1215 Magna Carta

In 1215, rebel barons forced King John to grant Magna Carta, which dealt with grievances against his rule: his extortionate taxes, arbitrary conduct and denial of justice. John soon renounced Magna Carta, yet it had long-lasting consequences after it was confirmed (in a shorter form) by his son, Henry III, then written into law by his grandson, Edward I. It became one of the most important legal texts in the English-speaking world.

Magna Carta increased the importance of Parliament while at the same time limiting the arbitrary power of government. Magna Carta states that no one, not even royalty, is more powerful than the law,  forming the basis for many legal systems today.  Clause 12 prevented kings from imposing taxes ‘without common counsel'.  The principle – that taxation must be by consent – became fixed in English politics.

Clause 39 stated that no free man could be imprisoned ‘except by the lawful judgment of his peers' – social equals – ‘or by the law of the land'. This evolved into the principle of trial by jury, which was later confirmed in the Habeas Corpus Act 1679.