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Tertiary sourceDocument1913

Magna Carta entry, Catholic Encyclopedia 1913

Francis Fortescue Urquhart · 1913

A 1913 reference article by Francis Fortescue Urquhart summarising Magna Carta's origins, provisions and later reputation.

An encyclopedia entry summarising Magna Carta's history and correcting exaggerated later views of it.

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What it is

This is an entry on Magna Carta written by Francis Fortescue Urquhart for the Catholic Encyclopedia in 1913. It describes the charter granted by King John in 1215 and its later confirmations by Henry III, and discusses how it came to be seen as a foundation of English liberties.

Why it matters

The article shows how, by the early 20th century, Magna Carta was widely admired but also sometimes misunderstood. It notes that the charter's reputation was 'exaggerated' in the time of later legal writers such as Coke and Blackstone, while still remaining an important record of limits placed on royal power.

Look closer

  • Why might the author think earlier admirers misunderstood what Magna Carta actually said?
  • What events from King Henry II's reign does the article link to the later granting of the charter?
  • How does a short encyclopedia entry differ from a full-length historical essay on the same topic?

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.

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