John
King of England; Lord of Ireland (more...)
John from the Historia Anglorum by Henry of Huntingdon
Reign	6 April 1199 – 18/19 October 1216
Predecessor	Richard I
Successor	Henry III
Spouse Consort	Isabella of Gloucester (1189–1199) Isabella of Angoulême (1200–1220)
Issue
Henry III Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall Joan, Queen of Scots Isabella, Holy Roman Empress Eleanor, Countess of Leicester
Detail Titles and styles
The King The Earl of Gloucester and Cornwall The Earl of Cornwall John Plantagenet
Royal house	House of Plantagenet
Father	Henry II
Mother	Eleanor of Aquitaine
Born	24 December 1167(1167-12-24) Beaumont Palace, Oxford
Died	18/19 October 1216 (aged 48) Newark Castle, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
Burial	Worcester Cathedral, Worcester

John (24 December 1167 – 19 October 1216)^[1][2] reigned as King of England from 6 April 1199, until his death. The precise style of British Sovereigns has varied over the years For Earl Henry father of two Scottish kings see Henry of Scotland 3rd Earl of Huntingdon Henry of Huntingdon (c Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death Henry III (1 October 1207 &ndash 16 November 1272 was the son and successor of John "Lackland" as King of England, reigning for fifty-six years from 1216 Isabel of Gloucester (c1173- 14 October 1217) was the first wife of King John of England. Isabella of Angoulême ( Fr Isabelle d'Angoulême; (1188 &ndash May 31, 1246) was Countess of Angoulême and Queen consort Henry III (1 October 1207 &ndash 16 November 1272 was the son and successor of John "Lackland" as King of England, reigning for fifty-six years from 1216 Richard of Cornwall ( 5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was Count of Poitou (from 1225 to 1243 Earl of Cornwall (from For Isabella of England the daughter of Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, see Isabella de Coucy. Eleanor of England (also called Eleanor Plantagenet 1 and Eleanor of Leicester) (* 1215 in Gloucester; † 13 A royal house or royal dynasty is a familial designation or Family name of sorts used by Royalty. Angevin (ˈændʒəvɪn ( French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin Andegavinus from Andegavia Anjou, France) is the name applied For other Eleanors of England see Eleanor of England (disambiguation Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine (1122&ndash1 April 1204 Events 563 - The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by Earthquakes Beaumont Palace in Oxford was built by Henry I about 1130 to serve as a royal Palace conveniently close to the royal hunting-lodge at Woodstock Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. Newark Castle may refer to Newark Castle Fife, Scotland Newark Castle Port Glasgow in Inverclyde, Scotland Newark Newark-on-Trent (generally shortened to Newark) is a Market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. Nottinghamshire (abbreviated Notts) is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Worcester, England situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. Worcester (ˈwʊstə is a city and County town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. Events 563 - The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by Earthquakes Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. The Kings of Wessex, who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825 became increasingly dominant over the other kingdoms of England during Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus He succeeded to the throne as the younger brother of King Richard I (known in later times as "Richard the Lionheart"). Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death John acquired the nicknames of "Lackland" (French: Sans Terre) for his lack of an inheritance as the youngest son and for his loss of territory to France, and of "Soft-sword" for his alleged military ineptitude. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ^[3] He was a Plantagenet or Angevin king. The House of Plantagenet (planˈtadʒɪnɪt also called the House of Anjou, or the First Angevin dynasty, was originally a noble Angevin (ˈændʒəvɪn ( French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin Andegavinus from Andegavia Anjou, France) is the name applied

As a historical figure, John is best known for acquiescing to the nobility and signing Magna Carta, a document that limited his power and that is popularly regarded as an early first step in the evolution of modern democracy. Magna Carta ( Latin for Great Charter, literally " Great Paper " also called Magna Carta Libertatum ( Great Charter of Freedoms Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system He has often appeared in historical fiction, particularly as an enemy of Robin Hood. Robin Hood is an archetypal figure in English folklore, whose story originates from medieval times but who remains significant in popular culture where

Birth

John deer hunting, from a manuscript in the British Library. The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom.

