Magna Carta

The Birth of Liberty

By: Dan Jones

Narrated by: Dan Jones

"Dan Jones has an enviable gift for telling a dramatic story while at the same time inviting us to consider serious topics like liberty and the seeds of representative government." —Antonia Fraser

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Plantagenets, a lively, action-packed history of how the Magna Carta came to be—by the author of Powers and Thrones.

The Magna Carta is revered around the world as the founding document of Western liberty. Its principles—even its language—can be found in our Bill of Rights and in the Constitution. But what was this strange document and how did it gain such legendary status?

Dan Jones takes us back to the turbulent year of 1215, when, beset by foreign crises and cornered by a growing domestic rebellion, King John reluctantly agreed to fix his seal to a document that would change the course of history. At the time of its creation the Magna Carta was just a peace treaty drafted by a group of rebel barons who were tired of the king's high taxes, arbitrary justice, and endless foreign wars. The fragile peace it established would last only two months, but its principles have reverberated over the centuries.

Jones's riveting narrative follows the story of the Magna Carta's creation, its failure, and the war that subsequently engulfed England, and charts the high points in its unexpected afterlife. Reissued by King John's successors it protected the Church, banned unlawful imprisonment, and set limits to the exercise of royal power. It established the principle that taxation must be tied to representation and paved the way for the creation of Parliament.

In 1776 American patriots, inspired by that long-ago defiance, dared to pick up arms against another English king and to demand even more far-reaching rights. We think of the Declaration of Independence as our founding document but those who drafted it had their eye on the Magna Carta.

Another Dan Jones hit!

Never thought I’d read a book about a document like the Magna Carta ever, let alone enjoy it so thoroughly!

An Intriguing History

The author presents a fascinating history of the events that precipitated and followed the formation of the Magna Carta. The seemingly inconsequential agreement that survived only for a few weeks gave rise to the modern democratic movement.

Insightful Telling of History

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I came into this book with almost no understanding of the history of Europe or the history of the Magna Carta beyond its influence on American political documents and thinking. I chose this book to learn some of the most enduring ideas in this enduring work and I was not disappointed. I found the amazing machinations of history and the real world demands of people that brought together the forces that created the Magna Carta compelling as well. Suffice it to say, I did not have any difficulty in drawing comparisons of the challenges presented by King John to our modern political context and that made me somewhat hopeful The audio book was strengthened by the author being the reader.

Clear account of Magna Carta's history

I think this book may be written with people who have subject matter knowledge in mind. Still, it is highly accessible.

Great listen and narration

I really like dan jones. I first discovered him by the series secrets of great British castles and when I saw he wrote and narrated this one I immediately had to get it. I definitely wasn’t disappointed!