Magna Carta 2015: Timeline of the last 800 years from King John and the barons to Magna Farta and horsetrading in World War II
Today marks the 800th anniversary since King John put his seal to Magna Carta, the document traditionally seen as enshrining rights to a fair trial, of property and ownership and that the monarch is not above the law.
But while celebrations will commemorate one document, as this timeline shows, the road to the foundations of democracy was not as smooth – or as straightforward – as this neat birthday would suggest.
There are, for example, several versions that were drafted and redrafted after that momentous day in Runnymede.
And it has been in and out of favour. It was declared null and void by the Pope just a few weeks after being signed, while the UK’s own leaders held it in disregard. In fact, while Charles I and Oliver Cromwell would have agreed on very few things, this appeared to be one area where they were united.
While it languished in the UK, the founding fathers of the United States lapped it up and it became so popular that during World War II the British government tried to use it as a way to tempt Washington to join the Allies in fighting Nazi Germany.
Check out our timeline to see the real history of Magna Carta – and decide for yourself whether it’s really as important as is being made out, or whether in the words of Cromwell, it’s more “Magna Farta”.
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