Born at Beaumont Palace, Oxford, John was the fifth son and last of eight children born to Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Beaumont Palace in Oxford was built by Henry I about 1130 to serve as a royal Palace conveniently close to the royal hunting-lodge at Woodstock Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, For other Eleanors of England see Eleanor of England (disambiguation Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine (1122&ndash1 April 1204 Some authors, noting Henry's stay at Woodstock, near Oxford, with Eleanor in March 1166, assert that John was born in that year, and not 1167. Woodstock Palace was a royal residence in the English town of Woodstock, Oxfordshire. ^[4][5]

John was a younger maternal half-brother of Marie de Champagne and Alix of France, his mother's children by her first marriage to Louis VII of France, which was later annulled. Marie of France, or Marie Capet, Countess of Champagne (1145 &ndash March 11, 1198) was the elder daughter of Louis VII of France Alix of France (summer 1151 &ndash 1197/1198 was the second daughter born to Louis VII of France by his first wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. Louis VII, called the Younger or the Young (Louis le Jeune 1120 – 18 September 1180) was King of France, the son and successor He was a younger brother of William, Count of Poitiers; Henry the Young King; Matilda, Duchess of Saxony; Richard I of England; Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany; Leonora, Queen of Castile; and Joan, Queen of Sicily

Early life

While John was his father's favourite son, as the youngest he could expect no inheritance, and thus came to receive the surname Lackland, before his accession to the throne. William (17 August 1153 &ndash April 1156 was the first child of Henry Plantagenet (later Henry II of England) and Eleanor of Aquitaine, born in Henry the Young King ( 28 February 1155 – 11 June 1183) was the second of five sons of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine Matilda of England (also called Maud; 1156 &ndash 13 July 1189) was the eldest daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death Geoffrey II Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond ( 23 September 1158 – 19 August 1186) was Duke of Brittany between 1181 and 1186 For other Eleanors of England see Eleanor of England (disambiguation Princess Eleanor of England and Aquitaine (later Leonora Joan of England (October 1165 &ndash 4 September 1199 was the seventh child of Henry II of England and his Queen consort, Eleanor of Aquitaine. "Heir" and "Heiress" redirect here For the men and women fragrances endorsed by Paris Hilton see Heiress (fragrance. His family life was tumultuous, as his mother and older brothers all became involved in repeated rebellions against Henry. The Revolt of 1173&ndash1174 was a rebellion against Henry II of England by three of his sons his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine and rebel supporters Eleanor was imprisoned by Henry in 1173, when John was a small boy.

As a child, John was betrothed to Alys (pronounced 'Alice'), daughter and heiress of Humbert III of Savoy. Humbert III (1135–1189 surnamed the Blessed, was Count of Savoy from 1148 to 1189 It was hoped that by this marriage the Angevin dynasty would extend its influence beyond the Alps because, through the marriage contract, John was promised the inheritance of Savoy, the Piemonte, Maurienne, and the other possessions of Count Humbert. For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French Piedmont ( Piemonte; Piedmontese and Occitan: Piemont; French: Piémont) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. Maurienne is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the Arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France. King Henry promised his youngest son castles in Normandy which had been previously promised to his brother Geoffrey, which was for some time a bone of contention between King Henry and his son Geoffrey. Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. Alys made the trip over the Alps and joined Henry's court, but she died before the marriage occurred.

Gerald of Wales relates that King Henry had a curious painting in a chamber of Winchester Castle, depicting an eagle being attacked by three of its chicks, while a fourth chick crouched, waiting for its chance to strike. Gerald of Wales (c 1146 &ndash c 1223 also known as Gerallt Gymro in Welsh or Giraldus Cambrensis in Latin, Winchester Castle, is a Castle in England in the city of Winchester, in the county of Hampshire, built in 1067 When asked the meaning of this picture, King Henry said:

The four young ones of the eagle are my four sons, who will not cease persecuting me even unto death. And the youngest, whom I now embrace with such tender affection, will someday afflict me more grievously and perilously than all the others.

Before his accession, John had already acquired a reputation for treachery, having conspired sometimes with and sometimes against his elder brothers, Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey. In 1184, John and Richard both claimed that they were the rightful heir to Aquitaine, one of many unfriendly encounters between the two. In 1185, John became the ruler of Ireland, whose people grew to despise him, causing John to leave after only eight months. The 1185 expedition of the future King John of England to Ireland has attracted much historical debate due to the lack of government records available and the subsequent

