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Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of the Great Charter
On a summer's day in 1215 a beleaguered English monarch met a group of disgruntled barons in a meadow by the river Thames named Runnymede. Beset by foreign crisis and domestic rebellion, King John was fast running out of options. On 15 June he reluctantly agreed to fix his regal seal to a document that would change the world.
A milestone in the development of constitutional politics and the rule of law, the 'Great Charter' established an Englishman's right to Habeas Corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time a group of subjects had forced an English king to agree to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights.
Dan Jones's elegant and authoritative narrative of the making and legacy of Magna Carta is amplified by profiles of the barons who secured it and a full text of the charter in both Latin and English.
A milestone in the development of constitutional politics and the rule of law, the 'Great Charter' established an Englishman's right to Habeas Corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time a group of subjects had forced an English king to agree to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights.
Dan Jones's elegant and authoritative narrative of the making and legacy of Magna Carta is amplified by profiles of the barons who secured it and a full text of the charter in both Latin and English.
191 pages, Hardcover
First published December 4, 2014
109 people are currently reading
1170 people want to read
About the author
Dan Jones
70 books5,621 followersDan Jones is a NYT bestselling author and broadcaster. His books, which include The Templars, Henry V, The Plantagenets and Powers & Thrones, have sold more than 2 million copies and are published in 23 languages. He is the author of the Essex Dogs novel trilogy. Dan writes and hosts the popular weekly Sony Music Entertainment podcast This Is History. He has presented dozens of television documentaries, including the popular Netflix series Secrets of Great British Castles, and has executive produced and consulted on a number of films and television shows including Anne Boleyn (Channel 5/Sony Pictures Television) and Knightfall (A+E/History). His journalism has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post; for a decade he was a columnist for the London Evening Standard. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and in 2025 was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Historic Royal Palaces.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
June 13, 2015
June 2015 sees the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta at Runnymede and in this book Dan Jones presents a useful guide to bring the general reader up to speed. Dan Jones is of course, the author of the bestselling non fiction work THE PLANTAGENETS which sets out the dynasty's rise to power and eventual ruin over several centuries of medieval British history. The work is also the basis for the recent TV series, written and presented by the author.
The following blurb is from the inside jacket of MAGNA CARTA and an excellent summary of what the book is about:
'"On a summer's day in 1215, a beleaguered English monarch met a group of disgruntled barons in a meadow by the River Thames named Runnymede. Beset by foreign crisis and domestic rebellion, King John was fast running out of options. On 15 June he reluctantly agreed to fix his regal seal to a document that would change the world.
A milestone in the development of constitutional politics and the rule of the law, the 'Great Charter' established an Englishman's right to Habeas Corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time a group of subjects had forced an English king to agree to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights."
This book is a joy to read, not just for a medieval-obsessive like myself, but for anyone with a general interest in history. It's one of those reference works that should be on every non fiction bookshelf.
The writing style is clean and accessible, edged with dry humour and has broad appeal. Dan Jones educates his readers without patronising, and he never dumbs down the content. The history is straight, clear, and unfudged. Oh what a joy and a relief this is to come across. I have studied the Angevin period for more than forty years. I'm not university trained, but I am very well read in non fiction works of this era (12th and 13th centuries). Often the academic studies are dry and soporific. The eyes glaze over, the same 5 pages take an hour to read and the information doesn't stick, but unabsorbed, just passes through. Unfortunately the popular books with a less dense writing style are frequently unreliable and have to be double-checked and taken with large pinches of salt. Dan Jones, however, walks a perfect line between the popular and the academic. He puts over the need to know material with depth and complexity while telling it in a vibrant way that hold the reader's attention. That's a very rare talent indeed.
The book itself is a tactile thing of beauty. It's ornate, with gold embossing on the cover to give that added luxurious feel of holding the real thing in your hand. The paper is of thick, fine quality,perhaps gently hinting at parchment. The rich ornamentation and fabulous illustrations are put together in an uncluttered way that means the book is simple and practical to use. It is divided into ten easily digestible chapters beginning with an introduction that sets the scene and discusses the fame of Magna Carta and then continues to the historical background including an assessment of the reign of King John, not forgetting the input of his predecessors. He might have brought about Magna Carta by his policies and the way he dealt with his barons, but he wasn't acting in a vacuum and Dan Jones takes us through the wherefore and the why.
There is a section on what happened between 1215 and now, and a couple of wonderful quotes from David Cameron and Winston Churchill which made me laugh - albeit wryly. Dan Jones has a wicked sense of humour and appreciates the ironies.
Having guided us through the history, the book follows with several appendices including the full text of the Magna Carta in the original Latin with an English translation alongside so the reader can see the exact wording for themselves. There are interesting short biographies of the barons involved in witnessing and enforcing the charter, and a timeline of the charter from its origins to where it sits now.
By the end of the book the reader has been given an in depth history lesson but in such a way that there's not a single moment of eye-glaze or stodge. Hooray! There are copious illustrations and page breaks that will suit those with shorter attention spans but at the same time, those who prefer a meaty read will not be let down. There's a lot of learning crammed into these 190 pages.
