his nephew, who happened to have a claim to the throne), and angering the Pope enough that all of England was placed under Interdict, giving his subjects serious stress about the state of their souls. If that wasn’t bad enough, he also managed to lose most of the French portion of the Angevin Empire—not once, but twice. The first time, he practically gave it away to the French king with the hope that the French king would shield him from the wrath of his brother, King Richard the Lionheart, on his way home from a crusade (via a sticky—and rather expensive—ransom situation). Then he lost it again, after Richard died in the process of reconquering it. Is it any wonder no one wants to be King John II?
Eventually, most of John’s barons rebelled against him. And during the civil war, John and the barons hashed out Magna Carta. He signed it, hoping to appease them. Or maybe just to gain time so he could attack them again. Magna Carta wasn’t that big of a deal at the time, and it was quickly broken. Except, it was kind of a big deal, in terms of the ideas it started about the rights of the governed and the idea that even rulers are subject to law.
Most of Jones’s book deals with the reign of King John leading up to Magna Carta, then the author follows Magna Carta’s influence in the eight hundred years since it was written. Ideas like “no taxation without representation” can trace their influence back to English barons fed up with King John. Nowadays, Magna Carta is often invoked in instances that aren’t a good fit (it didn’t promote democracy), but it’s still a powerful document with lasting ideas about justice, rule of law, and limited power of government.
I listened to the audiobook, read by the author. (I think it’s really cool when authors read their own books. At least when other authors do it—I don’t think anyone would want to listen to my voice for 10+ hours.) Good book, good narration. Recommended if you have an interest in English history or if you just want more than the Disney version of King John.
4.5 stars, rounding up.
He did things like stealing a baron’s fiancée, collecting extreme taxes (and then losing the war those taxes paid for), starving his prisoners to death (one of those prisoners was his nephew, who happened to have a claim to the throne), and angering the Pope enough that all of England was placed under Interdict, giving his subjects serious stress about the state of their souls. If that wasn’t bad enough, he also managed to lose most of the French portion of the Angevin Empire—not once, but twice. The first time, he practically gave it away to the French king with the hope that the French king would shield him from the wrath of his brother, King Richard the Lionheart, on his way home from a crusade (via a sticky—and rather expensive—ransom situation). Then he lost it again, after Richard died in the process of reconquering it. Is it any wonder no one wants to be King John II?
Eventually, most of John’s barons rebelled against him. And during the civil war, John and the barons hashed out Magna Carta. He signed it, hoping to appease them. Or maybe just to gain time so he could attack them again. Magna Carta wasn’t that big of a deal at the time, and it was quickly broken. Except, it was kind of a big deal, in terms of the ideas it started about the rights of the governed and the idea that even rulers are subject to law.
Most of Jones’s book deals with the reign of King John leading up to Magna Carta, then the author follows Magna Carta’s influence in the eight hundred years since it was written. Ideas like “no taxation without representation” can trace their influence back to English barons fed up with King John. Nowadays, Magna Carta is often invoked in instances that aren’t a good fit (it didn’t promote democracy), but it’s still a powerful document with lasting ideas about justice, rule of law, and limited power of government.
I listened to the audiobook, read by the author. (I think it’s really cool when authors read their own books. At least when other authors do it—I don’t think anyone would want to listen to my voice for 10+ hours.) Good book, good narration. Recommended if you have an interest in English history or if you just want more than the Disney version of King John.
4.5 stars, rounding up.
July 6, 2016
This eminently readable "biography" of the Magna Carta is divided into three sections: how England evolved through the reigns of Henry II, Richard I, and John to the point where King John would negotiate this charter with his barons and earls, what is actually contained within it and how successfully it was implemented at that time, and how it influenced constitutions and government contracts with its citizens in its afterlife.
Ultimately, the answer is that before Magna Carta, kings had no obligation to respect any of the rights of their citizens, but this was the first document that subjects could point to as an actual obligation by monarchs to respect their rights or at least to bargain with citizens in order to receive the tax revenue they wanted to raise for their properties and wars.
The most fascinating bits are the behaviors of the three aforementioned monarchs and how castle sieges were conducted. However, I would highly recommend this book - 200 pages of highly engaging and readable text - for anybody who wants the nuts and bolts of how, what, and why Magna Carta came into being and why it matters.
Ultimately, the answer is that before Magna Carta, kings had no obligation to respect any of the rights of their citizens, but this was the first document that subjects could point to as an actual obligation by monarchs to respect their rights or at least to bargain with citizens in order to receive the tax revenue they wanted to raise for their properties and wars.
The most fascinating bits are the behaviors of the three aforementioned monarchs and how castle sieges were conducted. However, I would highly recommend this book - 200 pages of highly engaging and readable text - for anybody who wants the nuts and bolts of how, what, and why Magna Carta came into being and why it matters.
August 21, 2015
This little book is a wonderful summation of the history surrounding Western Civilization's founding document: The Magna Carta. Jones prints the Latin and English translation of the entire text of the original Magna Carta, from 1215. It is fascinating to read the document that has meant so much to so many people and nations. It is not as boring or dry as I thought it would be, even the clauses that have become irrelevant to our modern lifestyle. This is because Jones does such a thorough job explaining its 13th century context. The illustrations are copies of real medieval documents and are a beautiful addition to the text.
Dan Jones succinctly and clearly describes the excesses and abuses of the Plantagenet kings, and how by the time of John the Barons had had enough. Jones doesn't exactly defend John, but he does say that John exacerbated already existing problem, rather than solely creating reason for rebellion among his nobles.
Jones then moves on to the document itself. How it came to be, what it meant at the time, and what it means 800 years later. It is really an ironic document. It was ground breaking when it was delivered, but not for the reasons the modern world has made it. It is ultimately a list of grievances and how they can be corrected by bringing John and his cronies to count. Jones stresses that the Magna Carta, while it did preserve the rights of freemen and Barons, is not the call to democracy that later English lawyers and government people projected onto it. And the settlers in what became the U.S.A. took Magna Carta to a whole other level by including so many of its principles directly into State and then Federal Constitutions.
