King John of England faced rebellions from barons and pressure from the church due to his losses in war with France and abuse of power. In 1215, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, which placed limitations on the power of the monarch and guaranteed certain legal rights and liberties for barons and free men. The Magna Carta established principles of constitutional law and is viewed both as a reactionary document only protecting baronial rights and as a progressive symbol of rule of law and limitations on absolute power.