Langton and John

Now that King John of England and Pope Innocent III had reconciled, Stephen Langton was allowed to take his place as Archbishop of Canterbury and John had a powerful ally in the pope. As Archbishop he absolved the king of his past wrongdoings. John swore that unjust laws would be repealed.John did not follow through on that promise. When the barons of England rebelled against the absolute power held by the king, Langton supported them. On 25 August 1213, Langton read aloud to a group of churchmen and barons a charter from King Henry I. This charter granted several liberties (even to Jews, who followed William the Conqueror to England after 1066 and were recognized as valuable sources of money). This Charter of Liberties also allowed more Church rights.The Charter had been curtailed by royal decrees since the time of Henry, and the barons and Langton wanted them restored. John's refusal to do so led ultimately to John being forced to sign the Magna Carta in June 1215, upholding the…

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