Another irony of the survival and perpetual influence that Magna Carta has is that the Pope annulled it a month after it was declared. This is a document and all of its requirements that should have vanished from history. But the English were stubborn, they were clinging to their idea of what was fair and legal, and that absolute power is tyranny, so they kept resurrecting it. It was reconfirmed, and added to, many times during the 13th century. As the centuries went by it fell by the wayside until the 17th century trials against the Stuarts. By then it had taken a mythological life of its own.
Although the document is quite obsolete in its details, the principles it stands for will never fade from existence. Jones reminds the reader that the humanitarian freedoms that Magna Carta calls for are (if too slowly) being diseminated to all corners of the earth.
Dan Jones succinctly and clearly describes the excesses and abuses of the Plantagenet kings, and how by the time of John the Barons had had enough. Jones doesn't exactly defend John, but he does say that John exacerbated already existing problem, rather than solely creating reason for rebellion among his nobles.
Jones then moves on to the document itself. How it came to be, what it meant at the time, and what it means 800 years later. It is really an ironic document. It was ground breaking when it was delivered, but not for the reasons the modern world has made it. It is ultimately a list of grievances and how they can be corrected by bringing John and his cronies to count. Jones stresses that the Magna Carta, while it did preserve the rights of freemen and Barons, is not the call to democracy that later English lawyers and government people projected onto it. And the settlers in what became the U.S.A. took Magna Carta to a whole other level by including so many of its principles directly into State and then Federal Constitutions.
Another irony of the survival and perpetual influence that Magna Carta has is that the Pope annulled it a month after it was declared. This is a document and all of its requirements that should have vanished from history. But the English were stubborn, they were clinging to their idea of what was fair and legal, and that absolute power is tyranny, so they kept resurrecting it. It was reconfirmed, and added to, many times during the 13th century. As the centuries went by it fell by the wayside until the 17th century trials against the Stuarts. By then it had taken a mythological life of its own.
Although the document is quite obsolete in its details, the principles it stands for will never fade from existence. Jones reminds the reader that the humanitarian freedoms that Magna Carta calls for are (if too slowly) being diseminated to all corners of the earth.
November 19, 2016
Good, solid, brief, and very readable account of the Magna Carta, clearly explaining the events that led to its creation and its importance in the modern world.
June 13, 2025
*my rating is not of the book but of my understanding!*
This is actually very interesting and well written! The author was able to put a very dry topic (lol) into actually interesting writing! I learned a lot! I feel like I wasn’t fully paying attention while reading, but that was my own problem! Would recommend for beginners wanting to learn more about the history of the Magna Carta!
This is actually very interesting and well written! The author was able to put a very dry topic (lol) into actually interesting writing! I learned a lot! I feel like I wasn’t fully paying attention while reading, but that was my own problem! Would recommend for beginners wanting to learn more about the history of the Magna Carta!
January 29, 2019
While this book may not be the only book about the subject one would want to read, it certainly demonstrates that historian Dan Jones has been able to profitably expand upon his interest in the Plantagenet dynasty. In many ways, the author's previous work relating to the political history of the High Middle Ages in England serves as an appropriate context to this book, and the author wisely shares this context with the reader who may not be familiar with the Plantagenet origin of the problems that led to the civil war in England that produced the famous document. Also wisely, the author notes that the Magna Carta quickly became a symbol beyond its original importance, as it was originally an unsuccessful peace treaty that sought to reconcile King John with his barons and later became a standard by which the powerful elements within England (and elsewhere) ensured that government was responsible to the people, or at least the people who mattered in a political sense. If the document is now seen as democratic and egalitarian in nature, that is because of where we are and not because of what it was intended to do in the first place, something the author is right to point out.
As a book, this history is short and enjoyable to read, coming in at less than 250 pages even if one includes the appendices, which I think important to read to appreciate the history of the time. The book is divided into four larger parts and further chapters. After an introduction, the book begins with the origins of the problems within England that led to the Magna Carta (I), including a chapter on the rise of the Plantagenet dynasty (1), the contrast between Richard and John with regards to their success against French efforts (2), the years of interdict and John's intimidation of nobles in England (3), and the crisis and catastrophe of the Bouvines campaign (4). After this the author looks at the opposition between the barons and John (II) in a troubled meeting at the Temple Bar (5), John's taking of the cross as a way to buy time (6), the confrontation between the two forces (7), and the position of London as supporting the opposition (8). Then the author examines the role of the Magna Carta in the rule of law (IV), with a look at the events of Runnymede (9), the document itself (10), England as being under siege by the French army (11), and the endgame of John's life (12). The book then closes with two chapters that look at the afterlife of the document (V) (13, 14) as well as a few appendices that contain the 1215 text, its enforcers, and its use and portrayal in the 800 years or so after it was agreed to.
What is it that allowed the Magna Carta to be a symbol of liberty? For one, it demonstrated that in England at least, the monarch was not powerful enough to completely dominate the political space and had to at least seek the approval of the important people of the nation for military efforts and taxation. The limits on the royal prerogative, maintained and expanded through the centuries, eventually provided the space to allow for the advancement of other social classes from unfree to free status. The principles of no taxation without representation and the importance of placing limits on the authority of government then traveled with the English overseas and led to limitations on the imperial domination of settler colonies inhabited by free folk who were jealous of their freedom and their rights. All of this is worth remembering, even as the author makes it clear that the Magna Carta itself was not an egalitarian document and in some cases at least--with regards to Jews and women--rolled back the rights and protections in such cases in order to safeguard the interests of the restive and rebellious barons. Yet, paradoxically, it was in ensuring the rights of those elite barons that ended up providing a model by which rights could, eventually, be expanded far beyond the narrow range of the population that was originally spoken of in the document, and that is worth celebrating.
As a book, this history is short and enjoyable to read, coming in at less than 250 pages even if one includes the appendices, which I think important to read to appreciate the history of the time. The book is divided into four larger parts and further chapters. After an introduction, the book begins with the origins of the problems within England that led to the Magna Carta (I), including a chapter on the rise of the Plantagenet dynasty (1), the contrast between Richard and John with regards to their success against French efforts (2), the years of interdict and John's intimidation of nobles in England (3), and the crisis and catastrophe of the Bouvines campaign (4). After this the author looks at the opposition between the barons and John (II) in a troubled meeting at the Temple Bar (5), John's taking of the cross as a way to buy time (6), the confrontation between the two forces (7), and the position of London as supporting the opposition (8). Then the author examines the role of the Magna Carta in the rule of law (IV), with a look at the events of Runnymede (9), the document itself (10), England as being under siege by the French army (11), and the endgame of John's life (12). The book then closes with two chapters that look at the afterlife of the document (V) (13, 14) as well as a few appendices that contain the 1215 text, its enforcers, and its use and portrayal in the 800 years or so after it was agreed to.
What is it that allowed the Magna Carta to be a symbol of liberty? For one, it demonstrated that in England at least, the monarch was not powerful enough to completely dominate the political space and had to at least seek the approval of the important people of the nation for military efforts and taxation. The limits on the royal prerogative, maintained and expanded through the centuries, eventually provided the space to allow for the advancement of other social classes from unfree to free status. The principles of no taxation without representation and the importance of placing limits on the authority of government then traveled with the English overseas and led to limitations on the imperial domination of settler colonies inhabited by free folk who were jealous of their freedom and their rights. All of this is worth remembering, even as the author makes it clear that the Magna Carta itself was not an egalitarian document and in some cases at least--with regards to Jews and women--rolled back the rights and protections in such cases in order to safeguard the interests of the restive and rebellious barons. Yet, paradoxically, it was in ensuring the rights of those elite barons that ended up providing a model by which rights could, eventually, be expanded far beyond the narrow range of the population that was originally spoken of in the document, and that is worth celebrating.
September 12, 2015
If you want to know the history of The Manga Carta, then this is the book for you. It is written in clear conscience language that is easy to understand.
A version of the document is printed in the back of the book in one of the appendices. There is also a helpful time line and a list of some of the major players.
I picked up this book because I have always had an intrest in the Plantagent family. Also, if anyone is big into the story of "Robin Hood", it serves as a good backdrop to the disgruntlement of the people of Loxley and other forrest dwellers.
A version of the document is printed in the back of the book in one of the appendices. There is also a helpful time line and a list of some of the major players.
I picked up this book because I have always had an intrest in the Plantagent family. Also, if anyone is big into the story of "Robin Hood", it serves as a good backdrop to the disgruntlement of the people of Loxley and other forrest dwellers.
October 26, 2015
Good introductory text, or a quick brush up for someone more knowledgeable on the subject.
April 24, 2025
Dan Jones is both good at telling history and writing a story. Much to learn here about the real history of the Magna Carta.
March 26, 2024
This is my second book by Dan Jones, and it was a risky one to pick up. I found the author's writing of Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands (another book that could have been dry) enjoyable, and decided to take the leap.
The Magna Carta, over the centuries, has become the symbol of American democracy. In fact, our forefathers used it as an outline for the American Constitution. I knew some of the story behind the document because of my love for British History. However, Jones delves deeper not into just the document but the people involved in writing it and the British populace who it was meant to help.
The story revolves around the Plantagenet rule, the year 1215 and King John (for those of you who have no history to fall back on, this is the King John from the tales of Robin Hood). To say that John was a greedy, uncaring King, is putting it lightly. John uses his power, not to aid his subjects, but to punish them. His Barons became vexed (again, to say the least) and were bound to pull John down. They revolted against him, and forced him to settlement, by way of the document. One of it's main purposes was to reign (pun intended) him in and assure that he was not above the law.
Jones is fast becoming a favorite NF writer, for me. His books read more like fiction and he has the talent to keep you interested. For me, this is a sign of a great writer and researcher. Most people dislike reading history, expecting it to be dull and dry detail. You need not fear that with this author.
The Magna Carta, over the centuries, has become the symbol of American democracy. In fact, our forefathers used it as an outline for the American Constitution. I knew some of the story behind the document because of my love for British History. However, Jones delves deeper not into just the document but the people involved in writing it and the British populace who it was meant to help.
The story revolves around the Plantagenet rule, the year 1215 and King John (for those of you who have no history to fall back on, this is the King John from the tales of Robin Hood). To say that John was a greedy, uncaring King, is putting it lightly. John uses his power, not to aid his subjects, but to punish them. His Barons became vexed (again, to say the least) and were bound to pull John down. They revolted against him, and forced him to settlement, by way of the document. One of it's main purposes was to reign (pun intended) him in and assure that he was not above the law.
Jones is fast becoming a favorite NF writer, for me. His books read more like fiction and he has the talent to keep you interested. For me, this is a sign of a great writer and researcher. Most people dislike reading history, expecting it to be dull and dry detail. You need not fear that with this author.
December 5, 2017
Concise, informative, and entertainingly told. On a recent visit to the U.S. National Archives, I lingered over the 1297 Magna Carta that was on display.
1297 Magna Carta at the U.S. National Archives
I felt somewhat sheepish for knowing so little about a document that has loomed so large in the collective American imagination. America’s earliest colonies established charters, modeled on the Magna Carta, to maintain their rights as British subjects in the New World. The Magna Carta was featured prominently on the seal of the Massachusetts Bay colony as residents of Boston kicked off the American Revolution. And it served as the inspiration for the U.S. Constitution some five centuries after it was first drawn up by rebellious barons at Runnymede in 1215.
Massachusetts Seal (circa 1775)
In this book, Dan Jones lays out the intriguing history behind the Magna Carta, shattering many popular misconceptions along the way. I was surprised to learn that the lofty ideals we associate with it (liberty, justice, and the rights of citizens) are not clearly articulated in the way we imagine. The few idealistic statements it includes are often vague and buried in between long passages focused on matters of arcane thirteenth-century legal principles (inheritance and scutage taxes for barons, regulation of fishing, standardizing weights and measures, etc). The document was not drawn up to defend the rights of citizens in perpetuity but to pin down a king who had been greatly vexing a small number of his wealthy barons. The story behind the charter’s creation and how it came to be viewed as the foundation of the Western traditions of liberty, democracy, and the rule of law is fascinating and Dan Jones tells the story remarkably well.
What follows are my notes on the book.