Education and literacy

Henry II had at first intended that John would receive an appropriate education to enter into the Church, which would have meant Henry did not have to apportion him land or other inheritance. In 1171, however, Henry began negotiations to betroth John to the daughter of Count Humbert III of Savoy (who had no son yet and so wanted a son-in-law. Humbert III (1135–1189 surnamed the Blessed, was Count of Savoy from 1148 to 1189 ) After that, talk of making John a cleric ceased. John's parents had both received a good education — Henry spoke some half dozen languages, and Eleanor had attended lectures at what would soon become the University of Paris — in addition to what they had learned of law and government, religion, and literature. The historic University of Paris (Université de Paris first appeared in the second half of the 13th century Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society John himself had received one of the best educations of any king of England. Some of the books the records show he read included: De Sacramentis Christianae Fidei by Hugh of St. Victor, Sentences by Peter Lombard, The Treatise of Origen, and a history of England—potentially Wace's Roman de Brut, based on Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae. Peter Lombard or Petrus Lombardus; (c 1100 — July 20, 1160 in Paris) was a scholastic theologian and Bishop and author Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca WACE (730 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format Geoffrey of Monmouth ( Gruffudd ap Arthur or Sieffre o Fynwy) (c The Historia Regum Britanniae ( English: The History of the Kings of Britain) is a pseudohistorical account of British history

Schoolchildren have at times been taught that King John had to approve the Magna Carta by attaching his seal to it because he lacked the ability to read or write. Magna Carta ( Latin for Great Charter, literally " Great Paper " also called Magna Carta Libertatum ( Great Charter of Freedoms traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen, This textbook inaccuracy ignored the fact that King John had a large library he treasured until the end of his life. ^[6] It is unknown whether the authors of these errors knew better and oversimplified because they wrote for children or whether they were simply misinformed. As a result of this error, generations of adults remembered mainly two things about "wicked King John," both of them wrong; his illiteracy and his supposed association with Robin Hood. Robin Hood is an archetypal figure in English folklore, whose story originates from medieval times but who remains significant in popular culture where

King John did actually sign the draft of the Charter that the negotiating parties hammered out in the tent on Charter Island at Runnymede on 15 June–18 June 1215, but it took the clerks and scribes working in the royal offices some time after everyone went home to prepare the final copies, which they then sealed and delivered to the appropriate officials. Magna Carta Island is an Island in the River Thames in England on the reach above Bell Weir Lock. Runnymede is a Water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the county of Surrey, England, associated with the signing of the Magna Carta Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries In those days, legal documents were made official by seals, not by signatures. When William the Conqueror (and his wife) signed the Accord of Winchester (Image) in 1072, for example, they and all the bishops signed with crosses, as illiterate people would later do, but they did so in accordance with current legal practice, not because the bishops could not write their own names. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages The Accord of Winchester is the document that establishes the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Archbishop of York.

Richard's absence

During Richard's absence on the Third Crusade from 1190 to 1194, John attempted to overthrow William Longchamp, the Bishop of Ely and Richard's designated justiciar. The Third Crusade (1189&ndash1192 also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin William Longchamp (sometimes William de Longchamp or William de Longchamps) (died 1197 was a medieval chancellor of England Chief Jusiticar and A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor John was more popular than Longchamp in London, and in October 1191 the leading citizens of the city opened the gates to him while Longchamp was confined in the tower. John promised the city the right to govern itself as a commune in return for recognition as Richard's heir presumptive. ^[7] This was one of the events that inspired later writers to cast John as the villain in their reworking of the legend of Robin Hood. Robin Hood is an archetypal figure in English folklore, whose story originates from medieval times but who remains significant in popular culture where

While returning from the Crusade, Richard was captured by Leopold V, Duke of Austria, and imprisoned by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor. Leopold V (1157 &ndash December 31, 1194) the Virtuous, was a Babenberg Duke of Austria from 1177 to 1194 and Styria Henry VI (November 1165 – 28 September 1197) was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197 Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King Eleanor was forced to pay a large ransom for Richard's release. On his return to England in 1194, Richard forgave John and named him as his heir.

Reign

English Royalty
House of Plantagenet
Armorial of Plantagenet
John
Henry III
Richard, Earl of Cornwall
Joan, Queen of Scots
Isabella, Holy Roman Empress
Eleanor, Countess of Leicester