Any caveats? I suspect that there may be a few raised eyebrows among those in the know about the comment accompanying the illustration of King John's tomb in Worcester cathedral. The caption says it's made from 'carved wood' when it fact it's Purbeck marble. It seems a pity for that one to have slipped through the editorial net when King John is one of the major players. However, that really is a nit-pick when compared with the rest of the book's excellent content.
Highly recommended.
The following blurb is from the inside jacket of MAGNA CARTA and an excellent summary of what the book is about:
'"On a summer's day in 1215, a beleaguered English monarch met a group of disgruntled barons in a meadow by the River Thames named Runnymede. Beset by foreign crisis and domestic rebellion, King John was fast running out of options. On 15 June he reluctantly agreed to fix his regal seal to a document that would change the world.
A milestone in the development of constitutional politics and the rule of the law, the 'Great Charter' established an Englishman's right to Habeas Corpus and set limits to the exercise of royal power. For the first time a group of subjects had forced an English king to agree to a document that limited his powers by law and protected their rights."
This book is a joy to read, not just for a medieval-obsessive like myself, but for anyone with a general interest in history. It's one of those reference works that should be on every non fiction bookshelf.
The writing style is clean and accessible, edged with dry humour and has broad appeal. Dan Jones educates his readers without patronising, and he never dumbs down the content. The history is straight, clear, and unfudged. Oh what a joy and a relief this is to come across. I have studied the Angevin period for more than forty years. I'm not university trained, but I am very well read in non fiction works of this era (12th and 13th centuries). Often the academic studies are dry and soporific. The eyes glaze over, the same 5 pages take an hour to read and the information doesn't stick, but unabsorbed, just passes through. Unfortunately the popular books with a less dense writing style are frequently unreliable and have to be double-checked and taken with large pinches of salt. Dan Jones, however, walks a perfect line between the popular and the academic. He puts over the need to know material with depth and complexity while telling it in a vibrant way that hold the reader's attention. That's a very rare talent indeed.
The book itself is a tactile thing of beauty. It's ornate, with gold embossing on the cover to give that added luxurious feel of holding the real thing in your hand. The paper is of thick, fine quality,perhaps gently hinting at parchment. The rich ornamentation and fabulous illustrations are put together in an uncluttered way that means the book is simple and practical to use. It is divided into ten easily digestible chapters beginning with an introduction that sets the scene and discusses the fame of Magna Carta and then continues to the historical background including an assessment of the reign of King John, not forgetting the input of his predecessors. He might have brought about Magna Carta by his policies and the way he dealt with his barons, but he wasn't acting in a vacuum and Dan Jones takes us through the wherefore and the why.
There is a section on what happened between 1215 and now, and a couple of wonderful quotes from David Cameron and Winston Churchill which made me laugh - albeit wryly. Dan Jones has a wicked sense of humour and appreciates the ironies.
Having guided us through the history, the book follows with several appendices including the full text of the Magna Carta in the original Latin with an English translation alongside so the reader can see the exact wording for themselves. There are interesting short biographies of the barons involved in witnessing and enforcing the charter, and a timeline of the charter from its origins to where it sits now.
By the end of the book the reader has been given an in depth history lesson but in such a way that there's not a single moment of eye-glaze or stodge. Hooray! There are copious illustrations and page breaks that will suit those with shorter attention spans but at the same time, those who prefer a meaty read will not be let down. There's a lot of learning crammed into these 190 pages.
Any caveats? I suspect that there may be a few raised eyebrows among those in the know about the comment accompanying the illustration of King John's tomb in Worcester cathedral. The caption says it's made from 'carved wood' when it fact it's Purbeck marble. It seems a pity for that one to have slipped through the editorial net when King John is one of the major players. However, that really is a nit-pick when compared with the rest of the book's excellent content.
Highly recommended.
June 20, 2023
The Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, was originally issued in 1215 in England and has established principles that have influenced legal systems and the concept of government in many countries around the world to this day. In this (short) book, Dan Jones takes us back to the events leading up to the creation of this document and the influence and misconceptions that endure to this day.
Jones delves into the immediate political and social context that led to the creation of the Magna Carta and the motivations of the barons. It also highlights King John's motivations and the concessions he made. As he makes clear, the original intent of the Magna Carta lay in terms of restoring peace and addressing grievances by the barons, and never was intended as a political statement intended for future generations. However, in later history he traces down how this document became a symbol of liberty and the fight for rights and its impact on important historical documents, such as the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Beautifully illustrated, this book illuminates the intricate complexities and profound influence of the Magna Carta, far surpassing my initial expectations. It revealed the layers of significance that this historic document holds, leaving me with a deepened understanding on how this document gained the image we have of it today.
Jones delves into the immediate political and social context that led to the creation of the Magna Carta and the motivations of the barons. It also highlights King John's motivations and the concessions he made. As he makes clear, the original intent of the Magna Carta lay in terms of restoring peace and addressing grievances by the barons, and never was intended as a political statement intended for future generations. However, in later history he traces down how this document became a symbol of liberty and the fight for rights and its impact on important historical documents, such as the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Beautifully illustrated, this book illuminates the intricate complexities and profound influence of the Magna Carta, far surpassing my initial expectations. It revealed the layers of significance that this historic document holds, leaving me with a deepened understanding on how this document gained the image we have of it today.
