Stephen Langton (c. 1150 - 1228) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1207 until his death in 1228. His appointment to this office was contrary to the will of King John, who expelled Stephen (who fled to Burgundy) along with the Canterbury monks from England (who unanimously supported Stephen). This act was the catalyst for Pope Innocent III placing England under interdict (essentially excommunicating the entire kingdom).After years of failed negotiations, Pope Innocent III passed the sentence of deposition on King John in 1212, and charged King Philip II of France with the execution. John capitulated the following year and Stephen and his supporters were able to return to England.Stephen absolved the king, who immediately violated his oaths to uphold the laws and liberties of Henry I. Stephen then became the leader of a resistance to the king, which culminated first in the barons forcing the king to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, acknowledging their rights, and then the First Barons War in 1215-1217 (which was fought over the kings refusal to live up to his word as laid out in the charter).Due to King Johns return to the good graces of the papacy (in fact, he now held his kingdom in fief to the Papal See), the baronial rebellion was excommunicated by the Pope. Stephen refused to publish this fact in England and for this, was condemned by the Pope. He appealed to the Pope in person, and was pardoned, on condition that he remain out of England until peace had been restored there.He returned to England in 1218, by which time the war had ended, John had died, and Johns son, Henry III now reigned. Stephen (like many of the rebellious barons) became a staunch advocate of Henry, and strove for the political autonomy of England away from the control of the Papacy. Show less «