June 15: Magna Carta Is Sealed
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Medieval history reminds us that on June 15, 1215, King John signed Magna Carta, establishing that even kings must follow the law—an idea still echoing in courts today.
Today in history, June 15, 1215: a cornered king met rebel barons in a meadow at Runnymede, and the idea that power should answer to law took written form. King John accepted the terms that became Magna Carta, a charter meant to end a political crisis by limiting royal abuse and protecting certain liberties. It did not create modern democracy overnight, and its first version collapsed almost immediately into war. But the principle endured: even the ruler is not above the law. That is why a failed peace deal from 1215 still echoes in courts, constitutions, and arguments about liberty today.
