On this day 811 years ago, England’s King John put his seal to the Magna Carta. The historic document established the foundations of parliamentary democracy, human rights and the supremacy of law for rebellious English Barons demanding freedom and legal due process. Its importance isn't only that the document itself reflected the emergence of English common law, but the scenario out of which it was born—local holders of wealth extracting concessions from a European crown head—reflects the importance of Europe in developing all modern societies. READ why that occurred... (1215)
