Magna carta (Великая хартия вольностей) — страница 3

Magna Charta. But in 1946, the British government officially adopted the Latin spelling, Magna Carta. The decline of feudalism. Magna Carta marks a clear stage in the collapse of English feudalism. Feudal society was based on links between lord and vassal. At Runnymede the nobles were not acting as vassals but as a class (remember the council of 25 members). In addition, the nobles were acting in co-operation with the merchant class of towns. There were other small signs that the feudalism was changing. When the King went to war he had the right for forty days’ fighting service from each of his lords. But forty days were not long enough for fighting a war in France. The nobles refused to fight for longer, so the King was forced to pay soldiers to fight for him. At the same time

many lords preferred their vassals to pay them in money rather than in services. Besides, the use of land in return for service was beginning to weaken. Vassals were gradually beginning to change into tenants. Cities grew wealthier and became more important than stone castles. Nevertheless, feudalism was still strong and it took another three hundred years before it disappeared completely. Literature: 1.     An illustrated history of Britain/ David McDowal, 1989. 2.     Panorama of Great Britain/ L.S.Baranovskij, D.D.Kozikis, 1990. 3.     British History/ Harold J.Schultz, 1992. 4.     The World Book Encyclopedia (volume 7, 13), 1994. 5.     История Англии/

составитель Г.С.Усова, 1998. Conclusion. In conclusion I’d like to summon up all there results of the signing of Magna Carta: 1.     In Magna Carta many rights were granted to the English aristocracy; 2.     Magna Carta placed the King under the law and decisively checked royal power; 3.     The Charter stated that the King must seek advice and consent of the barons in all matters important to the kingdom. In later centuries such articles were used to support the argument that no law should be made or tax raised without the consent of England’s parliament; 4.     A few articles became foundations for modern justice. The idea of due process of law, including trial by jury,

developed from these articles; 5.     Magna Carta did the first step in the decline of feudalism; 6.     Magna Carta is a document that played an important role in the development of constitutional government in England. In later centuries much of the rest of the world also benefited from it, because many other democratic countries followed English law in creating their own governments. Plan: 1.     The Reign of King John, 1199-1216. 2.     John and the King of France. 3.     John and the Pope. 4.     John and the barons, reasons for the Charter. 5.     Magna Carta. 6.     The Charter after 1215. 7.    

The decline of feudalism. 8.     Conclusion.