Question

(16) No man shall be forced to perform more service for a knight’s ‘fee,’ or other free holding of land, than is due from it. Background - In the feudal era serfs worked for the protection of knights. Lords paid knights with a small plot of land called a fief.

Translate demand (16) into your own words


(from Magna Carta)

Answer 1

Basically, demand 16 of the Magna Carta put a limit to feudalism in England, establishing that citizens under the sovereignty of the King could not be compelled to render forced or additional services to be able to win rights, but these had to be guaranteed by the monarchy. and, as consideration, only the necessary taxes had to be paid, which were the same for the entire population.

Thus, monarchical absolutism was limited by stopping the King's ability to use citizens as mere servants of the monarchy.