Original copy of Magna Carta now on display in Washington D.C.

Scrawled in Medieval Latin on yellowing parchment, an original copy of the Magna Carta is now on view at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The historic charter turns 800 next year. To celebrate, the Library of Congress is hosting a 10-week exhibition, Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor.

The centerpiece of the show is the Lincoln Cathedral Magna Carta, on loan from its caretaker, the Lincoln Cathedral in England.

SEE ALSO: Photos: Magna Carta's legacy

The document is one of just four surviving copies from 1215. That year, English barons pressured King John (who was later villainized in the legend of Robin Hood) into signing the Magna CartaThe text had 63 clauses drawn up to limit John's power, but by far the most enduring article was this one: Read more...

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