Henry III

Henry III was the eldest son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême. He became king only weeks after his ninth birthday, following the sudden death of his father in October 1216. Because of Henry's youth William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, was appointed regent to govern on his behalf. Realising the urgent need to establish baronial support for the young king, William Marshal swiftly issued two revisions of Magna Carta in 1216 and 1217.

In 1225, Henry III issued a further revised version of Magna Carta in his own name. With only 37 clauses, the 1225 issue of Magna Carta was considerably shorter than the 1215 original which had 63 clauses.

Henry III's Magna Carta of 1225 is critically important because it was the text of this revised charter which was confirmed by Edward I in 1297 and was subsequently enshrined on the first statute roll.