August 26, 2015
This little book is a wonderful summation of the history surrounding Western Civilization's founding document: The Magna Carta. Jones prints the Latin and English translation of the entire text of the original Magna Carta, from 1215. It is fascinating to read the document that has meant so much to so many people and nations. It is not as boring or dry as I thought it would be, even the clauses that have become irrelevant to our modern lifestyle. This is because Jones does such a thorough job explaining its 13th century context. The illustrations are copies of real medieval documents and are a beautiful addition to the text.
Dan Jones succinctly and clearly describes the excesses and abuses of the Plantagenet kings, and how by the time of John the Barons had had enough. Jones doesn't exactly defend John, but he does say that John exacerbated already existing problem, rather than solely creating reason for rebellion among his nobles.
Jones then moves on to the document itself. How it came to be, what it meant at the time, and what it means 800 years later. It is really an ironic document. It was ground breaking when it was delivered, but not for the reasons the modern world has made it. It is ultimately a list of grievances and how they can be corrected by bringing John and his cronies to count. Jones stresses that the Magna Carta, while it did preserve the rights of freemen and Barons, is not the call to democracy that later English lawyers and government people projected onto it. And the settlers in what became the U.S.A. took Magna Carta to a whole other level by including so many of its principles directly into State and then Federal Constitutions.
Another irony of the survival and perpetual influence that Magna Carta has is that the Pope annulled it a month after it was declared. This is a document and all of its requirements that should have vanished from history. But the English were stubborn, they were clinging to their idea of what was fair and legal, and that absolute power is tyranny, so they kept resurrecting it. It was reconfirmed, and added to, many times during the 13th century. As the centuries went by it fell by the wayside until the 17th century trials against the Stuarts. By then it had taken a mythological life of its own.
Although the document is quite obsolete in its details, the principles it stands for will never fade from existence. Jones reminds the reader that the humanitarian freedoms that Magna Carta calls for are (if too slowly) being diseminated to all corners of the earth.
Dan Jones succinctly and clearly describes the excesses and abuses of the Plantagenet kings, and how by the time of John the Barons had had enough. Jones doesn't exactly defend John, but he does say that John exacerbated already existing problem, rather than solely creating reason for rebellion among his nobles.
Jones then moves on to the document itself. How it came to be, what it meant at the time, and what it means 800 years later. It is really an ironic document. It was ground breaking when it was delivered, but not for the reasons the modern world has made it. It is ultimately a list of grievances and how they can be corrected by bringing John and his cronies to count. Jones stresses that the Magna Carta, while it did preserve the rights of freemen and Barons, is not the call to democracy that later English lawyers and government people projected onto it. And the settlers in what became the U.S.A. took Magna Carta to a whole other level by including so many of its principles directly into State and then Federal Constitutions.
Another irony of the survival and perpetual influence that Magna Carta has is that the Pope annulled it a month after it was declared. This is a document and all of its requirements that should have vanished from history. But the English were stubborn, they were clinging to their idea of what was fair and legal, and that absolute power is tyranny, so they kept resurrecting it. It was reconfirmed, and added to, many times during the 13th century. As the centuries went by it fell by the wayside until the 17th century trials against the Stuarts. By then it had taken a mythological life of its own.
Although the document is quite obsolete in its details, the principles it stands for will never fade from existence. Jones reminds the reader that the humanitarian freedoms that Magna Carta calls for are (if too slowly) being diseminated to all corners of the earth.
January 5, 2015
2015 sees the 800th anniversary of the 'Great Charter'. Jones takes us through the events that led up to its creation and the impact it's had on western society. This was a fantastic little book, well-written and lavishly illustrated. Worth picking up if you're a history buff like me.
September 9, 2016
This book is definitely a gem and i would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys or loves medieval history it is definitely worth a read. This was one of my anticipated reads of 2015 as Dan Jones is my favourite historian/medievalist.
This little book puts the Magna Carta into its true and most honest historical perspectives. It discusses the life of King John and every single pressure/issue that he has to deal with, many of them he in fact brought on himself by creating feuds with his barons. One of the beauties of this book is that it tells the reader how the Magna Carta came to be and also how it has been used throughout the centuries since it was issued in June 1215.
As it is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta this year (June 2015) this book is a perfect read for the up and coming celebrations of an extremely valued charter.
Dan Jones has beautiful crafted this book to set the scene of England during the years building up to the issuing of the Magna Carta in 1215 to its continued use in 2015. As well as setting the scene of 12th and 13th centuries England Dan Jones has also used beautiful medieval art work to accompany his master piece.
So if your looking for a book that is a real gem and gets to the heart of 12th and 13th centuries Medieval England's political problems and the issuing of the Magna Carta this book is definitely for you.
This little book puts the Magna Carta into its true and most honest historical perspectives. It discusses the life of King John and every single pressure/issue that he has to deal with, many of them he in fact brought on himself by creating feuds with his barons. One of the beauties of this book is that it tells the reader how the Magna Carta came to be and also how it has been used throughout the centuries since it was issued in June 1215.