Richard II (the Lionheart) hardly ever set foot in England. He inflicted serious financial burden on his subjects to fund his crusades and other military campaigns. When he died in battle, his brother John took over. In short order, John would lose almost all of his continental lands to France. Consequently, he would be the first Plantagenet monarch to spend significant time in England. His overbearing presence irritated the barons who had grown used to operating with a great deal of autonomy under previous kings. John desperately wanted to reconquer his lost lands in Europe and would drastically increase the financial burden his subjects to raise the needed funds for the campaign. This excessive taxation further alienated his barons (and contributed to his portrayal as the villain in the tales of Robin Hood).
Pope Innocent III would issue an Interdict against England when John refused to seat Stephen Langton as archbishop at Canterbury. The Interdict gave John a pretext to confiscate church lands and money to fund his conquest. All monarchs of that era were calculating and cruel but John seemed to take it to another level in his quest to raise money for conquest. As his barons were on the cusp of open revolt, John placed Langton in Canterbury and reconciled with Innocent III, self-servingly offering to “take up the cross” and lead a crusade to the holy land in order to bring the Pope to his defense. Innocent III’s intervention in the English dispute, instructing the barons to pledge fealty to John, only served to provoke them further.
In the ensuing dispute, the barons had taken control of London, cutting the king off from a key source of revenue. To end the dispute, the two sides met on the marshy field of Runnymede. John agreed to the humiliating demands of the charter and the barons pledged their loyalty to the king. The mechanism for enforcing the charter, however, was the very thing that the document sought to end: baronial revolt. John appealed to Innocent III to have the charter repealed. When the Pope voided the charter, declaring it illegal and unjust, the Barons revolted. The famed Magna Carta of 1215 had failed as a peace treaty. At the start of the civil war, John’s mercenary armies ran roughshod over the country. Then he suffered two setbacks, Innocent III died depriving him of a vital ally and King Louis of France invaded England at the invitation of the rebellious barons. As the conflict devolved into stalemate, King John died of dysentery leaving his 9 year old son Henry III on the throne.
Game over for King John
With John and Innocent out of the picture, Regent William Marshall and Papal Legate Guala Bicchieri, re-issued the Magna Carta on Henry III’s behalf in hopes of drawing the rebellious Baron’s back into the fold. Louis was paid off with 10,000 marks and departed from England. Over the next century, English Kings would periodically re-issue the Magna Carta at times of crisis. As a result, the King’s right to tax became linked with his responsibility to address grievances in the minds of the English. The Magna Carta began to take on deeper meaning as a result. It was translated into English and French and its influence spread. After about a hundred years or so, the Magna Carta faded in significance, only to be resurrected as an example during the reign of particularly autocratic monarchs (most notably under Charles I during the English Civil War). Every time the Magna Carta was held up as a check against royal authority its legend grew. Over time, people began to erroneously attribute ideas like democracy to it (the barons who wrote it would likely have considered democracy anathema). The idea of the document as a check against absolute power of the government over the people particularly resonated in America as their grievances against the King continued to grow.
1297 Magna Carta at the U.S. National ArchivesI felt somewhat sheepish for knowing so little about a document that has loomed so large in the collective American imagination. America’s earliest colonies established charters, modeled on the Magna Carta, to maintain their rights as British subjects in the New World. The Magna Carta was featured prominently on the seal of the Massachusetts Bay colony as residents of Boston kicked off the American Revolution. And it served as the inspiration for the U.S. Constitution some five centuries after it was first drawn up by rebellious barons at Runnymede in 1215.
Massachusetts Seal (circa 1775) In this book, Dan Jones lays out the intriguing history behind the Magna Carta, shattering many popular misconceptions along the way. I was surprised to learn that the lofty ideals we associate with it (liberty, justice, and the rights of citizens) are not clearly articulated in the way we imagine. The few idealistic statements it includes are often vague and buried in between long passages focused on matters of arcane thirteenth-century legal principles (inheritance and scutage taxes for barons, regulation of fishing, standardizing weights and measures, etc). The document was not drawn up to defend the rights of citizens in perpetuity but to pin down a king who had been greatly vexing a small number of his wealthy barons. The story behind the charter’s creation and how it came to be viewed as the foundation of the Western traditions of liberty, democracy, and the rule of law is fascinating and Dan Jones tells the story remarkably well.
What follows are my notes on the book.
Richard II (the Lionheart) hardly ever set foot in England. He inflicted serious financial burden on his subjects to fund his crusades and other military campaigns. When he died in battle, his brother John took over. In short order, John would lose almost all of his continental lands to France. Consequently, he would be the first Plantagenet monarch to spend significant time in England. His overbearing presence irritated the barons who had grown used to operating with a great deal of autonomy under previous kings. John desperately wanted to reconquer his lost lands in Europe and would drastically increase the financial burden his subjects to raise the needed funds for the campaign. This excessive taxation further alienated his barons (and contributed to his portrayal as the villain in the tales of Robin Hood).
Pope Innocent III would issue an Interdict against England when John refused to seat Stephen Langton as archbishop at Canterbury. The Interdict gave John a pretext to confiscate church lands and money to fund his conquest. All monarchs of that era were calculating and cruel but John seemed to take it to another level in his quest to raise money for conquest. As his barons were on the cusp of open revolt, John placed Langton in Canterbury and reconciled with Innocent III, self-servingly offering to “take up the cross” and lead a crusade to the holy land in order to bring the Pope to his defense. Innocent III’s intervention in the English dispute, instructing the barons to pledge fealty to John, only served to provoke them further.
In the ensuing dispute, the barons had taken control of London, cutting the king off from a key source of revenue. To end the dispute, the two sides met on the marshy field of Runnymede. John agreed to the humiliating demands of the charter and the barons pledged their loyalty to the king. The mechanism for enforcing the charter, however, was the very thing that the document sought to end: baronial revolt. John appealed to Innocent III to have the charter repealed. When the Pope voided the charter, declaring it illegal and unjust, the Barons revolted. The famed Magna Carta of 1215 had failed as a peace treaty. At the start of the civil war, John’s mercenary armies ran roughshod over the country. Then he suffered two setbacks, Innocent III died depriving him of a vital ally and King Louis of France invaded England at the invitation of the rebellious barons. As the conflict devolved into stalemate, King John died of dysentery leaving his 9 year old son Henry III on the throne.
