Magna Carta

We had the wonderful opportunity to be at the signing of the document the Magna Carta Libertatum, more commonly being named the Magna Carta. The translation from its original Latin language would be "The Great Charter". To catch this historical event we journeyed back to the year 1215. The buzz about this document has been all over town. The story is that the higher taxes, unsuccessful war and the conflict with the Pope and Barons was the main cause for this rebellion. Normally a rebellion like this would call for replacing the King but being that there was no suitable replacement the Barons wrote up a document.

On June 15, 1215 we were outside interviewing locals when a mass of people stormed the town. Among these people were Prince Louis the French Dauphin and of King Alexander II of the Scots showing their full support. These people forced King John to sign the document that required him to proclaim certain rights pertaining to freedom, respect certain legal procedures and accept that his will could be bound by law.

The Magna Carta contained sixty-three clauses. The first guaranteed the rights and liberties of the Catholic Church free from the Kings interference. Nearly two-thirds of the clauses addressed the King's misuse of feudal taxes and wrote down what the king could and could not charge the land owners on. Other clauses had to do with justice and limited fines the King's judges could charge those taken to court. Some other clauses on the document stated that no freeman (non serfs) could be punished except through the law of the land and a clause that set up a committee that at anytime could overrule the Kings will if he defied the Charter

In the days immediately following June 15, officials at the royal chancery formally wrote the full text of the points agreed to at the signing and put them together in the form of a legal letter. The document eventually became known as the Magna Carta. The royal chancery distributed copies to county sheriffs and bishops to be read to the people.

With this document signed there was a whole new feel to the city. Many people felt as though now there would finally be peace within the land and the King