10 Facts You Should Know About the Magna Carta

6. It had a rocky history

King John only signed the Magna Carta because he was forced to at the time, not because he believed in any of its principles. Within months he returned to war against the barons. But the Magna Carta was re-issued ten years later by John’s successor, Henry III, although the document had been changed with parts that the monarchy did not like being left out. Many kings after Henry, however, also re-issued it.

In later centuries the Magna Carta was almost forgotten. When it was rediscovered around the time of Queen Elizabeth I it was looked upon with pride by the English as evidence of a supposed history of legal principles and people’s rights in their country.

Although the Magna Carta was a solution to a specific situation rather than a grand declaration of rights for all people – it came to be used as a kind of bill of rights. People used it to back up a broad range of arguments about the powers of parliament, the Church and the monarchy and people’s rights.