Game over for King John With John and Innocent out of the picture, Regent William Marshall and Papal Legate Guala Bicchieri, re-issued the Magna Carta on Henry III’s behalf in hopes of drawing the rebellious Baron’s back into the fold. Louis was paid off with 10,000 marks and departed from England. Over the next century, English Kings would periodically re-issue the Magna Carta at times of crisis. As a result, the King’s right to tax became linked with his responsibility to address grievances in the minds of the English. The Magna Carta began to take on deeper meaning as a result. It was translated into English and French and its influence spread. After about a hundred years or so, the Magna Carta faded in significance, only to be resurrected as an example during the reign of particularly autocratic monarchs (most notably under Charles I during the English Civil War). Every time the Magna Carta was held up as a check against royal authority its legend grew. Over time, people began to erroneously attribute ideas like democracy to it (the barons who wrote it would likely have considered democracy anathema). The idea of the document as a check against absolute power of the government over the people particularly resonated in America as their grievances against the King continued to grow.
November 8, 2015
This really is a nice little book neatly laid out and easy to read (well apart from the 4000 Latin words that Magna Carta is written in but fortunately there is an English translation). You can read this book and say you have read the Magna Carta. I have seen one version in Salisbury Cathedral. Now it's time to take the kids there and tell them I've read it. I am sure they will be greatly impressed (yeah right). Did I understand it? Sort of, some of it anyway. The whole history and build up to the document is well worth some of your time.
15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta (The Great Charter) was signed. Hang on one minute. That needs to be amended. Dan Jones shows paintings of nasty King John signing the Magna Carta. He did not sign it. Anyway on the bank of the Thames at Runnymede it was completed and accepted and is now, 800 years later, one of the most hallowed documents in the world.
Jones starts some 60 years before 1215 to the time of King John's father, Henry II. Henry Plantagenet was crowned King of England on 19-DEC-1154 aged 21. His power stretched from the borders of Scotland to the French Pyrenees. It also included other areas of Europe to the Holy Land. Henry would fall into dispute with the English Church. In 1163 he tried to browbeat his friend Thomas Becket, whom he had appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, into agreeing that churchmen who had committed crimes to be placed on trial and punished rather than the church doing this. Becket would not have this as it was seen as an invasion of secular law into ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Famously Becket was murdered before the altar of Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
Henry II who died in 1189 also had an enemy in Louis VII, King of France. This was a time before Parliament and statutes. Laws were made by Kings and counsellors and Henry needed money. After Henry's death the next in-line was Richard I, commonly known as Richard The Lionheart. He was crowned on 03-SEP-1189. He would become one of the most celebrated kings in British history. Like Henry he needed money. He was a crusader and the third crusade was called in response to the fall of Acre (now northern Israel) and Jerusalem to the Muslim Sultan Saladin. This four year trip meant money was raised through taxes and other means. A three year truce with Saladin was met and Richard on his way home was kidnapped and ransomed. After this little escapade there was five more years of fighting to restore the lands to how they had been under Henry II and by 1199 that job was done. 26-MAR-1199 Richard was hit in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt. Wound went gangrenous and he died on 11-APR-1199. His mummified heart can be found at the Rouen cathedral in Normandy.
With no children his brother John was the heir and became England's third Plantagenet ruler. The people loathed him (boo, hiss). Like Henry and Richard, John was off on the continent fighting to protect his lands. He doesn't seem to be very good at it as after five years he has lost virtually the whole of the continental empire and he bled the people of the realm for money to do it. He actually became the richest English king in history. People and the church were paying for everything. Own some land, then pay some money, inheriting something, pay a lot of money (bit like now really). People were getting understandably angry. None more so than the land-owning barons who actually plotted to do away with him.
Something had to be done as it was all getting out of control so at the end of May 1215 both John and the Barons accepted that peace had to be made thus it was finally agreed and on 15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta came into being. Four parchments still exist today, two in the British Library, one in Salisbury Cathedral and one belonging to Lincoln Cathedral that is kept in Lincoln castle.
Clauses 39 and 40 (see end of review) are cited as the foundation stones of western democracy and the author states that clause 61 is equally important as that was the security clause. This is supposed to hold the King to his word. No surprise really but Magna Carta was initially a failure. It failed to keep the peace and to bind the King to the letter of the law and England was soon in civil war. John asks Pope Innocent II to annul Magna Carta which he does but then John dies on 18-OCT-1216 of dysentery (nice). He wants his nice year old son, Henry to take over. King Henry III was crowned on 28-OCT-1216. Magna Carta was re-issued on 12-NOV-1216 and again in 1217.
Even now the legacy of the Magna Carta can be seen in documents like the 'European Human Rights Act'.
Clause 39
No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.
Clause 40
To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.
15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta (The Great Charter) was signed. Hang on one minute. That needs to be amended. Dan Jones shows paintings of nasty King John signing the Magna Carta. He did not sign it. Anyway on the bank of the Thames at Runnymede it was completed and accepted and is now, 800 years later, one of the most hallowed documents in the world.
Jones starts some 60 years before 1215 to the time of King John's father, Henry II. Henry Plantagenet was crowned King of England on 19-DEC-1154 aged 21. His power stretched from the borders of Scotland to the French Pyrenees. It also included other areas of Europe to the Holy Land. Henry would fall into dispute with the English Church. In 1163 he tried to browbeat his friend Thomas Becket, whom he had appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, into agreeing that churchmen who had committed crimes to be placed on trial and punished rather than the church doing this. Becket would not have this as it was seen as an invasion of secular law into ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Famously Becket was murdered before the altar of Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
Henry II who died in 1189 also had an enemy in Louis VII, King of France. This was a time before Parliament and statutes. Laws were made by Kings and counsellors and Henry needed money. After Henry's death the next in-line was Richard I, commonly known as Richard The Lionheart. He was crowned on 03-SEP-1189. He would become one of the most celebrated kings in British history. Like Henry he needed money. He was a crusader and the third crusade was called in response to the fall of Acre (now northern Israel) and Jerusalem to the Muslim Sultan Saladin. This four year trip meant money was raised through taxes and other means. A three year truce with Saladin was met and Richard on his way home was kidnapped and ransomed. After this little escapade there was five more years of fighting to restore the lands to how they had been under Henry II and by 1199 that job was done. 26-MAR-1199 Richard was hit in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt. Wound went gangrenous and he died on 11-APR-1199. His mummified heart can be found at the Rouen cathedral in Normandy.
