King John was born on 24 December 1166 at Beaumont Palace, Oxford. As the youngest son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine he was not expected to be king. This situation changed when his brother Richard I died on 6 April 1199. John was 32.
As the youngest son, when Henry II divided the family territories among his sons, John was made Lord of Ireland, the only territory left unallocated. This led to Lackland being a nickname for John.
John and his brother Richard were not on friendly terms. When Richard w/ent on the Third Crusade, almost immediately after being crowned king, he appointed barons loyal to him to manage his territories. John eventually served as acting king with his mother exerting much power in the kingdom.
John was crowned king at Westminster Abbey on 27 May 1199. Some of the barons plus the king of France wanted John's nephew, Arthur, to be king.
John had married Isabella of Gloucester in 1189, but the marriage was annulled ten years later. In 1200 John married Isabella of Angoulême. They had two sons (Henry and Richard) and three daughters (Joan, Eleanor and Isabella).
Most of King John's reign was dominated by war with France. Although there was peace after the Treaty of Le Goulet fighting commenced again in 1202. By 1204 John had lost Normandy and most of the other English possessions in France to the French king, Philip II, and spent the next decade trying to regain these territories without success. His army was finally defeated by Philip Augustus at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214.
As in the reign of previous kings, John was in conflict with the Church. When in 1205 John disputed Pope Innocent III's choice of Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury, the pope suspended all religious services, including baptisms, marriages, and burials. King John retaliated by seizing church revenues. He was excommunicated in 1209 until finally accepting the pope's nominee. An annual monetary tribute was also to be paid to the pope.
Another problem facing John when he became king was the financial crisis in England partly due to expenses incurred supporting King Richard and his troops on crusade. There were additional costs when Richard was captured and money was needed for his ransom. Then there were the costs of the campaigns in France to try and keep territories claimed by the English king. Taxes were increased plus other charges which made John more unpopular with the barons and the general population as well as increasing his problems with the church.
Recent research, however, has shown the excellent organisation of royal bureaucracy during King John's reign and how the money raised by taxes was spent. Sealed documents were sent to individuals or officials, addressing various aspects of governance, including land disputes, financial matters, and appointments. King John's government documented Close Rolls-letters, orders, and instructions that were sealed with the royal "Close Seal."
Major problems continued with many of the barons leading to the Barons War which began in 1215. In 1215 John refused the demands of the barons so in retaliation a rebel group took over the City of London. This action forced John to negotiate with the barons and clergy and on 15 June 1215 they met at Runnymede where the Charter of Liberties (later the Magna Carta) was signed. Although King John met many of their demands when he signed the Magna Carta the unrest continued and evolved into a civil war. Rebel barons sought assistance from France and Scotland in their fight against the king. Prince Louis of France landed in England in 1216 and his troops captured the Tower of London.
[Commemorative version of the Magna Carta, plus shields of the barons plus seal of King John, celebrating 800 years since original document signed.
John and his loyal supporters fled north where he became ill with dysentery and died at Newark Castle on 18 October 1216. King John was buried at Worcester Cathedral. John was 49 when he died. He had ruled England for 17 years.
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King John no doubt had failings as a person and a leader. He certainly antagonised many people. But these were difficult times and he had many enemies at home and abroad.
Although John's brother, King Richard, only spent six months of his reign in England his reputation has survived through time and literature as him being a brave and good king. In contrast, King John, especially after losing his French territories, spent much of his reign in England trying to govern the country with little loyalty and support.
Many years later stories have evolved such as Shakespeare's play 'King John' and books, television shows and films about the fictional Robin Hood and his encounters with King John. These works of fiction portray John as a ruthless, unpopular king with many failings, especially when compared with his brother, good King Richard!
[Plaque on wall of King's Lynn Town Hall commemorating the Royal Charter granted in 1204 by King John.]
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