Greg Jenner is the Historical Consultant / ‘Chief Nerd’ to BBC Horrible Histories. In this interview we explore the reputation of King John, Magna Carta’s eight century long political career and the challenges of commemoration and engaging the public with an 800 year old document. Thanks to Surrey History Centre Read more…
Linda Colley, Professor of History at Princeton University, examines Magna Carta’s legacy in this interview with Professor Champion, President of the HA. Please note that unlike the other videos on this page this interview was recorded by the Historical Association.
Professor Ted Vallance, of Roehampton University and author of ‘The Radical History of Britain’, discusses how Magna Carta has been employed for legitimacy and authority by a wide range of groups with often widely divergent readings of the charter. Ted is author of A Radical History of Britain (published by Abacus, Read more…
Professor Justin Champion of Royal Holloway is an expert on the early modern period and the history of ideas. In this article Justin explores the evolving Magna Carta tradition and how the charter has been employed as a political symbol by varied groups down the centuries.
In this interview Dr Graham Smith from Royal Holloway examines the varied uses of Magna Carta in more recent times and explores its relationship with imperialism and national identity.
In this film Professor Nigel Saul from Royal Holloway outlines the story of Magna Carta, the background to the baronial revolt and the events just before, during and after the negotiations at Runnymede.
The surprising career of Magna Carta is explored in our fourth micro-documentary. Claire explores how the charter became a symbol and its subsequent use by reformers and revolutionaries, conservatives and imperialists down the centuries.
In this micro-documentary, Royal Holloway PhD student Claire Kennan explores the immediate background to the events of June 1215, what Magna Carta was and achieved in the short term and what happened after the King and Barons parted company.
In this micro-documentary made by Claire Kennan, a PhD student at Royal Holloway specialising in medieval history, we explore the reputation and image of King John. Was he as bad as we commonly believe? What was expected of a medieval king and how does John compare with his father, Henry Read more…
In this short film Claire Kennan explores the background to the events at Runnymede in 1215. What was England like in this tumultuous year? What was the Angevin Empire? Why was the extension of Royal forests unpopular? Who were the Barons?