With no children his brother John was the heir and became England's third Plantagenet ruler. The people loathed him (boo, hiss). Like Henry and Richard, John was off on the continent fighting to protect his lands. He doesn't seem to be very good at it as after five years he has lost virtually the whole of the continental empire and he bled the people of the realm for money to do it. He actually became the richest English king in history. People and the church were paying for everything. Own some land, then pay some money, inheriting something, pay a lot of money (bit like now really). People were getting understandably angry. None more so than the land-owning barons who actually plotted to do away with him.
Something had to be done as it was all getting out of control so at the end of May 1215 both John and the Barons accepted that peace had to be made thus it was finally agreed and on 15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta came into being. Four parchments still exist today, two in the British Library, one in Salisbury Cathedral and one belonging to Lincoln Cathedral that is kept in Lincoln castle.
Clauses 39 and 40 (see end of review) are cited as the foundation stones of western democracy and the author states that clause 61 is equally important as that was the security clause. This is supposed to hold the King to his word. No surprise really but Magna Carta was initially a failure. It failed to keep the peace and to bind the King to the letter of the law and England was soon in civil war. John asks Pope Innocent II to annul Magna Carta which he does but then John dies on 18-OCT-1216 of dysentery (nice). He wants his nice year old son, Henry to take over. King Henry III was crowned on 28-OCT-1216. Magna Carta was re-issued on 12-NOV-1216 and again in 1217.
Even now the legacy of the Magna Carta can be seen in documents like the 'European Human Rights Act'.
Clause 39
No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.
Clause 40
To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.
August 1, 2015
I received this book as part of the Goodreads Firstreads program. I really, really, hate slagging a book that I got for free, but I must admit that I didn't much like this book. The fun bits, full of blood and guts, were approached in a very dry, "well this is what happened" manner. Then the legalistic bits which I was kind of looking forward to, as a law school graduate, were almost glossed over at the end. "It was reissued a bunch of times, when kings were under pressure." Can't we have some sort of anchors to the crises that caused the reissuing? Some historical context? I know we can't kowtow to pop culture too much, but it would've been nice to know if William Wallace, to pick a rather famous example, was involved in any of the pressure. The only legal thinker mentioned is Thomas Cromwell, and he is only mentioned as trying to get past it somehow. No mention of Oliver Cromwell? What did he think about the document? Even if he never once mentioned it, that in and of itself would be interesting.
One very concrete suggestion I would give the editors -- if the author continually refers to particular clauses in the Magna Carta by the number, it would be very nice if, in the full text in the back, the clauses could be numbered. Or footnotes would've been handy. If this book is a primer on the document, then it should be a lot easier to refer to the document itself.
One very concrete suggestion I would give the editors -- if the author continually refers to particular clauses in the Magna Carta by the number, it would be very nice if, in the full text in the back, the clauses could be numbered. Or footnotes would've been handy. If this book is a primer on the document, then it should be a lot easier to refer to the document itself.
January 4, 2015
2015 sees the 800th anniversary of the 'Great Charter'. Jones takes us through the events that led up to its creation and the impact it's had on western society. This was a fantastic little book, well-written and lavishly illustrated. Worth picking up if you're a history buff like me.
June 28, 2023
Very short but fascinating book. Quite funny to learn that King John was a pretty much useless imbecile, and that the Magna Carta was not very democratic at all in nature. History is full of humorous contradictions.
November 29, 2015
Well-researched, well-written and informative account of the lead-up to and the aftermath of the creation and signing of the document that has changed lives for eternity.
July 20, 2015
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I heart Dan Jones. He is my favorite historian and if he wrote a book about watching paint dry, I would read it because he is the kind of writer who could make it so engaging you would not realize how boring the topic actually is.
Luckily, he writes about people and things that are already very decidedly NOT boring - namely my two favorite families - the Plantagenets and the Tudors - and the eras in which they lived.
Magna Carta is perhaps the most misused document in the history of the world. It had nothing to do with democracy, as Jones makes very clear, and everything to do with the rights of the barons who were opposing King John at an incredibly tumultuous time in the kingdom. Yet in the 800 years since its initial issue, it has threaded its way through a myriad of other documents, most notably the Declaration of Independence in 1776. As Jones recounts, even in 2014 then-Prime Minister David Cameron pledged that all the children in the UK would study the document because "...its principals shine as brightly as ever, and they paved the way for the democracy, the equality, the respect an the laws that make Britain" (pgs 198-199). Yet studying the actual text of the document itself (which you can do without going to DC or England, thanks to the fact that the original 1215 charter is included in its entirety in Appendix A) shows that was not its purpose at all. In fact, many of the clauses did just the opposite and its purpose was to limit the power of the king, as well as certain groups of people such as women and Jews (page 198). Yet this great myth has been perpetuated for years and years that Magna Carta is the basis of democracy, something the authors of it would definitely disagree with, and the idea would have been completely foreign to them.
Th author does a fantastic job taking us back in time to 1215 to see why the document was even written in the first place. Due to John's complete lack of ability to be a good king, the aristocracy took it upon themselves to put John in his place, so to speak. Naturally, John had no intention of adhering to the agreement signed that day at Runnymede. Perhaps this quote from the book best sums up John, better than anything I have read before:
"People loathed John. For all the attempts that have been made by historians to rehabilitate his reputation, any study of England's third Plantagenet ruler must account for the fact that he was a cruel and unpleasant man, a second-rate soldier, and a slippery, faithless, interfering, uninspiring king. It is true that at times John was no less ruthless than his brother Richard, nor any less manipulative than his father, Henry. Kings in this age were not supposed or expected to be nice...But if John's relatives shared some of his worst traits, he shared almost none of their best" (page 28).
