What Was The Magna Carta?
The Magna Carta, meaning Great Charter, is one of the most influential documents of all time. It initiated the principle that everybody, the King included, was subject to the law, limiting the King’s power. Drawn up in 1215, the Magna Carta responded to King John’s abysmal rule. 800 years on, and it’s legacy forms the foundations of democratic law systems all around the world. Its core principles are mirrored in the United States Bill of Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Why Was the Magna Carta Produced?King John of England was an unfair and incompetent monarch who was unpopular among his people, particularly the barons. Unlike his father, Henry II, John believed that as the King, he was above the law. He lied, broke promises and imprisoned people unjustly. In 1214, King John demanded oppressive taxes (‘scutage’) to fund his ineffective army fighting in France. After John’s army was defeated at the Battle of Bouvines, the barons had had enough. They collaborated to produce the Charter of Liberties, later declared the Magna Carta, insisting on rights for all, and subjecting the king to the law.
In June 1215, the barons gathered at Runnymede on the River Thames to bargain with King John. He reluctantly signed the Magna Carta, as without doing so, he would lose the protection, loyalty and military support of the knights and barons. June the 15th 1215, the Magna Carta was granted. Contents Of The Magna Carta |
The Magna Carta initially contained 63 clauses. Three of these clauses are integrated into current English law. Firstly, the freedom and rights of the English Church and secondly the freedom and customs of major towns. The third clause (habeas corpus) is the most recognised: “No free man shall be seized or imprisoned…except by lawful judgment of his peers…” The Magna Carta included laws about land rights, the oversight of the justice system and control of taxes.
Did You Know?
- Before the Magna Carta, widows and daughters of barons were sold to the King for marriage
- The Magna Carta was validated by a royal seal instead of a signature
- Because parchment was so expensive, the Magna Carta was written in tiny writing to save space
- Originally, seven copies of the Magna Carta were produced but only four remain today
- Habeus corpus literally means ‘you have the body’, but what it implies is that you have the right to not be imprisoned without evidence
External Links
Want to listen to a funny rap about the Magna Carta and King John at Runnymede? Click here!
Here's another song about the Magna Carta to celebrate 800 years since it was created: