what was the magna carta and why was it made?
Back to top. Magna Carta On the 19 June 1215 at Runnymede King John signed the Magna Carta. (This means Great Charter.) It was the first formal document stating that a King had to follow the laws of the land and it guaranteed the rights of individuals against the wishes of the King.
On June 15, 1215, in a field at Runnymede, King John affixed his seal to Magna Carta. Confronted by 40 rebellious barons, he consented to their demands in order to avert civil war. Just 10 weeks later, Pope Innocent III nullified the agreement, and England plunged into internal war.