The primary purpose of the Magna Carta, signed in 1215, was to limit the powers of the English monarchy and protect the rights of feudal barons. The charter established the principle that everyone, including the king, was subject to the law. It sought to address grievances related to taxation and arbitrary justice. Although its immediate impact was limited, the Magna Carta laid the foundation for modern democracy and the development of constitutional law, influencing many subsequent documents and legal systems, including the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.