KembaraXtra – Legal Terms – Magna Carta


The Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter of Runnymede, was a historic constitutional document agreed to by King John in 1215 following pressure and armed resistance from English barons. It is regarded as one of the most influential legal and political documents in English history.


The Charter sought to place limits on royal power and protect certain feudal rights and liberties. Among its provisions were guarantees concerning the freedom of the church, restrictions on taxation without consent, and promises that justice would not be denied or delayed.


Although many of its original clauses related specifically to medieval feudal relationships, the Magna Carta gradually became a broader symbol of the rule of law and constitutional government. Over time it came to represent the principle that even the monarch is subject to the law.


Most of the original provisions have now been repealed or lost practical significance, but the Magna Carta continues to hold enormous symbolic importance in constitutional history. It influenced later constitutional developments, including ideas concerning due process, civil liberties, and limitations on governmental authority.