I loved this book for many reasons. In addition to its in-depth look at the events leading up to, and after Magna Carta was first signed, I greatly appreciated the nod to Eleanor of Aquitaine. Some historians are quick to downplay her importance or dismiss her altogether, but Jones does not do that. Instead he says, among other things, "On March 31, 1204, John's spirited but ancient mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, died at eighty-two. Her formidable presence had kept some order in the empire's south, but her death prompted the King of Castile to invade Gascony" (page 33).
Another historical figure who is finally getting his due in general is that of William Marshal, who I also find highly fascinating. I am always curious how the early Plantagenet rules can even be discussed without mention of the greatest knight in England's history, but Jones makes sure to note his presence and importance whenever necessary. He served five kings and did his best to ensure order was kept (or restored when John did something stupid) - Henry the Young King (crowned while Henry II lived, but never given any real power, thus leading to his rebellion. He died before his father though, and would never see his way to the throne), Henry II, Richard I, John, and Henry III.
Despite the short length of the book, 200 pages exactly of text discounting the appendixes, it is packed full of information. The pages are peppered with footnotes, with additional notes after Appendix C and before the substantial bibliography. There are two maps: one showing England in John's time and the other detailing the whole of the Plantagenet empire in what is now France, both at its height in 1189 and then after John lost several territories by 1215. Appendix A is Magna Carta 1215, Appendix B lists "The Enforcers of the Magna Carta" and gives a brief one-paragraph summary of each of the 25 baron who were supposed to enforce the charter as it was written, and Appendix C is a timeline of important events in the 900 years since Henry I became King of England ad first granted a charter which listed similar clauses as Magna Carta. It also details some of the critical events leading up to 1215, as well as various events in the aftermath, including reissues of the charter by Henry III and Edward I. Also included are references to the charter in the following centuries up to 2015, the 800th anniversary.
While highly informative, this is still an easily accessible read. Dan Jones is a fantastic writer who conveys the importance of what he is writing without dumbing anything down. Highly recommended.
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I heart Dan Jones. He is my favorite historian and if he wrote a book about watching paint dry, I would read it because he is the kind of writer who could make it so engaging you would not realize how boring the topic actually is.
Luckily, he writes about people and things that are already very decidedly NOT boring - namely my two favorite families - the Plantagenets and the Tudors - and the eras in which they lived.
Magna Carta is perhaps the most misused document in the history of the world. It had nothing to do with democracy, as Jones makes very clear, and everything to do with the rights of the barons who were opposing King John at an incredibly tumultuous time in the kingdom. Yet in the 800 years since its initial issue, it has threaded its way through a myriad of other documents, most notably the Declaration of Independence in 1776. As Jones recounts, even in 2014 then-Prime Minister David Cameron pledged that all the children in the UK would study the document because "...its principals shine as brightly as ever, and they paved the way for the democracy, the equality, the respect an the laws that make Britain" (pgs 198-199). Yet studying the actual text of the document itself (which you can do without going to DC or England, thanks to the fact that the original 1215 charter is included in its entirety in Appendix A) shows that was not its purpose at all. In fact, many of the clauses did just the opposite and its purpose was to limit the power of the king, as well as certain groups of people such as women and Jews (page 198). Yet this great myth has been perpetuated for years and years that Magna Carta is the basis of democracy, something the authors of it would definitely disagree with, and the idea would have been completely foreign to them.
Th author does a fantastic job taking us back in time to 1215 to see why the document was even written in the first place. Due to John's complete lack of ability to be a good king, the aristocracy took it upon themselves to put John in his place, so to speak. Naturally, John had no intention of adhering to the agreement signed that day at Runnymede. Perhaps this quote from the book best sums up John, better than anything I have read before:
"People loathed John. For all the attempts that have been made by historians to rehabilitate his reputation, any study of England's third Plantagenet ruler must account for the fact that he was a cruel and unpleasant man, a second-rate soldier, and a slippery, faithless, interfering, uninspiring king. It is true that at times John was no less ruthless than his brother Richard, nor any less manipulative than his father, Henry. Kings in this age were not supposed or expected to be nice...But if John's relatives shared some of his worst traits, he shared almost none of their best" (page 28).
I loved this book for many reasons. In addition to its in-depth look at the events leading up to, and after Magna Carta was first signed, I greatly appreciated the nod to Eleanor of Aquitaine. Some historians are quick to downplay her importance or dismiss her altogether, but Jones does not do that. Instead he says, among other things, "On March 31, 1204, John's spirited but ancient mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, died at eighty-two. Her formidable presence had kept some order in the empire's south, but her death prompted the King of Castile to invade Gascony" (page 33).
Another historical figure who is finally getting his due in general is that of William Marshal, who I also find highly fascinating. I am always curious how the early Plantagenet rules can even be discussed without mention of the greatest knight in England's history, but Jones makes sure to note his presence and importance whenever necessary. He served five kings and did his best to ensure order was kept (or restored when John did something stupid) - Henry the Young King (crowned while Henry II lived, but never given any real power, thus leading to his rebellion. He died before his father though, and would never see his way to the throne), Henry II, Richard I, John, and Henry III.
Despite the short length of the book, 200 pages exactly of text discounting the appendixes, it is packed full of information. The pages are peppered with footnotes, with additional notes after Appendix C and before the substantial bibliography. There are two maps: one showing England in John's time and the other detailing the whole of the Plantagenet empire in what is now France, both at its height in 1189 and then after John lost several territories by 1215. Appendix A is Magna Carta 1215, Appendix B lists "The Enforcers of the Magna Carta" and gives a brief one-paragraph summary of each of the 25 baron who were supposed to enforce the charter as it was written, and Appendix C is a timeline of important events in the 900 years since Henry I became King of England ad first granted a charter which listed similar clauses as Magna Carta. It also details some of the critical events leading up to 1215, as well as various events in the aftermath, including reissues of the charter by Henry III and Edward I. Also included are references to the charter in the following centuries up to 2015, the 800th anniversary.
While highly informative, this is still an easily accessible read. Dan Jones is a fantastic writer who conveys the importance of what he is writing without dumbing anything down. Highly recommended.
