Magna Carta

By the summer of 1215 King John of England had lost control of his kingdom. In June his rebellious barons forced him to attach his regal seal - under oath - to a remarkable document. The so-called ‘Great Charter', established an Englishman's right to habeas corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time an English king had agreed to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights.