Magna Carta : a very short introduction

Description

The Magna Carta is arguably the greatest constitutional document in recorded history, yet few people today understand either its contents or its context. This Very Short Introduction, which includes a full English translation of the 1215 Magna Carta, introduces the document to a modern audience, explaining its origins in the troubled reign of King John, and tracing the significant role that it played thereafter as a symbol of the subject's right to protection against the absolute authority of the sovereign. Drawing upon the great advances that have been made in our understanding of thirteenth-century English history, Nicholas Vincent demonstrates why the Magna Carta remains hugely significant today. Content: 1. What happened in 1215? 2. The tyranny of King John 3. Magna Carta, parliament and the origins of the constitution: the document's first century 4. The Document as monument 5. Does Magna Carta still matter?