Magna Carta is one of the most famous documents in the world. First written in 1215, it set out rules limiting the power of the monarchy and safeguarding basic human rights. Over its long history it has been reinterpreted as an icon of justice and liberty. Magna Carta is one of the historic foundations of Australian democracy. Its principles about the rule of law and good government remain relevant today.
Explore Magna Carta through its clauses or view the stories to discover how people have used this medieval document to shape modern Australia.
There are four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 Magna Carta: the one pictured in this site is from the British Library. The Australian Parliament holds one of the four surviving originals of the 1297 Inspeximus issue of Magna Carta. Inspeximus means that, after inspection, it confirms a charter made by a former king.
Magna Carta was hand–lettered in Latin with a quill pen, using the letterforms and abbreviations of the time: for the modern reader several aspects of the orthography—the conventions for how the language was written down—are of interest.
The Capital N (which starts many clauses with the word Nullus) is drawn as a gate with up to seven crossbars, the lowest of which reach part-way across.
Many other capitals such as H and S use multiple lines and there are several variations for some capital letters: see for example the initial S at the start of clauses 2 and 3 respectively.
Many other capitals such as H and S use multiple lines and there are several variations for some capital letters: see for example the initial S at the start of clauses 2 and 3 respectively.
Many other capitals such as H and S use multiple lines and there are several variations for some capital letters: see for example the initial S at the start of clauses 2 and 3 respectively.
The capital C has a closed bowl.
The capital O and Q are written with a line down the middle.
The capital O and Q are written with a line down the middle.
The lowercase d has a strongly slanted ascender and a small bowl, as does the initial v, as in “iudicium viginti”.
The “long S”, similar to a lowercase f with a tiny crossbar on the left side only, is found at the beginning and the middle of words: the modern s (the “short”, “terminal” or “round” S) is generally used at the end of words (except for where it is not as in “vendemus” in clause 40).
The “long S”, similar to a lowercase f with a tiny crossbar on the left side only, is found at the beginning and the middle of words: the modern s (the “short”, “terminal” or “round” S) is generally used at the end of words (except for where it is not as in “vendemus” in clause 40).
Some common words are abbreviated: et, meaning “and” is sometimes spelled out and sometimes represented with a figure similar to a dash with a tail. In modern English we might use “&”.
Here, “nostra” (our country) is abbreviated “n(ost)ra” with a diacritic representing “ost”.
“Per”, meaning “of”, is often written as a p with a crossbar on the descender.