Dispute with Arthur

When Richard died, John failed to gain immediate universal recognition as king. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy The House of Plantagenet (planˈtadʒɪnɪt also called the House of Anjou, or the First Angevin dynasty, was originally a noble Family chief Heirs cadets House of Lancaster House of York Henry III (1 October 1207 &ndash 16 November 1272 was the son and successor of John "Lackland" as King of England, reigning for fifty-six years from 1216 Richard of Cornwall ( 5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was Count of Poitou (from 1225 to 1243 Earl of Cornwall (from For Isabella of England the daughter of Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, see Isabella de Coucy. Eleanor of England (also called Eleanor Plantagenet 1 and Eleanor of Leicester) (* 1215 in Gloucester; † 13 Some regarded his young nephew, Arthur of Brittany, the son of John's late brother Geoffrey, as the rightful heir. Nephew is a term referring to the son of one's Sibling. Sons of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews even though there is no blood relation Arthur I (29 March 1187 &ndash 1203 was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1203 Arthur fought his uncle for the throne, with the support of King Philip II of France. Philip II Augustus (Philippe Auguste ( 21 August[[ 165]] &ndash 14 July 1223) was the King of France from 1180 until his death The conflict between Arthur and King John had fatal consequences. Arthur I (29 March 1187 &ndash 1203 was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1203 By the May 1200 Treaty of Le Goulet, Philip recognised John over Arthur, and the two came to terms regarding John's vassalage for Normandy and the Angevin territories. The Treaty of Le Goulet was signed by the kings John of England and Philip II of France in May 1200 and meant to settle once and for all the claims the However, the peace was ephemeral.

The war upset the barons of Poitou enough for them to seek redress from the King of France, who was King John's feudal overlord with respect to certain territories on the Continent. Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed In 1202, John was summoned to the French court to answer to certain charges, one of which was his kidnapping and later marriage to Isobel of Angouleme, who was already engaged to Guy de Lusignan. John was called to Phillip's court after the Lusignans pleaded for his help. John refused, and, under feudal law, because of his failure of service to his lord, the French King claimed the lands and territories ruled by King John as Count of Poitou, declaring all John's French territories except Gascony in the southwest forfeit. Gascony (Gascogne gaskɔɲ Gascon Occitan: Gasconha, pronounced) is an area of southwest France that constituted a province of France The French promptly invaded Normandy; King Philip II invested Arthur with all those fiefs King John once held (except for Normandy) and betrothed him to his daughter Marie. Arthur I (29 March 1187 &ndash 1203 was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1203

Needing to supply a war across the English Channel, in 1203 John ordered all shipyards (including inland places such as Gloucester) in England to provide at least one ship, with places such as the newly-built Portsmouth being responsible for several. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB Portsmouth ( HMS ''Nelson'') is one of three operating bases for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and He made Portsmouth the new home of the navy. (The Anglo-Saxon kings, such as Edward the Confessor, had royal harbours constructed on the south coast at Sandwich, and most importantly, Hastings. Anglo-Saxon monarchs were the rulers of the various kingdoms which arose in England following the withdrawal of the Romans in the fifth century King Edward the Confessor (c 1003 &ndash 5 January 1066 son of Ethelred the Unready, was the penultimate Anglo-Saxon King of England and the last A sandwich is a food item made of two or more slices of Bread with one or more layers of a filling ) By the end of 1204, he had 45 large galleys available to him, and from then on an average of four new ones every year. A galley (from Greek γαλέα - galea is an ancient Ship which can be propelled entirely by human oarsmen, used for Warfare He also created an Admiralty of four admirals, responsible for various parts of the new navy. The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. During John's reign, major improvements were made in ship design, including the addition of sails and removable forecastles. Forecastle, also spelled fo'c's'le (ˈfoʊksəl originally meant the upper deck of a Sailing ship, forward of the Foremast. He also created the first big transport ships, called buisses. John is sometimes credited with the founding of the modern Royal Navy. The British Royal Navy was formally created after the Union between England and Scotland in 1707 which merged the English Navy with the Royal Scots Navy What is known about this navy comes from the Pipe Rolls, since these achievements are ignored by the chroniclers and early historians. The Pipe Rolls are a series of financial records from England, beginning in 1130 and lasting mostly complete until 1833.

In the hope of avoiding trouble in England and Wales while he was away fighting to recover his French lands, in 1205, John formed an alliance by marrying off his illegitimate daughter, Joan, to the Welsh prince Llywelyn the Great. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Joan Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, (c 1188 &ndash February 2, 1237) was the wife of Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales and Genealogy and early life Llywelyn was born about 1173 the son of Iorwerth ap Owain and the grandson of Owain Gwynedd, who had been ruler of Gwynedd until his death

During the conflict, Arthur attempted to kidnap his own grandmother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, at Mirebeau, but was defeated and captured by John's forces. Arthur I (29 March 1187 &ndash 1203 was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1203 In Criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or Asportation of a person against the person's will usually to hold the person in False imprisonment For other Eleanors of England see Eleanor of England (disambiguation Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine (1122&ndash1 April 1204 Arthur was imprisoned first at Falaise and then at Rouen. No one is certain what ultimately happened to Arthur. According to the Margam Annals, on 3 April 1203:

After King John had captured Arthur and kept him alive in prison for some time in the castle of Rouen. Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. . . when [John] was drunk he slew [Arthur] with his own hand and tying a heavy stone to the body cast it into the Seine. The Seine (sɛn in French) is a slow flowing major River and commercial waterway within the regions of Île-de-France and Haute-Normandie

However, Hubert de Burgh, the officer commanding the Rouen fortress, claimed to have delivered Arthur around Easter 1203 to agents of the King who had been sent to castrate him. Arthur I (29 March 1187 &ndash 1203 was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1203 Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Castration (also referred to as Gelding, Neutering, Fixing, orchiectomy, and orchidectomy is any action surgical, chemical He reported that Arthur had died of shock. de Burgh later retracted his statement and claimed Arthur still lived, but no one saw Arthur alive again. The supposition that he was murdered caused Brittany, and later Normandy, to rebel against King John. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into

In addition to capturing Arthur, John also captured Arthur's sister, his niece Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany. Arthur I (29 March 1187 &ndash 1203 was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1203 Eleanor the "Fair Maid of Brittany" (c 1184 &ndash 10 August 1241) was the daughter of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Constance Duchess of Brittany Eleanor remained a prisoner until her death in 1241. Through deeds such as these, John acquired a reputation for ruthlessness.

Dealings with Bordeaux

In 1203, John exempted the citizens and merchants of Bordeaux from the Grande Coutume, which was the principal tax on their exports. ( Gascon: Bordèu) is a port city in southwest France, with one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area at a 2008 estimate The Grande Coutume (English Great Custom was a principal Export Tax imposed by the English on products from the Gascony, Bordeaux In exchange, the regions of Bordeaux, Bayonne and Dax pledged support against the French Crown. Bayonne ( French: Bayonne bajɔn Gascon Occitan and Basque: Baiona) is a city and commune of southwest Dax is a commune of Aquitaine in southwestern France, Sous-préfecture of the Landes département The unblocked ports gave Gascon merchants open access to the English wine market for the first time. The following year, John granted the same exemptions to La Rochelle and Poitou. La Rochelle is a city in western France, and a Seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers. ^[8]

Dispute with the Pope

Pope Innocent III and King John had a disagreement about who would become Archbishop of Canterbury which lasted from 1205 until 1213.

When Archbishop of Canterbury Hubert Walter died on 13 July 1205, John became involved in a dispute with Pope Innocent III. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Hubert Walter ( c 1160&ndash13 July 1205 was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Pope Innocent III ( February 22, 1161 &ndash June 16, 1216) born Lotario de' Conti di Segni, was Pope from January The Canterbury Cathedral chapter claimed the sole right to elect Hubert's successor and favoured Reginald, a candidate out of their midst. Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a However, both the English bishops and the king had an interest in the choice of successor to this powerful office. The king wanted John de Gray, one of his own men, so he could influence the church more. John de Gray (died 18 October 1214 was Bishop of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk, as well as being elected Archbishop of Canterbury, but ^[9] When their dispute could not be settled, the Chapter secretly elected one of their members as Archbishop. A second election imposed by John resulted in another nominee. When they both appeared in Rome, Innocent disavowed both elections, and his candidate, Stephen Langton, was elected over the objections of John's observers. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Stephen Cardinal Langton (c 1150 &ndash July 9, 1228) was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1207 and his death in 1228 and was a central John was supported in his position by the English barons and many of the English bishops and refused to accept Langton. Baron is a specific Title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber

John expelled the Chapter in July 1207, to which the Pope reacted by imposing the interdict on the kingdom. In the Roman Catholic Church, the word interdict (in’tér-dikt usually refers to an Ecclesiastical penalty John immediately retaliated by seizure of church property for failure to provide feudal service. The Pope, realizing that too long a period without church services could lead to loss of faith, gave permission for some churches to hold Mass behind closed doors in 1209. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1212, they allowed last rites to the dying. Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name While the interdict was a burden to many, it did not result in rebellion against John.

