What did King John sign that limited the King's power?

What did King John sign that limited the King's power?

• A. The Petition of Right
• B. The Bill of Rights
• C. The Magna Carta
• D. The Charter of the Forest

Answer: (C)

Limiting the king’s power through the rule of law is the key idea here. In 1215, King John agreed to Magna Carta at Runnymede, a charter that forced the king to operate within laws, required consent for certain taxes, and protected the nobles’ (and eventually broader subjects’) legal rights. By tying the king’s authority to legal obligations and due process, Magna Carta introduced the principle that rulers are not above the law, setting a precedent for later constitutional limits on monarchy. The other documents come from different moments or address other issues: the Petition of Right restricts royal prerogatives under Charles I, the Bill of Rights enshrines limits after the Glorious Revolution, and the Charter of the Forest deals with specific forest rights rather than broad political limits. Magna Carta is the earliest and most direct step toward limiting royal power.

Limiting the king’s power through the rule of law is the key idea here. In 1215, King John agreed to Magna Carta at Runnymede, a charter that forced the king to operate within laws, required consent for certain taxes, and protected the nobles’ (and eventually broader subjects’) legal rights. By tying the king’s authority to legal obligations and due process, Magna Carta introduced the principle that rulers are not above the law, setting a precedent for later constitutional limits on monarchy. The other documents come from different moments or address other issues: the Petition of Right restricts royal prerogatives under Charles I, the Bill of Rights enshrines limits after the Glorious Revolution, and the Charter of the Forest deals with specific forest rights rather than broad political limits. Magna Carta is the earliest and most direct step toward limiting royal power.