Magna Carta

Definition

The Magna Carta is a charter agreed upon by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on June 15, 1215. It promised protection of church rights, protection for barons from illegal imprisonment and access to swift justice.

Related terms

King John: King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He signed the Magna Carta under pressure from his rebellious barons.

Feudalism: A social system where nobility held lands from Crown in exchange for military service while peasants were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor and share produce.

Habeas Corpus: Legal action or writ by means of which detainees can seek relief from unlawful imprisonment - an idea rooted back in clauses within Magna Carta.