In November 1209 John was excommunicated, and in February 1213, Innocent threatened England with a Crusade led by Philip Augustus of France. Excommunication is a religious Censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community Philip had wanted to place his son Louis, the future Louis IX on the English throne. John, suspicious of the military support his barons would offer, submitted to the pope. Innocent III quickly called off the Crusade as he had never really planned for it to go ahead. The papal terms for submission were accepted in the presence of the papal legate Pandulph in May 1213 (according to Matthew Paris, at the Templar Church at Dover);^[10] in addition, John offered to surrender the Kingdom of England to God and the Saints Peter and Paul for a feudal service of 1,000 marks annually, 700 for England and 300 for Ireland. A Papal Legate – from the Latin authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the Pope to Foreign nations or to some part of the Catholic Pandulph (or Pandolph or Pandolfo or Pandulf Masca) (d September 16 1226) was a Roman ecclesiastical politician papal legate to Matthew Paris (c 1200 &ndash 1259 was a Benedictine monk English chronicler, artist in Illuminated manuscripts and Cartographer The history of the Knights Templar in England began when the French nobleman Hughes de Payens, the founder and Grand Master of the order Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and ^[11] With this submission, formalised in the Bulla Aurea (Golden Bull), John gained the valuable support of his papal overlord in his new dispute with the English barons. A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope.

Dispute with the barons

John signing Magna Carta

Having successfully put down the Welsh Uprising of 1211 and settling his dispute with the papacy, John turned his attentions back to his overseas interests. Magna Carta ( Latin for Great Charter, literally " Great Paper " also called Magna Carta Libertatum ( Great Charter of Freedoms The European wars culminated in defeat at the Battle of Bouvines (1214), which forced the king to accept an unfavourable peace with France. The Battle of Bouvines July 27, 1214, was a conclusive medieval battle ending the twelve year old War of Bouvines took ground exactly opposite in

The defeat finally turned the largest part of his barons against him, although some had already rebelled against him after he was excommunicated by the Pope. The nobles joined together and demanded concessions. John met their leaders at Runnymede, near London on 15 June 1215 to seal the Great Charter, called in Latin Magna Carta. Runnymede is a Water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the county of Surrey, England, associated with the signing of the Magna Carta London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Magna Carta ( Latin for Great Charter, literally " Great Paper " also called Magna Carta Libertatum ( Great Charter of Freedoms Because he had signed under duress, however, John received approval from his overlord the Pope to break his word as soon as hostilities had ceased, provoking the First Barons' War and an invited French invasion by Prince Louis of France (whom the majority of the English barons had invited to replace John on the throne). The First Barons' War ( 1215 &ndash 1217) was a combination of a Civil war in the Kingdom of England between on the one hand the forces of Louis VIII the Lion ( 5 September 1187 – 8 November 1226) reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226 John travelled around the country to oppose the rebel forces, including a personal two month siege of the rebel-held Rochester Castle. Rochester Castle ( stands on the east bank of the River Medway, in Rochester Kent.

Death

John's tomb effigy

Retreating from the French invasion, John took a safe route around the marshy area of the Wash to avoid the rebel held area of East Anglia. The Wash is the square-mouthed Estuary on the northwest margin of East Anglia on the east coast of England, where Norfolk meets Lincolnshire East Anglia is often used as a shorthand for the Kingdom of the East Angles. His slow baggage train (including the Crown Jewels), however, took a direct route across it and was lost to the unexpected incoming tide. The collective term Crown Jewels denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during the Coronation ceremony and at various other This loss dealt John a terrible blow, which affected his health and state of mind. Succumbing to dysentery and moving from place to place, he stayed one night at Sleaford Castle before dying on 18 October (or possibly 19 October) 1216, at Newark Castle (then in Lincolnshire, now on Nottinghamshire's border with that county). Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is an infection of the digestive system that results in severe Diarrhea containing mucus and blood Sleaford Castle is a medieval castle in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. Newark Castle, in Newark, Nottinghamshire, England, is said to have been founded by Egbert, king of the West Saxons, was partly rebuilt Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. Nottinghamshire (abbreviated Notts) is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire Numerous, possibly fictitious, accounts circulated soon after his death that he had been killed by poisoned ale, poisoned plums or a "surfeit of peaches".

He was buried in Worcester Cathedral in the city of Worcester. Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Worcester, England situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. Worcester (ˈwʊstə is a city and County town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England.

