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Charter of Liberties
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Charter of Liberties
The Charter of Liberties (Latin: Carta Libertatum), also called the Coronation Charter, or Statutes of the Realm, was a written proclamation by Henry I of England, issued upon his accession to the throne in 1100. It sought to bind the King to certain laws regarding the treatment of nobles, church officials, and individuals. The nineteenth-century historians Frederick Maitland and Frederick Pollock considered it a landmark document in English legal history and a forerunner of Magna Carta. It was issued in Latin, Anglo-Norman and Old English versions, a sign of the increasing status of the English language at the time.
The document addressed abuses of royal power by his predecessor William II (Henry's brother, r. 1087–1100), as perceived by the nobility, specifically the over-taxation of the barons, the abuse of vacant sees, and the practices of simony and pluralism.
The Charter of Liberties was generally ignored by subsequent English kings, until in 1213 Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, reminded the nobles that their liberties had been guaranteed over a century prior in Henry I's Charter of Liberties.
Henry I of England, nicknamed Beauclerc, was the fourth and youngest son of William I (William the Conqueror) by his queen Matilda of Flanders. The name Beauclerc was given because Henry was well educated, being able to read and write Latin, and possessed a knowledge of English law and natural history. He had received 5,000 pounds of silver from his father, but no land holdings. He used this to purchase a district in the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy for 3,000 pounds from his brother Robert of Normandy. Robert had been left the Duchy of Normandy by their father, but needed money. Various political intrigues occurred in France, which led to the imprisonment of Henry for two years by his brother William II, then King of England. In 1096, Robert left Normandy for the First Crusade. Henry swore fealty to William, who took over Normandy in Robert's absence. William was killed in a hunting accident on 2 August 1100. (Henry was present on this hunting trip.) With William dead and Robert absent, Henry claimed the English crown.
Henry was immediately faced with three political problems
Henry made concessions to the Church and reconciled with Anselm. He married Edith, the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland, who was of mixed English and Scottish heritage, and so garnered great favour with the Anglo-Saxons. She changed her name to the Norman "Mathilda." However, the choice displeased the barons and earls. Henry needed to mollify the nobles and secure his throne.
William II had issued a charter in 1093, when he was ill and fearing death. The text of this charter has been lost to history. It is believed to have freed prisoners, forgiven debts, and assured that holy and good laws would be maintained. Whatever promises William made, he quickly broke after he recovered his health.
Henry went further. He negotiated with the leading barons and earls, making various concessions to them. When all sides were agreed, the agreement was issued as the Charter of Liberties.
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Charter of Liberties
The Charter of Liberties (Latin: Carta Libertatum), also called the Coronation Charter, or Statutes of the Realm, was a written proclamation by Henry I of England, issued upon his accession to the throne in 1100. It sought to bind the King to certain laws regarding the treatment of nobles, church officials, and individuals. The nineteenth-century historians Frederick Maitland and Frederick Pollock considered it a landmark document in English legal history and a forerunner of Magna Carta. It was issued in Latin, Anglo-Norman and Old English versions, a sign of the increasing status of the English language at the time.
The document addressed abuses of royal power by his predecessor William II (Henry's brother, r. 1087–1100), as perceived by the nobility, specifically the over-taxation of the barons, the abuse of vacant sees, and the practices of simony and pluralism.
The Charter of Liberties was generally ignored by subsequent English kings, until in 1213 Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, reminded the nobles that their liberties had been guaranteed over a century prior in Henry I's Charter of Liberties.
Henry I of England, nicknamed Beauclerc, was the fourth and youngest son of William I (William the Conqueror) by his queen Matilda of Flanders. The name Beauclerc was given because Henry was well educated, being able to read and write Latin, and possessed a knowledge of English law and natural history. He had received 5,000 pounds of silver from his father, but no land holdings. He used this to purchase a district in the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy for 3,000 pounds from his brother Robert of Normandy. Robert had been left the Duchy of Normandy by their father, but needed money. Various political intrigues occurred in France, which led to the imprisonment of Henry for two years by his brother William II, then King of England. In 1096, Robert left Normandy for the First Crusade. Henry swore fealty to William, who took over Normandy in Robert's absence. William was killed in a hunting accident on 2 August 1100. (Henry was present on this hunting trip.) With William dead and Robert absent, Henry claimed the English crown.
Henry was immediately faced with three political problems
Henry made concessions to the Church and reconciled with Anselm. He married Edith, the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland, who was of mixed English and Scottish heritage, and so garnered great favour with the Anglo-Saxons. She changed her name to the Norman "Mathilda." However, the choice displeased the barons and earls. Henry needed to mollify the nobles and secure his throne.
William II had issued a charter in 1093, when he was ill and fearing death. The text of this charter has been lost to history. It is believed to have freed prisoners, forgiven debts, and assured that holy and good laws would be maintained. Whatever promises William made, he quickly broke after he recovered his health.
Henry went further. He negotiated with the leading barons and earls, making various concessions to them. When all sides were agreed, the agreement was issued as the Charter of Liberties.