As it is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta this year (June 2015) this book is a perfect read for the up and coming celebrations of an extremely valued charter.
Dan Jones has beautiful crafted this book to set the scene of England during the years building up to the issuing of the Magna Carta in 1215 to its continued use in 2015. As well as setting the scene of 12th and 13th centuries England Dan Jones has also used beautiful medieval art work to accompany his master piece.
So if your looking for a book that is a real gem and gets to the heart of 12th and 13th centuries Medieval England's political problems and the issuing of the Magna Carta this book is definitely for you.
June 28, 2023
Very short but fascinating book. Quite funny to learn that King John was a pretty much useless imbecile, and that the Magna Carta was not very democratic at all in nature. History is full of humorous contradictions.
April 28, 2024
This book is really good. Period. I finished it over a long weekend and it was the first non fiction I’ve read in a while. It kind of reads like a story narration wise but it’s packed with a ton of facts and details about so much about late 12th century and very early 13th century England; like some punishments, feudal systems and quirks etc…
My copy was about 240 pages, but only about 150 are actual story and a good 30 pages are very nice pictures with well organized chapters. And 4 appendixes (which I read including a full copy of the Magna Carta).
Highly recommend this book, I’ll read more Dan Jones soon.
My copy was about 240 pages, but only about 150 are actual story and a good 30 pages are very nice pictures with well organized chapters. And 4 appendixes (which I read including a full copy of the Magna Carta).
Highly recommend this book, I’ll read more Dan Jones soon.
January 20, 2020
A beautiful UK edition as usual, loved the illustrations in color. The US version of the book were only black and white.
January 30, 2023
David Cameron 2014: “The remaining copies of that Charta may have faded, but it’s principles shine as brightly as ever and they pave the way for the democracy, the equality, the respect and the laws that make Britain.
Dan Jones: In fact, precisely the opposite is true. Many of the copies of the Charta are in good condition, while most of their principles are now obsolete and the clauses have nothing to do with democracy, equality or respect.
Go on, Dan! You tell that pig fucker 😂
Dan Jones: In fact, precisely the opposite is true. Many of the copies of the Charta are in good condition, while most of their principles are now obsolete and the clauses have nothing to do with democracy, equality or respect.
Go on, Dan! You tell that pig fucker 😂
February 10, 2024
Not the best I’ve read about this important part of English history, but I did learn a couple of things.
April 24, 2019
This is a good book if you want to know what led to the Magna Carta in the first place.
In summary, baddie King John (think the bad King John in Robin Hood ) was taxing the Barons too much and they got sick and tired of it an forced him to approve the Magna Carta. He later reneged on it as a bad king would. I liked this book because it showed how bad a King he really was.
In summary, baddie King John (think the bad King John in Robin Hood ) was taxing the Barons too much and they got sick and tired of it an forced him to approve the Magna Carta. He later reneged on it as a bad king would. I liked this book because it showed how bad a King he really was.
November 23, 2015
This really is a nice little book neatly laid out and easy to read (well apart from the 4000 Latin words that Magna Carta is written in but fortunately there is an English translation). You can read this book and say you have read the Magna Carta. I have seen one version in Salisbury Cathedral. Now it's time to take the kids there and tell them I've read it. I am sure they will be greatly impressed (yeah right). Did I understand it? Sort of, some of it anyway. The whole history and build up to the document is well worth some of your time.
15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta (The Great Charter) was signed. Hang on one minute. That needs to be amended. Dan Jones shows paintings of nasty King John signing the Magna Carta. He did not sign it. Anyway on the bank of the Thames at Runnymede it was completed and accepted and is now, 800 years later, one of the most hallowed documents in the world.
Jones starts some 60 years before 1215 to the time of King John's father, Henry II. Henry Plantagenet was crowned King of England on 19-DEC-1154 aged 21. His power stretched from the borders of Scotland to the French Pyrenees. It also included other areas of Europe to the Holy Land. Henry would fall into dispute with the English Church. In 1163 he tried to browbeat his friend Thomas Becket, whom he had appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, into agreeing that churchmen who had committed crimes to be placed on trial and punished rather than the church doing this. Becket would not have this as it was seen as an invasion of secular law into ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Famously Becket was murdered before the altar of Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
Henry II who died in 1189 also had an enemy in Louis VII, King of France. This was a time before Parliament and statutes. Laws were made by Kings and counsellors and Henry needed money. After Henry's death the next in-line was Richard I, commonly known as Richard The Lionheart. He was crowned on 03-SEP-1189. He would become one of the most celebrated kings in British history. Like Henry he needed money. He was a crusader and the third crusade was called in response to the fall of Acre (now northern Israel) and Jerusalem to the Muslim Sultan Saladin. This four year trip meant money was raised through taxes and other means. A three year truce with Saladin was met and Richard on his way home was kidnapped and ransomed. After this little escapade there was five more years of fighting to restore the lands to how they had been under Henry II and by 1199 that job was done. 26-MAR-1199 Richard was hit in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt. Wound went gangrenous and he died on 11-APR-1199. His mummified heart can be found at the Rouen cathedral in Normandy.
