Magna Carta and King John

From near-contemporary chroniclers to playwrights and recent screen portrayals, King John is consistently depicted as England’s ‘most evil king’. Yet his reign and his actions led to that most iconic document of freedom, Magna Carta. We explore the origins of Magna Carta in the misrule of King John, and examine its subsequent impact on the British people, at home and abroad. By the end of the course, you will have a clear idea of why Magna Carta mattered in 1215 and why it continues to matter all the way to the present day.