The Road to Runnymede
Identifier
Title
The Road to Runnymede
Subject
Description
Magna Carta was born of the loss of King John’s French territories and his increasingly desperate – and expensive – attempts to regain them, argues Sean McGlynn.
All that his great men could expect from him was dishonour … He forbade his chief men from marrying or giving their daughters in marriage without the king's knowledge … he abolished old laws and every year issued new ones … He crushed almost everyone with his scutages [military taxes] and a flood of forced services … he undermined the written privileges of all, prepared traps for the liberties of all … he retained or sold inheritances … he prevaricated in determining lawsuits and often sold justice.
All that his great men could expect from him was dishonour … He forbade his chief men from marrying or giving their daughters in marriage without the king's knowledge … he abolished old laws and every year issued new ones … He crushed almost everyone with his scutages [military taxes] and a flood of forced services … he undermined the written privileges of all, prepared traps for the liberties of all … he retained or sold inheritances … he prevaricated in determining lawsuits and often sold justice.
Creator
Source
History Today, Volume 65, Issue 7, July 2015
Date
2015
Rights
All Rights Reserved.
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PDF
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Citation
Sean McGlynn, “The Road to Runnymede,” Uwekind Resource Centre, accessed October 12, 2026, https://library.uwekind.com/items/show/290.