His nine-year-old son succeeded him and became King Henry III of England (1216–72), and although Louis continued to claim the English throne, the barons switched their allegiance to the new king, forcing Louis to give up his claim and sign the Treaty of Lambeth in 1217. Henry III (1 October 1207 &ndash 16 November 1272 was the son and successor of John "Lackland" as King of England, reigning for fifty-six years from 1216 The Treaty of Lambeth, also known as the Treaty of Kingston, was signed on an island at Kingston-upon-Thames in 1217 by Prince Louis of France

Legacy

King John's tomb

King John's reign has been traditionally characterised as one of the most disastrous in English history: it began with defeats—he lost Normandy to Philip Augustus of France in his first five years on the throne—and ended with England torn by civil war (The First Barons' War), the Crown Jewels lost and himself on the verge of being forced out of power. Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. Philip II Augustus (Philippe Auguste ( 21 August[[ 165]] &ndash 14 July 1223) was the King of France from 1180 until his death A civil war is a War between a State and domestic political actors that are in control of some part of the territory claimed by the state The First Barons' War ( 1215 &ndash 1217) was a combination of a Civil war in the Kingdom of England between on the one hand the forces of The collective term Crown Jewels denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during the Coronation ceremony and at various other In 1213, he made England a papal fief to resolve a conflict with the Roman Catholic Church, and his rebellious barons forced him to agree to the terms the Magna Carta in 1215. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing Magna Carta ( Latin for Great Charter, literally " Great Paper " also called Magna Carta Libertatum ( Great Charter of Freedoms

As far as the administration of his kingdom went, John functioned as an efficient ruler, but he lost approval of the English barons by taxing them in ways that were outside those traditionally allowed by feudal overlords. The tax known as scutage, payment made instead of providing knights (as required by feudal law), became particularly unpopular. The tax of scutage or escuage, in the law of England under the Feudal system, allowed a knight to "buy out" of the military service due to the John was a very fair-minded and well informed king, however, often acting as a judge in the Royal Courts, and his justice was much sought after. Also, John's employment of an able Chancellor and certain clerks resulted in the continuation of the administrative records of the English exchequer - the Pipe Rolls. The Pipe Rolls are a series of financial records from England, beginning in 1130 and lasting mostly complete until 1833.

Medieval historian C. Warren Hollister called John an "enigmatic figure":

. . . talented in some respects, good at administrative detail, but suspicious, unscrupulous, and mistrusted. He was compared in a recent scholarly article, perhaps unfairly, with Richard Nixon. His crisis-prone career was sabotaged repeatedly by the halfheartedness with which his vassals supported him—and the energy with which some of them opposed him.

Winston Churchill summarised the legacy of John's reign: "When the long tally is added, it will be seen that the British nation and the English-speaking world owe far more to the vices of John than to the labours of virtuous sovereigns". Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 ^[12]

In 2006, he was selected by the BBC History Magazine as the 13th century's worst Briton. A list of the worst Britons in history according to ten English historians was compiled by the BBC History Magazine in late 2005. ^[13]

Marriage and issue

In 1189, John was married to Isabel of Gloucester, daughter and heiress of William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester (she is given several alternative names by history, including Avisa, Hawise, Joan, and Eleanor). Isabel of Gloucester (c1173- 14 October 1217) was the first wife of King John of England. William Fitz Robert 2nd Earl of Gloucester (died 1183 was the son and heir of Sir Robert de Caen 1st Earl of Gloucester, and Mabel of Gloucester, daughter They had no children, and since her paternal grandfather was the illegitimate son of Henry I of England, John had their marriage annulled on the grounds of consanguinity, some time before or shortly after his accession to the throne, which took place on 6 April 1199, and she was never acknowledged as queen. Robert 1st Earl of Gloucester (c 1090 &ndash October 31, 1147) was an Illegitimate son of King Henry I of England, and one Henry I (c 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror, the first King of England after the Norman Annulment in the Catholic Church See also Annulment (Catholic Church In the Roman Catholic Church, a marriage is considered to be a valid contract Consanguinity (" con- (with sanguine (blood -ity" refers to the property of being from the same Lineage as another person Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus (She then married Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex as her second husband and Hubert de Burgh as her third).

John remarried, on 24 August 1200, Isabella of Angoulême, who was twenty years his junior. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Isabella of Angoulême ( Fr Isabelle d'Angoulême; (1188 &ndash May 31, 1246) was Countess of Angoulême and Queen consort She was the daughter of Aymer Taillefer, Count of Angouleme. John had kidnapped her from her fiancé, Hugh X of Lusignan. Hugh X of Lusignan, Hugh V of La Marche or Hugh I of Angoulême or Hugues X & V & I de Lusignan (c

Isabella bore five children:

