Factfile

Magna Carta

Magna Carta

King John sealed the Magna Carta in June 1215 and Llewelyn Fawr was one of the witnesses to the event. For Wales, at the time there were three fundamental points of concern:

• Neither the Welsh or the English should remain in possession of lands unjustly seized;
• It acknowledged that the right to land in Pura Wallia (independent Wales) should be decided according to the Law of Wales; and
• It acknowledged that the right to land in Marchia Wallie (lands ruled by the Marcher barons who were Anglo-Normans) should be decided according to the Law of the March.

This was the first time Pura Wallia and Marchia Wallie were differentiated.

The Magna Carta was re-issued a number of times and generally the 1297 version is the version now referred to, which was sealed by Edward I.