With no children his brother John was the heir and became England's third Plantagenet ruler. The people loathed him (boo, hiss). Like Henry and Richard, John was off on the continent fighting to protect his lands. He doesn't seem to be very good at it as after five years he has lost virtually the whole of the continental empire and he bled the people of the realm for money to do it. He actually became the richest English king in history. People and the church were paying for everything. Own some land, then pay some money, inheriting something, pay a lot of money (bit like now really). People were getting understandably angry. None more so than the land-owning barons who actually plotted to do away with him.
Something had to be done as it was all getting out of control so at the end of May 1215 both John and the Barons accepted that peace had to be made thus it was finally agreed and on 15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta came into being. Four parchments still exist today, two in the British Library, one in Salisbury Cathedral and one belonging to Lincoln Cathedral that is kept in Lincoln castle.
Clauses 39 and 40 (see end of review) are cited as the foundation stones of western democracy and the author states that clause 61 is equally important as that was the security clause. This is supposed to hold the King to his word. No surprise really but Magna Carta was initially a failure. It failed to keep the peace and to bind the King to the letter of the law and England was soon in civil war. John asks Pope Innocent II to annul Magna Carta which he does but then John dies on 18-OCT-1216 of dysentery (nice). He wants his nice year old son, Henry to take over. King Henry III was crowned on 28-OCT-1216. Magna Carta was re-issued on 12-NOV-1216 and again in 1217.
Even now the legacy of the Magna Carta can be seen in documents like the 'European Human Rights Act'.
Clause 39
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 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.
Clause 40
To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.
15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta (The Great Charter) was signed. Hang on one minute. That needs to be amended. Dan Jones shows paintings of nasty King John signing the Magna Carta. He did not sign it. Anyway on the bank of the Thames at Runnymede it was completed and accepted and is now, 800 years later, one of the most hallowed documents in the world.
Jones starts some 60 years before 1215 to the time of King John's father, Henry II. Henry Plantagenet was crowned King of England on 19-DEC-1154 aged 21. His power stretched from the borders of Scotland to the French Pyrenees. It also included other areas of Europe to the Holy Land. Henry would fall into dispute with the English Church. In 1163 he tried to browbeat his friend Thomas Becket, whom he had appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, into agreeing that churchmen who had committed crimes to be placed on trial and punished rather than the church doing this. Becket would not have this as it was seen as an invasion of secular law into ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Famously Becket was murdered before the altar of Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
Henry II who died in 1189 also had an enemy in Louis VII, King of France. This was a time before Parliament and statutes. Laws were made by Kings and counsellors and Henry needed money. After Henry's death the next in-line was Richard I, commonly known as Richard The Lionheart. He was crowned on 03-SEP-1189. He would become one of the most celebrated kings in British history. Like Henry he needed money. He was a crusader and the third crusade was called in response to the fall of Acre (now northern Israel) and Jerusalem to the Muslim Sultan Saladin. This four year trip meant money was raised through taxes and other means. A three year truce with Saladin was met and Richard on his way home was kidnapped and ransomed. After this little escapade there was five more years of fighting to restore the lands to how they had been under Henry II and by 1199 that job was done. 26-MAR-1199 Richard was hit in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt. Wound went gangrenous and he died on 11-APR-1199. His mummified heart can be found at the Rouen cathedral in Normandy.
With no children his brother John was the heir and became England's third Plantagenet ruler. The people loathed him (boo, hiss). Like Henry and Richard, John was off on the continent fighting to protect his lands. He doesn't seem to be very good at it as after five years he has lost virtually the whole of the continental empire and he bled the people of the realm for money to do it. He actually became the richest English king in history. People and the church were paying for everything. Own some land, then pay some money, inheriting something, pay a lot of money (bit like now really). People were getting understandably angry. None more so than the land-owning barons who actually plotted to do away with him.
Something had to be done as it was all getting out of control so at the end of May 1215 both John and the Barons accepted that peace had to be made thus it was finally agreed and on 15-JUN-1215 the Magna Carta came into being. Four parchments still exist today, two in the British Library, one in Salisbury Cathedral and one belonging to Lincoln Cathedral that is kept in Lincoln castle.
Clauses 39 and 40 (see end of review) are cited as the foundation stones of western democracy and the author states that clause 61 is equally important as that was the security clause. This is supposed to hold the King to his word. No surprise really but Magna Carta was initially a failure. It failed to keep the peace and to bind the King to the letter of the law and England was soon in civil war. John asks Pope Innocent II to annul Magna Carta which he does but then John dies on 18-OCT-1216 of dysentery (nice). He wants his nice year old son, Henry to take over. King Henry III was crowned on 28-OCT-1216. Magna Carta was re-issued on 12-NOV-1216 and again in 1217.
Even now the legacy of the Magna Carta can be seen in documents like the 'European Human Rights Act'.
Clause 39
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 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.
Clause 40
To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.
February 18, 2015
Great little book and Introduction to the people, places and background of the Magna Carta, helping readers realiize why it was created and why it was important. The last chapter explores its legacy up to the modern age, and how it influenced the reformers of the 17th century England and later America- even when they read ideas into the charter that did not actually exist.
Its also research tool, with some useful appendices, including the text of the Magna Carta in Latin and English, a timeline of events, and Brief Biographies of the leading figures.
