“Magna Carta … issued in June 1215 … put into writing … that the king was not above the law … placed limits by establishing law as a power in itself” via UK Parliament.
Magna Carta in Latin is ‘great charter’. The Magna Carta has a long history. America and other countries borrowed from the charter when setting up their governments, guaranteeing rights to the people, denying kings and leaders unlimited power.
I was reminded of the Magna Carta while reviewing Ann Mainwaring and Richard Charlton, my 14th great grandparents. 200 years after the Magna Carta, Ann and Richard lived in western England, in Shropshire, near the border of Wales. Richard Charlton’s ancestry is in the book, The Magna charta sureties, 1215; the barons named in the Magna charta, 1215, and some of their descendants who settled in America, 1607-1650. He’s a descendant, number 12 in a line of barons, of Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchestter, “a leader of the First Barons’ War against King John” and probably my 22nd great grandpa.
I wish I’d known this relationship while studying history in high school.
The Magna Carta was born out of baron rebellions. Land owners rebelled against King John and his protectors. King John was despised, had an awful personality and was a lazy and corrupt King. He taxed the barons and gave them nothing in return so there were uprisings and murder plots, then a standoff, then the Magna Carta was signed but blocked by the pope, more battles followed, support for the king declined until his death in 1216. King John’s Henry at nine years old was made King. The Magna Carta was approved and finally “repeatedly confirmed and reissued and became well-known across England, not just among the barons, but also in the counties”.
Wikipedia links to royal bios and history
The Magna Charta Sureties, 1215: the Barons Named In the Magna Charta, 1215, And Some of Their Descendants Who Settled In America, 1607-1650 book at HathiTrust. 138 pages “considered a foundational and historically important genealogy source”, but published in 1955 cross checking with current research is recommended.
Each life has its place 