
King John gives his approval of Magna Carta with his seal as the rebel barons look on, Runnymede, England, June 15, 1215. (Frank Wood, 1925 c; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation)
The 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, meaning “Great Charter,” is being marked this year. In the Anglo-American world, Magna Carta is considered one of the seminal legal documents. It was signed in Runnymede near Windsor Castle on June 15, 1215.
Originally issued by King John of England, who ruled from 1199-1216, Magna Carta was an arrangement between the King and rebel barons who opposed the onerous taxes imposed by the King on the lands they owned in order to fund his army. Continue reading