I for one tend to be a little skeptical of 'popular' history books written by people who are not trained historians, but Dan Jones' research seems to be sound, and this has whet my appetite for his next book, '1215' due for release later this year.
Its also research tool, with some useful appendices, including the text of the Magna Carta in Latin and English, a timeline of events, and Brief Biographies of the leading figures.
I for one tend to be a little skeptical of 'popular' history books written by people who are not trained historians, but Dan Jones' research seems to be sound, and this has whet my appetite for his next book, '1215' due for release later this year.
April 15, 2017
An excellent primer on the historical context of the creation of Magna Carta, written in the same accessible style that Jones used in The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England, which I also enjoyed. Magna Carta offers a good discussion of this great document's history and place in modern thinking, and also includes a modern English translation of the Magna Carta itself, as well as short biographies of the key people involved in its creation and enforcement.
October 27, 2019
'Few other documents can claim such revered status, and few will again.'
When I learned in highschool that Magna Carta was signed in 1215, little did I know how significant this document became over the years. Dan Jones shows himself a true historian in telling the story leading up to the signing of the charter in Runnymede, explaining the context and providing extensive reading material (e.g. the original Latin text of Magna Carta).
Jones once again knows how to make history come alive. Yet he shows a modern-day, rational perspective on this ancient document when he states Magna Carta is surrounded by myths which make it into something entirely different than the barons and king John had in mind.
However, Jones shows Magna Carta has proven to be vital in our thinking about freedom and the rights of those who are governed. Therefore, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know more about Magna Carta or wants to share this knowledge.
When I learned in highschool that Magna Carta was signed in 1215, little did I know how significant this document became over the years. Dan Jones shows himself a true historian in telling the story leading up to the signing of the charter in Runnymede, explaining the context and providing extensive reading material (e.g. the original Latin text of Magna Carta).
Jones once again knows how to make history come alive. Yet he shows a modern-day, rational perspective on this ancient document when he states Magna Carta is surrounded by myths which make it into something entirely different than the barons and king John had in mind.
However, Jones shows Magna Carta has proven to be vital in our thinking about freedom and the rights of those who are governed. Therefore, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know more about Magna Carta or wants to share this knowledge.
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January 27, 2021Read in 2016/17
October 21, 2022
"King John was not a good man, and no good friends had he...
May 16, 2023
A very helpful overview, written in an engaging way. I realized as I read it that my understanding of what the Magna Carta is was downright wrong. Jones’ discussion of the ways it has been misused and misunderstood helped me see why I had it wrong.
May 15, 2023
Well written and engaging. Dan Snow does an excellent job of explaining Magna Carta without a major overflow of information
January 31, 2022
Great, concise introduction to Magna Carta and its historical context! The writing style was pleasant and ensured that the material remained highly accessible.
June 26, 2015
This book does not suffer from poor editing: its writing style makes the subject immediately accessible, very informative without distracting from the point, exactly the way I like the books I read for information. This is a book short on pages but long on meaning where the words within matter. I did not rush through my read, and I pondered what I had read. It gave an excellent survey of its subject, leaving this reader wanting more but not feeling uncomfortably deprived of knowledge.
The information within was presented in a crisp, logical manner without bogging down in too much detail and ended with four appendices, each well worth my mention.
The first appendix was a straightforward interlinear Latin to English translation of the Magna Carta (1215) itself. The footnotes were an aid to understand the legal diction. I sat with a good dictionary to discover the footnotes were on par with the dictionary definitions, being a word hound. Again, exemplar of the writing I seek when reading for information.
A short biography of every major character involved with the Magna Carta was then given in two separate appendices. This was interesting to me, offering another level from which to understand the document by understanding each of its contributors and their interconnections. This addition to the book, far from an appended afterthought, brought to life the barons who I could imagine raucously contributing their personal views on any one of the 63 articles that make up the document standing around the table of the clergymen who wrote it by hand.
The last appendix is a historical timeline of events where the Magna Carta featured prominently, ending with the year 2015; the 800th anniversary of the document.
I liked this book and highly recommend it. It is a survey, a concise but thorough one, and one I will return to whenever I need a quick refresher. Being a short book, it offers up information in every paragraph and, as such, it is well worth your time.
QUOTE:
"The second decade of the twenty-first century, accompanied by loud and vigorous discussion, marks the 800th anniversary of an agreement that was born out of two generations of opposition to the excesses of early Plantagenet government during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries; this deal, and the parchment on which it was written, came to define nearly a hundred years of political conflict between English kings and their noblemen, and has since passed into the realm of myth and legend, its name called on in support of all manner of movements in which authority is challenged or restrained by the people." - Dan Jones -
The information within was presented in a crisp, logical manner without bogging down in too much detail and ended with four appendices, each well worth my mention.
The first appendix was a straightforward interlinear Latin to English translation of the Magna Carta (1215) itself. The footnotes were an aid to understand the legal diction. I sat with a good dictionary to discover the footnotes were on par with the dictionary definitions, being a word hound. Again, exemplar of the writing I seek when reading for information.
