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John (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was the king of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin Empire and contributing to the subsequent growth in power of the French Capetian dynasty during the 13th century.
- 27 May 1199 – 19 October 1216
- Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine
- Early Life
- Rebellion Against Henry II
- Rebellion Against Richard & Succession
- Philip II of France
- Pope Innocent II
- Magna Carta
- Robin Hood
- Barons' War & Death
John was born on 24 December 1167 CE at Oxford, the youngest of four sons born to King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Given no particular inheritance of note, he was nicknamed 'LackLand' meaning he had no lands, although his father did pack him off to Irelandin 1185 CE with the title Lord of Ireland. John, acting as viceroy, managed ...
Richard and his younger brother John challenged their father Henry II in 1188-9 CE. The rebel sons formed an alliance with Philip II, the new King of France (r. 1180-1223 CE). The rebellion was supported by Eleanor of Aquitaine. Losing control of both Maine and Touraine, Henry eventually agreed to peace terms which recognised Richard as his sole he...
While Richard was fighting abroad during the Third Crusade (1189-1192 CE) and then held in captivity by the Holy Roman Emperor, John took the opportunity to try and usurp the throne. The help of Philip II of France did not prove decisive, though, and Richard's able ministers Hubert Walter organised enough resistance to thwart the rebellion. When Ri...
John had married Isabella of Gloucester on 29 August 1189 CE and, obviously partial to the name, married Isabella of Angouleme (a county in Aquitaine) after his first marriage was annulled on 24 August 1200 CE. This second attachment proved troublesome for the English king since the second Isabella had been previously promised to a French count, Hu...
Back in England, King John may not have been talentless but he was certainly managing to make himself one of the most unpopular kings in English history. The next group he upset was officials of the Church after his refusal to endorse Stephen Langton for the post of Archbishop of Canterbury. As Langton was the papal candidate, Pope Innocent III (r....
Upsetting foreigners and the Church was par for the course for most medieval rulers but things really started to go badly for John when he began to upset the powerful barons. The king's heavy taxation to pay for his French campaigns was crippling, even worse, there was no military gain to show for it. Another policy that irked the barons was the ki...
One name that is frequently associated with King John is Robin Hood, the 13th-century legendary outlaw who stole from the rich and gave to the poor in the area of Sherwood Forest, Nottingham. Robin represented the common man, hence his weapon was the bow and not the sword of a medieval knight. Unfortunately for romantics, there probably was no such...
Back to the actual history of John's reign. The king had still not quite grasped the principles of statehood, as shown when he went back on his word and ignored what he had signed in the Magna Carta. Inevitably, the barons sought to rid themselves of their sovereign, they refused to give up their occupation of London, and they invited another candi...
- Mark Cartwright
- He was also known as John Lackland. John was given this nickname by his father, Henry II, of all people! It was a reference to the fact that he was unlikely to ever inherit substantial lands.
- His brother was Richard the Lionheart. They didn’t get on though. When King Richard was captured and held for ransom on his way back from fighting the Third Crusade, John even negotiated with his brother’s captors to keep him in prison.
- John came from a family of backstabbers. Loyalty was not a virtue amongst Henry II’s sons. Richard himself had only won the the English crown in 1189 after revolting against his father.
- He was implicated in the murder of his own nephew. On his deathbed in 1199, Richard named John his successor. But the English barons had another man in mind – John’s nephew Arthur of Brittany.
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May 19, 2022 · King John: key dates & facts. Born: Around Christmas 1166, or possibly 1167. Died: 18/19 October 1216. Reigned: King of England for 17 years, from 27 May 1199 until his death. Coronation: 27 May 1199, Westminster Abbey. Parents: Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Spouses: Isabella of Gloucester and Isabella of Angoulême
- Dr Marc Morris
John was born around Christmas in 1166 or 1167 in Oxford, the youngest and favourite son of Henry II. On his father's death in 1189 his brother, Richard, became king. John received titles, lands ...
May 14, 2018 · John. John (1167-1216) was king of England from 1199 to 1216. The Magna Carta, or Great Charter, was issued during his reign. Born on Dec. 24, 1167, John was the youngest son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. When Henry first assigned provinces to his sons, John received no share, hence his nickname "Lackland."
Apr 20, 2022 · King John was the ruler of England from May 27, 1199 to Oct. 19, 1216, succeeding his brother Richard "The Lionheart". John is best known for sealing the Magna Carta, which was the first step ...
