The Magna Carta, a historic document that made the king subject to the laws of the land and limited his powers, was signed in June 1215 by King John in England. Magna Carta, which means ‘Great Charter’, laid the basis for much of the legal system as we know it today. To mark its 800th anniversary, the original remaining copies of the Charter were put on display at the British Library.
The Magna Carta Trust is also campaigning for a public holiday on 15 June 2015 – the exact anniversary – and are asking the Royal Mint to issue a commemorative coin in the same year.
Talks are also under way for a commemorative stamp.
An exhibition is expected to be held at the British Library in London, with smaller events planned for schools and libraries across the UK.
Some 160 British Council offices around the world are also considering producing displays.
The trust is aiming to make people more aware of the legal, political and constitutional importance of the document, which has World Heritage status.
It was time to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a historic battle too – the Battle of Waterloo, marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars, fought on June 18, 1815, near Waterloo in Belgium.
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