The Elfin Blog

The other day I decided to share some of the Magna Carta with my 7th grade students who are studying Great Britain. I’ve never really read through the whole document until now. I was interested and surprised by some of the guarantees King John made to his nobles and freemen. Some of my favorites:

“(7) At her husband’s death, a widow may have her marriage portion and inheritance at once and without trouble. She shall pay nothing for her dower, marriage portion, or any inheritance that she and her husband held jointly on the day of his death. She may remain in her husband’s house for forty days after his death, and within this period her dower shall be assigned to her.”

I think it’s really cool that the widow gets to have a place to live for forty days after her husband dies.

“(8) No widow shall be compelled to marry, so long as she wishes to remain without a husband. But she must give security that she will not marry without royal consent, if she holds her lands of the Crown, or without the consent of whatever other lord she may hold them of.”

It’s important to keep tabs on the ladies, especially if they hold land that belongs to the King.

“(10) If anyone who has borrowed a sum of money from Jews dies before the debt has been repaid, his heir shall pay no interest on the debt for so long as he remains under age…”

Or better still:

(11) If a man dies owing money to Jews, his wife may have her dower and pay nothing towards the debt from it. If he leaves children that are under age, their needs may also be provided for on a scaleappropriate to the size of his holding of lands. The debt is to be paid out of the residue, reserving the service due to his feudal lords. Debts owed to persons other than Jews are to be dealt with similarly.

I also like this one:

(23) No town or person shall be forced to build bridges over rivers except those with an ancient obligation to do so.

Seems reasonable.