1215Reputable sourceWell documented
Magna Carta
On the timeline · around 1215 · Liberty & Revolution
What happened
In 1215 rebellious English barons forced King John to seal Magna Carta ('the Great Charter'), a document that placed the king himself under the law. It promised that free men could not be imprisoned or punished except by lawful judgment, establishing the principle that even a monarch's power has limits.
Why it matters
Magna Carta became a founding symbol of the rule of law and of limits on government power. Its ideas of due process and government under law echo through the English constitution, the U.S. Bill of Rights, and human-rights documents worldwide.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Magna Carta · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Middle Ages → — The medieval charter that limited the king