The Magna Carta Libertatum, or 'Great Charter of Liberties,' was signed by King John of England at Runnymede under pressure from rebellious barons. The document was intended to curb the King's absolute power and protect the rights of the nobility and the Church. Crucially, it established the principle that the King was not above the law. One of its most famous clauses introduced the concept of due process and the right to a fair trial, stating that no 'free man' could be imprisoned or stripped of his rights without the lawful judgment of his peers. Although it was initially unsuccessful in ending the civil war and was even annulled by the Pope, the Magna Carta was reissued several times and became a foundational document for constitutional law. It later served as a primary inspiration for the United States Bill of Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.