Magna Carta 1215: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Magna Carta 1215: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

The Magna Carta of 1215, meaning "Great Charter," is one of the most influential documents in English history. Agreed during the reign of King John, it established an important principle: the King and his government were not above the law.

More than 800 years later, Magna Carta remains closely associated with the rule of law, lawful judgment, individual liberty and limitations on the exercise of power.

Why Was Magna Carta Created?

By the early 13th century, tensions had grown between King John and a group of English barons.

King John had raised substantial taxes to fund military campaigns in France, while his conduct and exercise of royal authority created increasing opposition among the barons.

Following rebellion and negotiations, King John met the rebel barons at Runnymede, near Windsor.

On 15 June 1215, the King accepted the terms of Magna Carta.

The original charter contained 63 clauses, dealing with matters ranging from the rights of the Church and taxation to debts, property, justice and the exercise of royal authority.

The King Was Subject to the Law

One of Magna Carta's most important principles was the idea that the King's authority was not unlimited.

For the first time, the principle that the King and his government were not above the law was put into writing.

This was significant because it placed recognised limitations upon royal authority and established law itself as a power to which the King was subject.

What Is Clause 39 of Magna Carta?

One of the best-known parts of the 1215 Magna Carta is Clause 39.

It declared that no free man should be seized, imprisoned, stripped of his rights or possessions, outlawed, exiled or otherwise deprived of his standing except through the lawful judgment of his equals or the law of the land.

The principle is important because it connects the exercise of authority with lawful judgment and the law of the land, rather than allowing punishment to depend solely upon the wishes of those holding power.

Magna Carta and the Law of the Land

The words "law of the land" are particularly significant within Magna Carta.

Clause 39 connected the loss of liberty, rights or possessions with a requirement for lawful judgment or the law of the land.

Another clause, Clause 38, stated that an official should not put a man on trial based only upon the official's unsupported statement without producing credible witnesses.

Together, these provisions demonstrate the charter's concern with the administration of justice and restrictions upon arbitrary action.

Was Magna Carta Originally a Charter for Everyone?

Magna Carta has acquired a much broader meaning over the centuries, but its original historical context is important.

Nevertheless, the principles associated with Magna Carta developed far beyond the immediate dispute that produced it.

Its lasting importance became connected with ideas of justice, fairness, liberty and limits upon governmental authority.

Why Does Magna Carta Still Matter?

Magna Carta's importance extends beyond the individual provisions written in 1215.

Its enduring legacy lies in principles concerning the rule of law, lawful judgment, liberty and the idea that authority itself is subject to law.

Although the world in which Magna Carta was created was very different from today, its influence continued through later developments in rights, constitutional government and the Common Law tradition.

More than eight centuries after Runnymede, Magna Carta 1215 remains one of history's most recognised symbols of the relationship between law, liberty and authority.