A short biography of every major character involved with the Magna Carta was then given in two separate appendices. This was interesting to me, offering another level from which to understand the document by understanding each of its contributors and their interconnections. This addition to the book, far from an appended afterthought, brought to life the barons who I could imagine raucously contributing their personal views on any one of the 63 articles that make up the document standing around the table of the clergymen who wrote it by hand.
The last appendix is a historical timeline of events where the Magna Carta featured prominently, ending with the year 2015; the 800th anniversary of the document.
I liked this book and highly recommend it. It is a survey, a concise but thorough one, and one I will return to whenever I need a quick refresher. Being a short book, it offers up information in every paragraph and, as such, it is well worth your time.
QUOTE:
"The second decade of the twenty-first century, accompanied by loud and vigorous discussion, marks the 800th anniversary of an agreement that was born out of two generations of opposition to the excesses of early Plantagenet government during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries; this deal, and the parchment on which it was written, came to define nearly a hundred years of political conflict between English kings and their noblemen, and has since passed into the realm of myth and legend, its name called on in support of all manner of movements in which authority is challenged or restrained by the people." - Dan Jones -
December 17, 2015
4.5/5
It's pretty much the same book
It's pretty much the same book
March 16, 2017
I went into reading this with a relatively limited understanding of Magna Carta and the time period. Everyone has heard of Magna Carta and Runnymede but being able to explain the importance of it is another matter. In reading this book I have taken great strides to further my knowledge and if you also have limited knowledge I recommend you start here. Dan Jones writes with authority on a subject that he knows inside out. His writing makes the book easily accessible to all but at no point does he dumb anything down.
Jones begins by explaining the background to Magna Carta. Why was it needed? Who instigated it? How did it come about? He builds up our understanding of the issues before we reach 1215 and the 'signing' at Runnymede. Which although often depicted as being signed by the hand of King John is a falsehood. It was agreed to by John before being written up and then it finally received the royal seal. That was not the end of it either despite it being written into the Magna Carta that if John goes against the terms of the Magna Carta and has not withdrawn in forty days actions will be taken to ' distrain and distress... in all ways possible' . John agreed in June and by July was already trying to bail out of it which led to the First Barons war 1215-1217. The 1215 Magna Carta was technically a failure but the idea was solid which led to it being reissue multiple times.
The book then turns to examining the impact of Magna Carta since 1215 and how it still impacts our lives today. Magna Carta is often linked in with ideas of democracy but Jones argues that 'no clause of the charter mentions, or was intended to promote, anything that we would today consider 'democratic'; indeed the idea of democracy was alien and would quite possibly have been offensive to the wealthy, oligarchical and largely self- interested barons who opposed King John in 1215.'
I found this utterly fascinating especially how so many people reference Magna Carta in the wrong way Jones goes on to cite many examples of this including David Cameron and Nelson Mandela.
The book ends with several appendices including the text of the Magna Carta, the men who led to it and the men who enforced it ending with a timeline from 1100 through to 2015 and the 800th anniversary. This book really does have it all and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to learn more about Magna Carta and its impact on history. I am now on a quest to learn more about king John because whenever I think of him this is what I get in my head...
This book started to build up a clearer picture of him but now I need to read further. I think I will begin with King John: England, Magna Carta and the Making of a Tyrant. Recommendations for furthering my knowledge are more than welcome.
Jones begins by explaining the background to Magna Carta. Why was it needed? Who instigated it? How did it come about? He builds up our understanding of the issues before we reach 1215 and the 'signing' at Runnymede. Which although often depicted as being signed by the hand of King John is a falsehood. It was agreed to by John before being written up and then it finally received the royal seal. That was not the end of it either despite it being written into the Magna Carta that if John goes against the terms of the Magna Carta and has not withdrawn in forty days actions will be taken to ' distrain and distress... in all ways possible' . John agreed in June and by July was already trying to bail out of it which led to the First Barons war 1215-1217. The 1215 Magna Carta was technically a failure but the idea was solid which led to it being reissue multiple times.
The book then turns to examining the impact of Magna Carta since 1215 and how it still impacts our lives today. Magna Carta is often linked in with ideas of democracy but Jones argues that 'no clause of the charter mentions, or was intended to promote, anything that we would today consider 'democratic'; indeed the idea of democracy was alien and would quite possibly have been offensive to the wealthy, oligarchical and largely self- interested barons who opposed King John in 1215.'
I found this utterly fascinating especially how so many people reference Magna Carta in the wrong way Jones goes on to cite many examples of this including David Cameron and Nelson Mandela.
The book ends with several appendices including the text of the Magna Carta, the men who led to it and the men who enforced it ending with a timeline from 1100 through to 2015 and the 800th anniversary. This book really does have it all and I would recommend it to anyone that wants to learn more about Magna Carta and its impact on history. I am now on a quest to learn more about king John because whenever I think of him this is what I get in my head...
This book started to build up a clearer picture of him but now I need to read further. I think I will begin with King John: England, Magna Carta and the Making of a Tyrant. Recommendations for furthering my knowledge are more than welcome.
