Magna Carta

The interests of the common man were hardly apparent in the minds of the men who brokered the agreement.

Magna carta. Magna carta was written by a group of 13th century barons to protect their rights and property against a tyrannical king. Great charter is a royal charter of rights agreed to by king john of england at runnymede near windsor on 15 june 1215. Of its 63 clauses many concerned the various property rights of barons and. Magna carta libertatum medieval latin for great charter of freedoms commonly called magna carta also magna charta.

Written in latin the magna carta or great charter was effectively the first written constitution in european history. Magna carta is a 13th century document enshrining the rights privileges and liberties of the clergy and the nobles and placing limits on the power of the crown. While the magna carta signed in 1215 primarily secured liberties for england s elite classes its language protecting due process and barring absolute monarchy has guided the fundamental. Magna carta was issued in june 1215 and was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government was not above the law.

First drafted by archbishop of canterbury stephen langton to make peace between the unpopular king and a group of rebel barons it promised the. It sought to prevent the king from exploiting his power and placed limits of royal authority by establishing law as a power in itself.