Primary sourceDocument1297

Magna Carta 1297 (National Archives, Washington)

Edward I of England · 1297

A 1297 statute confirmation of Magna Carta issued by Edward I, now displayed in the US National Archives alongside the Declaration of Independence.

This 1297 reissue by Edward I confirmed Magna Carta's terms as law, extending the charter's authority.

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Photograph of a large medieval parchment document covered in handwritten Latin text in brown ink, with a red wax seal hanging on a strip of parchment tabs at the bottom. Several small holes and tears are visible along the edges. — Edward I, confirmation of Magna Carta, 1297. National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.

About this source

What it is

This is a 1297 version of Magna Carta, confirmed and reissued as a statute by King Edward I of England. It later passed through the Brudenell family and the Earls of Cardigan, then the Perot Foundation, before being acquired in 2007 by David Rubenstein, who loaned it to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., where it is now on public display.

Why it matters

By the time Edward I confirmed Magna Carta in 1297, it had become a permanent part of English statute law. Displaying this copy beside the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution highlights the charter's influence on American ideas of law and rights, even though it was written for a very different medieval context.

Look closer

Why might Americans see Magna Carta as part of their own constitutional story, even though it was written for medieval England?
What does it mean that this document passed through private hands for centuries before being displayed publicly?
How does displaying this document next to the Declaration of Independence shape how visitors understand it?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Magna Carta on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.