MagnaCarta Assignment
Roger Wert
Dr. Reiter
Early English History
Magna Carta – What is the Magna Carta? What issues led to its writing, and what issues did it specifically address? How did this document change the relationship between the ruler and the ruled?
The Magna Carta is one of the most oft discussed and important pieces of English history still preserved today. Magna Carta, which means “the Great Charter” was a keystone piece of government work that served to affirm the rights, especially in inheritance, of the barons and freemen of England during a time of political unrest, “If any of our earls or barons, or others holding of us in chief by military service shall have died, and at the time of his death his heir shall be full of age and owe "relief", he shall have his inheritance by the old relief, to wit, the heir or heirs of an earl, for the whole barony,” and “…The guardian of the land of an heir who is thus under age, shall take from the land of the heir nothing but reasonable produce, reasonable customs, and reasonable services, and that without destruction or waste of men or goods…”1 as well as creating a barrier of separation between the government of England and the authority of the Church in not only their internal dealings, but also the Church’s foundation as a necessary oversight tool in government. 2 “In the first place we have granted to God, and by this our present charter confirmed for us and our heirs forever that the English Church shall be free, and shall have her rights entire, and her liberties inviolate.”3
In fact, the Magna Carta has been revered throughout history as the first major step any government had taken towards preserving individual liberties and setting into motion the idea of representation of all people in greater government. In a way, this was the first constitution. During a celebration commemorating the charters seven hundred and fiftieth anniversary, Lord Denning described it as “the greatest constitutional document of all times – the
Dr. Reiter
Early English History
Magna Carta – What is the Magna Carta? What issues led to its writing, and what issues did it specifically address? How did this document change the relationship between the ruler and the ruled?
The Magna Carta is one of the most oft discussed and important pieces of English history still preserved today. Magna Carta, which means “the Great Charter” was a keystone piece of government work that served to affirm the rights, especially in inheritance, of the barons and freemen of England during a time of political unrest, “If any of our earls or barons, or others holding of us in chief by military service shall have died, and at the time of his death his heir shall be full of age and owe "relief", he shall have his inheritance by the old relief, to wit, the heir or heirs of an earl, for the whole barony,” and “…The guardian of the land of an heir who is thus under age, shall take from the land of the heir nothing but reasonable produce, reasonable customs, and reasonable services, and that without destruction or waste of men or goods…”1 as well as creating a barrier of separation between the government of England and the authority of the Church in not only their internal dealings, but also the Church’s foundation as a necessary oversight tool in government. 2 “In the first place we have granted to God, and by this our present charter confirmed for us and our heirs forever that the English Church shall be free, and shall have her rights entire, and her liberties inviolate.”3
In fact, the Magna Carta has been revered throughout history as the first major step any government had taken towards preserving individual liberties and setting into motion the idea of representation of all people in greater government. In a way, this was the first constitution. During a celebration commemorating the charters seven hundred and fiftieth anniversary, Lord Denning described it as “the greatest constitutional document of all times – the