September 1, 2018
Short, sweet, and well-designed. It can be finished in one sitting, since most of the book revolves around contextualizing the circumstances in which the document arose through a look at the rule of Henry II and John, as well as contemporary and later attitudes to these documents. Here, it is important to note the political dynamic in which the document arose and was used: first as a tool of compromise that ended up condoning the subsequent civil war, and later as an imperfect but highly symbolic assertion of a king's authority as well as right to rule. The appendixes contain a useful reference for the actual text (original and translated) of the Magna Carta, as well as a timeline as well as brief guides for characters involved.
Definitely a good primer for the subject if you are vaguely interested in the history of this document- as a student of law, history, etc. Jones does have a tendency to make what seem like simple judgments on the rule of kings ('he was the worst...' etc.), but is also quite fair in pointing out the bias and perspectives of the chronicles and accounts he uses rather than quoting them uncritically.
Definitely a good primer for the subject if you are vaguely interested in the history of this document- as a student of law, history, etc. Jones does have a tendency to make what seem like simple judgments on the rule of kings ('he was the worst...' etc.), but is also quite fair in pointing out the bias and perspectives of the chronicles and accounts he uses rather than quoting them uncritically.
February 8, 2021
In this engaging introduction to one of the Western world’s founding documents, Dan Jones breaks down the events in John’s reign, and that of his father and uncle, that led John and his baron’s to a field outside London to agree to The Great Charter.
The Magna Carta is today held up as one of the most important agreements of the past 1000 years: enshrining the principals of trial by peers and attempting to hold a king to his word.
But in many ways, as Jones points out, Magna Carta is a document of its time, that devotes as much time to Habeas Corpus as it does to fish weirs.
For those wanting to know more about Magna Carta, it’s triumphs and shortcomings, Jones has provided an easily accessible introduction.
The Magna Carta is today held up as one of the most important agreements of the past 1000 years: enshrining the principals of trial by peers and attempting to hold a king to his word.
But in many ways, as Jones points out, Magna Carta is a document of its time, that devotes as much time to Habeas Corpus as it does to fish weirs.
For those wanting to know more about Magna Carta, it’s triumphs and shortcomings, Jones has provided an easily accessible introduction.
April 28, 2025
Dan Jones kan beeldende en heldere non-fictie schrijven als een spannend boek, al komt dat bij dit korte maar boeiende boek minder tot uiting. Toch is het weer zeer de moeite waard om te lezen.
Jones brengt met verve een realistisch beeld van de Magna Carta en de historische context van 1215 tot leven om de eigenlijke bedoeling en betekenis ervan uit te leggen. Daarnaast zet hij heel helder uiteen hoe een haast vergeten oorkonde in latere eeuwen vakkundig werd ingezet als politiek middel tegen tirannieke Stuarts, waarna in mum van tijd een mythe ontstond die Britse politici in de 21e eeuw uitspraken erover laat doen die haaks op de werkelijkheid staan.
Zélfs de naam moeten we anders interpreteren: niet Grote Oorkonde, maar die grotere oorkonde dan de andere.
Jones brengt met verve een realistisch beeld van de Magna Carta en de historische context van 1215 tot leven om de eigenlijke bedoeling en betekenis ervan uit te leggen. Daarnaast zet hij heel helder uiteen hoe een haast vergeten oorkonde in latere eeuwen vakkundig werd ingezet als politiek middel tegen tirannieke Stuarts, waarna in mum van tijd een mythe ontstond die Britse politici in de 21e eeuw uitspraken erover laat doen die haaks op de werkelijkheid staan.
Zélfs de naam moeten we anders interpreteren: niet Grote Oorkonde, maar die grotere oorkonde dan de andere.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2021
This book covers a lot of what led up to the Magna Carta and very little of what comes after. Honestly, the leadup is not that interesting, in my view, given that the document itself is of little relevance insofar as its actual text is concerned. It's the legacy, and the ways that history has (mis)remembered the Magna Carta that is far more interesting, and yet that's what we get the least of.
Could have done with being longer, or at least to have had the focus shifted a little more from pre to post. The book is written nicely, though.
Could have done with being longer, or at least to have had the focus shifted a little more from pre to post. The book is written nicely, though.
March 2, 2022
Great book!
This is the second book by Dan Jones that i have read and I'm very impressed. Very well researched and written in a style that keeps you hooked. It's amazing that something as mundane as a document can have so much history behind it and have such an influence on the modern world. If you're interested at all in the Magna Carta and how it came about then you need to read this book!
This is the second book by Dan Jones that i have read and I'm very impressed. Very well researched and written in a style that keeps you hooked. It's amazing that something as mundane as a document can have so much history behind it and have such an influence on the modern world. If you're interested at all in the Magna Carta and how it came about then you need to read this book!
April 26, 2018
While I think that this is a worthy read, it is really more of a primer to the document, some analysis of the document, and the text of the document. I am looking forward to reading his other book on the subject.
Based on this book, I rank Magna Carta with the Emancipation Proclamation on the misinterpreted/overblown scale.
Based on this book, I rank Magna Carta with the Emancipation Proclamation on the misinterpreted/overblown scale.
August 14, 2018
This book is a fantastic summary of the events leading up to the creation of the 1215 Magna Carta , the copies made thereafter and its legacy. Beautifully written and a great book to gather general knowledge of events. The book also includes the clauses of the magna carta and small summaries on those who were involved.
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