LibGuides: Middle Ages: Magna Carta

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What is the Magna Carta?

Magna Carta
King John is most famous as the king who was forced to agree to Magna Carta - a set of laws he had to follow giving rights to the people. This was after many conflicts with barons and the Church.
Magna Carta: people and society
Who were the key personalities in the history of Magna Carta? Find out more about King John, the barons, Pope Innocent III, Archbishop Stephen Langton and the other individuals and groups who played important roles.

Impact of the Magna Carta

History Hit: What Was the Magna Carta and Why Was It Significant?
The Great Charter of 1215, which is believed to have been formally granted by King John of England on 15 June, can safely be regarded as one of the most important pieces of paper of all time.
How the Magna Carta changed the World
The Magna Carta has managed to remain relevant to the cause of human rights even today, 800 years after it was scrawled on parchment and affirmed with the sticky wax seal of the English king.
Consequences of Magna Carta
Magna Carta in many ways pointed the way to the emergence of parliamentary government. Above all, by insisting that there were rights and customs that stood above the authority of any particular king, Magna Carta, in its many reissues and confirmations, embedded the sense that England was a land of liberties. Even the most powerful of tyrants, the charter suggested, would now have to answer to the rule of law.

This short video explains the important impact of the Magna Carta on the justice system today.

Podcast: The Magna Carta

The Magna Carta
Melvyn Bragg and guests Nicholas Vincent, David Carpenter and Michael Clanchy discuss the Magna Carta, the oft-proclaimed foundation of English liberties.The Magna Carta has been cited ever since its issue in 1215 as a foundation stone of English liberties. It includes clauses of universal justice, some of which are still on the statute book, but also sorted out the fishing rights in the upper Thames. (43 mins 2009)
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Whether Magna Carta is a genuine proclamation of universal liberty or a hotchpotch of baronial self-interest has been debated ever since. Melvyn and his guests examine the ideas contained within it, assess their legacy and find out what really happened all those years ago in a tent in Runnymede.

Focus Questions

What were the key causes of your event?
What were the key stages/moments and locations in your event?
How, when and where did it happen?
What were the impacts of your event on medieval society (both short-term and long-term) i.e. how did your event change the structure or ideas of society.
In your opinion was the impact of this event largely positive, negative or both?
Explain with reference to at least two different historians’ opinions.

Articles: Magna Carta

History Extra: Magna Carta: A turning point in English history
When England's barons clipped the wings of a tyrannical king, they established principles that still influence British justice 800 years on, says David Carpenter. This article was first published online in September 2012.

"Both we and the barons have sworn that all this shall be observed in good faith and without deceit … Given by our hand in the meadow that is called Runnymede, between Windsor and Staines, on the fifteenth day of June in the seventeenth year of our reign."

Magna Carta: full text

Middle Ages: Magna Carta

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