1215 - the penultimate year of the reign of a king with the worst reputation of
any in our history - saw England engulfed by crisis. Weakened by the loss of Nor
mandy, King John faced insurrection by his disgruntled barons. With the assistan
ce of the Archbishop of Canterbury, they drew up a list of their demands.
In
June, in a quiet Thames-side water-meadow, John attached his regal seal - under
oath - to a charter that set limits on regal power. In return, the barons renewe
d their vows of fealty. Groundbreaking though 'Magna Carta' was, it had scant im
mediate impact as England descended into civil war that would still be raging wh
en John died the following year.
