The Magna Carta

(latin for Great Charter) is an English charter first issued in the year 1215 after King John was forced by a group of feudal barons into agreeing that his will was not arbitrary. The charter first passed into law in the year 1225 but was later re-issued in 1297 and still remains on the statue books of England and Wales, the title being ' The Great Charter of the Liberties of England and of the Liberties of the Forest'.

The combination of higher taxes, conflict with the Pope and unsuccessful wars made King John very unpopular with some of his barons, this turned into open rebellion at the beginning of 1215. Although rebellions were not uncommon and had occurred during every kings reign since William The Conqueror, previous rebellions however, were normally based on a claim to the throne, this time the barons would use King John's oppressive government as the basis for their rebellion. Negotiations with King John started in January and ran through to June, this led to the creation of a charter which historians have termed 'The Unknown Charter of Liberties'.

In May, King John still trying to placate the barons offered to submit issues to a committee of arbitration with the Pope as supreme arbiter, however, this didn't satisfy the barons and in June with the support of Prince Louis the French Heir and of King Alexander II of the Scots they entered London in force . King John was forced to sign a document that would later be known as the 'Articles of the Barons'. The barons then renewed the oats of fealty to King John on the 19th June and on the 15th July a formal document recording the agreement was created, this would later be know as the Magna Carta.

Magna Carta

All 61 clauses of the 1215 Charter can be found here 1215 charter

There are only 3 clauses from the 1297 re-issued Magna Carta in force today;

* 1. FIRST, We have granted to God, and by this our present Charter have confirmed, for Us and our Heirs for ever, that the Church of England shall be free, and shall have all her whole Rights and Liberties inviolable. We have granted also, and given to all the Freemen of our Realm, for Us and our Heirs for ever, these Liberties under-written, to have and to hold to them and their Heirs, of Us and our Heirs for ever. * 9. THE City of London shall have all the old Liberties and Customs which it hath been used to have. Moreover We will and grant, that all other Cities, Boroughs, Towns, and the Barons of the Five Ports, as with all other Ports, shall have all their Liberties and free Customs. * 29. NO Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.

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