Who was the English king associated with the Magna Carta in 1215?

The story behind the answer

Baronial anger over John’s heavy taxes, military failures in France (notably the loss of Normandy), and arbitrary justice forced him to seal the Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215. The charter compelled the king to accept limits on royal power, promising due process and that no new taxes would be raised without “common counsel.” It was quickly annulled by Pope Innocent III, sparking the First Barons’ War.

Although the original deal collapsed, the charter was reissued in revised forms in 1216, 1217, and 1225, becoming a touchstone for the principle that rulers are bound by law. Over centuries, clauses—especially those on lawful judgment—shaped English legal traditions and inspired later constitutional documents, including those in the United States.