Read
November 10, 2025Once, my friends and I were having a study session. They were discussing coding and trying to figure out C+ and I was reading my silly little history book. Anyway they were being patronizing and I dropped some mad facts about the Magna Carta on them just to prove I was smart as well.
many many years later, they still think I have a weird obsession with the Magna Carta, but really it is as useless to me as it was to the barons.
This was a good read though.
many many years later, they still think I have a weird obsession with the Magna Carta, but really it is as useless to me as it was to the barons.
This was a good read though.
March 4, 2024
A very comprehensive look at the circumstances leading up to King John being forced to sign this document and why it remains such a important document hundreds of years later.
A great read.
A great read.
June 6, 2015
This book is definitely a gem and i would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys or loves medieval history it is definitely worth a read. This was one of my anticipated reads of 2015 as Dan Jones is my favourite historian/medievalist.
This little book puts the Magna Carta into its true and most honest historical perspectives. It discusses the life of King John and every single pressure/issue that he has to deal with, many of them he in fact brought on himself by creating feuds with his barons. One of the beauties of this book is that it tells the reader how the Magna Carta came to be and also how it has been used throughout the centuries since it was issued in June 1215.
As it is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta this year (June 2015) this book is a perfect read for the up and coming celebrations of an extremely valued charter.
Dan Jones has beautiful crafted this book to set the scene of England during the years building up to the issuing of the Magna Carta in 1215 to its continued use in 2015. As well as setting the scene of 12th and 13th centuries England Dan Jones has also used beautiful medieval art work to accompany his master piece.
So if your looking for a book that is a real gem and gets to the heart of 12th and 13th centuries Medieval England's political problems and the issuing of the Magna Carta this book is definitely for you.
This little book puts the Magna Carta into its true and most honest historical perspectives. It discusses the life of King John and every single pressure/issue that he has to deal with, many of them he in fact brought on himself by creating feuds with his barons. One of the beauties of this book is that it tells the reader how the Magna Carta came to be and also how it has been used throughout the centuries since it was issued in June 1215.
As it is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta this year (June 2015) this book is a perfect read for the up and coming celebrations of an extremely valued charter.
Dan Jones has beautiful crafted this book to set the scene of England during the years building up to the issuing of the Magna Carta in 1215 to its continued use in 2015. As well as setting the scene of 12th and 13th centuries England Dan Jones has also used beautiful medieval art work to accompany his master piece.
So if your looking for a book that is a real gem and gets to the heart of 12th and 13th centuries Medieval England's political problems and the issuing of the Magna Carta this book is definitely for you.
December 26, 2015
I thought this was a very well-written and incisive book. The text, at only 200 pages after you remove back matter, leaves out nothing crucial and includes nothing unnecessary. I can't say he completely showed me why it came to have the significance it later did, symbolically speaking--though he sets it up well.
December 8, 2017
Great insight into a pivotal document of human history. History turns to myth, which turns to legend...
December 8, 2025
“John, meanwhile, had more to concern himself with than tournaments and bears.”
A fascinating account of how a feud between King John and the barons produced a document that shaped later government(s). Jones uses examples like John’s defeat at Bouvines and his treatment of the de Braose family to show why the barons demanded clauses such as “one of the most enduring clauses” - Clause 39* (no imprisonment without lawful judgment) and Clause 12 (no new taxes without common counsel).
Jones also highlights provisions like Clause 61, which established a council of 25 barons empowered to enforce the charter. This was an extraordinary early attempt at accountability over the crown. He notes Clause 40 (“To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice”) as a direct rebuke to John’s habit of selling justice for profit. And by unpacking fishery clauses(33), weights-and-measures clauses(35), and even the protections for London’s liberties(13), Jones shows how the barons pushed for uniform rule and economic fairness across the realm.
Jones also shows how Magna Carta (1215) influenced the U.S. Constitution (1787.) American colonists cited the charter when protesting British taxation, and the Founders used its principles in the 5th Amendment (due process) and 6th Amendment (trial by jury). Later generations of jurists also leaned on Clause 38, which barred officials from prosecuting someone “on their own unsupported accusation,” anticipating protections against arbitrary state power.
The Text of the Magna Carta at the end (Appendix A) was a nice touch. It gave the original clauses translated into modern English. This was a sharp and concise narrative of how a peace treaty evolved into the backbone of constitutional government and Western democracy. 📝📝📝📝/📝📝📝📝📝
“The sting of raising taxes to pay for expensive overseas wars is still keenly felt in twenty-first-century America”
*See Chapter 10 for most clauses and Appendix A
-book-club-December-2025-
A fascinating account of how a feud between King John and the barons produced a document that shaped later government(s). Jones uses examples like John’s defeat at Bouvines and his treatment of the de Braose family to show why the barons demanded clauses such as “one of the most enduring clauses” - Clause 39* (no imprisonment without lawful judgment) and Clause 12 (no new taxes without common counsel).
Jones also highlights provisions like Clause 61, which established a council of 25 barons empowered to enforce the charter. This was an extraordinary early attempt at accountability over the crown. He notes Clause 40 (“To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice”) as a direct rebuke to John’s habit of selling justice for profit. And by unpacking fishery clauses(33), weights-and-measures clauses(35), and even the protections for London’s liberties(13), Jones shows how the barons pushed for uniform rule and economic fairness across the realm.
Jones also shows how Magna Carta (1215) influenced the U.S. Constitution (1787.) American colonists cited the charter when protesting British taxation, and the Founders used its principles in the 5th Amendment (due process) and 6th Amendment (trial by jury). Later generations of jurists also leaned on Clause 38, which barred officials from prosecuting someone “on their own unsupported accusation,” anticipating protections against arbitrary state power.
The Text of the Magna Carta at the end (Appendix A) was a nice touch. It gave the original clauses translated into modern English. This was a sharp and concise narrative of how a peace treaty evolved into the backbone of constitutional government and Western democracy. 📝📝📝📝/📝📝📝📝📝
“The sting of raising taxes to pay for expensive overseas wars is still keenly felt in twenty-first-century America”
*See Chapter 10 for most clauses and Appendix A
-book-club-December-2025-
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