When it was signed by King John of England in 1215, the Magna Carta was meant to assert the traditional rights of English barons, clergy, and merchants. In time, however, the Magna Carta came to stand for the concept that:
Magna Carta was issued in June 1215 and was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government was not above the law. It sought to prevent the king from exploiting his power, and placed limits of royal authority by establishing law as a power in itself.
