“No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.” Wrested from King John in 1215 by rebellion, Magna Carta stands as one of the most celebrated documents in world history, enshrining the fundamental principle that the ruler is subject to the law. This edition pairs a new text and translation of the Charter with a landmark commentary by David Carpenter, which draws on fresh discoveries to offer a wholly new account of Magna Carta’s origins, text, survival and enforcement — and of how it rapidly secured a central role in English political life. Carpenter also uses the Charter as a lens through which to examine thirteenth-century society in the round, attending to women and peasants as much as to barons and knights. ‘David Carpenter deserves to replace Sir James Holt as the standard authority, and an unfailingly readable one too.’ — Ferdinand Mount, TLS ‘An invaluable new commentary’ — Jill Lepore, New Yorker The 800th anniversary of Magna Carta’s creation in 2015 is marked by exhibitions, commemorations and debates across all the nations whose constitutions and legal traditions bear its enduring imprint.
ISBN 13: 9780241953372
Author: Prof David Carpenter
