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Magna Carta
For its 800th anniversary, a new edition of one of democracy's founding legal documents, with extensive new commentary Wrested by rebellious barons from a very reluctant King John, Magna Carta set out a series of rights and duties that have been appealed to, ignored, suppressed, and argued about ever since. Here, David Carpenter's forceful new translation is accompanied by extensive commentary that sheds new light on this illustrious legal document. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Published February 1, 2021
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December 7, 2024
Three Cheers for Professor Carpenter
Although this book was published in 2015, there is a good reason for reviewing it.
Magna Carta with a commentary by David carpenter is a five-star book. It is a treasure box of information with a diligent consideration of every angle of the charter of 1215, linking the 63 statements to actual events throughout the book.
Of the original 63, just four of them are valid today. They are, however, still of the utmost importance.
Charters in 1215 were not a new invention, they had been made by King John´s predecessors as well as other kings and noblemen in Europe, but the Magna Carta was fundamentally a social and psychological confrontation between the King and the nobility, leading to a civil war which ended badly for the king.
King John´s financial proceedings against his subjects made me think of Henry VII´s deliberate exploitation of the fear among the people of Tudor England. (History repeats itself).
Dr. Carpenter´s book is an outstanding supplement to Dr. Holt´s book on the same topic and of which I am looking forward to reading.
Although this book was published in 2015, there is a good reason for reviewing it.
Magna Carta with a commentary by David carpenter is a five-star book. It is a treasure box of information with a diligent consideration of every angle of the charter of 1215, linking the 63 statements to actual events throughout the book.
Of the original 63, just four of them are valid today. They are, however, still of the utmost importance.
Charters in 1215 were not a new invention, they had been made by King John´s predecessors as well as other kings and noblemen in Europe, but the Magna Carta was fundamentally a social and psychological confrontation between the King and the nobility, leading to a civil war which ended badly for the king.
King John´s financial proceedings against his subjects made me think of Henry VII´s deliberate exploitation of the fear among the people of Tudor England. (History repeats itself).
Dr. Carpenter´s book is an outstanding supplement to Dr. Holt´s book on the same topic and of which I am looking forward to reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 of 1 review