• King Henry III of England (1207-1272). Henry III (1 October 1207 &ndash 16 November 1272 was the son and successor of John "Lackland" as King of England, reigning for fifty-six years from 1216
• Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall (1209-1272). Richard of Cornwall ( 5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was Count of Poitou (from 1225 to 1243 Earl of Cornwall (from
• Joan (1210-1238), Queen Consort of Alexander II of Scotland. Alexander II ( Mediaeval Gaelic: Alaxandair mac Uilliam; Modern Gaelic Alasdair mac Uilleim) (24 August 1198 &ndash 6 July 1249 King of Scots
• Isabella (1214-1241), Consort of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. For Isabella of England the daughter of Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, see Isabella de Coucy. Frederick II ( December 26, 1194 &ndash December 13, 1250) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was a Pretender to the title
• Eleanor (1215-1275), who married William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, and later married Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. Eleanor of England (also called Eleanor Plantagenet 1 and Eleanor of Leicester) (* 1215 in Gloucester; † 13 William Marshal 2nd Earl of Pembroke (1190 &ndash April 6, 1231) was a medieval English nobleman, and the son of the famous Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester (1208 – August 4, 1265) was the principal leader of the Baronial opposition to King Henry III of England

John is given a great taste for lechery by the chroniclers of his age, and even allowing some embellishment, he did have many illegitimate children. Matthew Paris accuses him of being envious of many of his barons and kinsfolk, and seducing their more attractive daughters and sisters. Matthew Paris (c 1200 &ndash 1259 was a Benedictine monk English chronicler, artist in Illuminated manuscripts and Cartographer Roger of Wendover describes an incident that occurred when John became enamoured of Margaret, the wife of Eustace de Vesci and an illegitimate daughter of King William I of Scotland. Roger of Wendover (died May 6, 1236) probably a native of Wendover in Buckinghamshire Eustace de Vesci (1169 &ndash 1216 was lord of Alnwick Castle, and a Magna Carta surety William I ( Mediaeval Gaelic: Uilliam mac Eanric; Modern Gaelic Uilleam mac Eanraig) known as the Lion or Garbh, "the Rough" Eustace substituted a prostitute in her place when the king came to Margaret's bed in the dark of night; the next morning, when John boasted to Vesci of how good his wife was in bed, Vesci confessed and fled. Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money.

John had the following illegitimate children (unless otherwise stated by unknown mistresses):

• Joan, Lady of Wales, the wife of Prince Llywelyn Fawr of Wales, (by a woman named Clemence)
• Richard Fitz Roy, (by his cousin, Adela, daughter of his uncle Hamelin de Warenne)
• Oliver FitzRoy, (by a mistress named Hawise) who accompanied the papal legate Pelayo to Damietta in 1218, and never returned. Joan Princess of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, (c 1188 &ndash February 2, 1237) was the wife of Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales and Genealogy and early life Llywelyn was born about 1173 the son of Iorwerth ap Owain and the grandson of Owain Gwynedd, who had been ruler of Gwynedd until his death Hamelin de Warenne (Plantagenet 1129 - May 7, 1202) was an English nobleman who was prominent at the courts of the Angevin Kings Damietta, Damiata, or Domyat (دمياط is a port and the capital of the governorate of Domyat, Egypt.
• Geoffrey FitzRoy, who went on expedition to Poitou in 1205 and died there.
• John FitzRoy, a clerk in 1201.
• Henry FitzRoy, who died in 1245.
• Osbert Gifford, who was given lands in Oxfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Sussex, and is last seen alive in 1216. Suffolk (ˈsʌfək is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex.
• Eudes FitzRoy, who accompanied his half-brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall on Crusade and died in the Holy Land in 1241. Richard of Cornwall ( 5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was Count of Poitou (from 1225 to 1243 Earl of Cornwall (from
• Bartholomew FitzRoy, a member of the order of Friars Preachers. The Order of Preachers ( Latin: Ordo Praedicatorum) after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is
• Maud FitzRoy, Abbess of Barking, who died in 1252. Barking is a suburban town in east London, England and the main district of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
• Isabel FitzRoy, wife of Richard Fitz Ives.
• Philip FitzRoy, found living in 1263.

(The surname of FitzRoy is Norman-French for son of the king. )

Ancestry

See also

• Cultural depictions of John of England

Notes

References

• King John, by W. L. Warren (1964) ISBN 0-520-03643-3
• The Feudal Kingdom of England 1042–1216, by Frank Barlow ISBN 0-582-49504-0
• Medieval Europe: A Short History (Seventh Edition), by C. Frank Barlow (born 1911 is a British historian known particularly for biographies of medieval figures Warren Hollister ISBN 0-07-029637-5

External links

• John of England at Genealogics
• Graphic of family tree of the children of John
• King John at Find-A-Grave