General Notes

2  SOUR S002120
3  DATA
4  TEXT Date of Import: Apr 17, 2001
[Fortescue.ged]
HISTJOHN WAS BORN ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1167, THE YOUNGEST SON TO HENRY II CURM
ANTLE AND ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE.  HIS PARENTS DRIFTED APART AFTER HIS BIRT
H, AND HIS YOUTH WAS DIVIDED BETWEEN HIS BROTHER'S HOUSE, WHERE HE LEARN
ED THE ART OF KNIG HTHOOD, ANDTHE HOUSE OF HIS FATHER'S JUSTICIAR, RANU
LF GLANVILLE, WHERE HE LEAR NED THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT.  AS THE 4TH SO
N, HE DID NOT INHERIT LANDS FROM HIS FATHER AND GAVE RISE TO HIS NICKNA
ME 'LACKLAND'.  HIS FIRST MARRIAGE TO ISA BEL OF GLOUCESTERLASTED 10 YEA
RS AND WAS FRUITLESS.  HIS SECOND WIFE, ISABELLA OF ANGOULEME BORE HIM T
WO SONS, RICHARD AND HENRY III,AND THREE DAUGHTERS, ELEA NOR, JOAN, AND IS
ABELLA.  HE ALSO HAD AN ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER, ANOTHER JOAN, W HO MARRI
ED LLEWELLYN THEGREAT, RULER OF ALL WALES, FROM WHICH THE TUDOR KIN
GS A RE DESCENDED.
HISTTHE ANGEVIN FAMILY FEUDS LEFT QUITE A MARK ON JOHN.  HE PROV ED HIS BE
TRAYAL TO BOTH HIS FATHER AND BROTHER.  HE AND RICHARD CLASHED IN 1184 , W
HEN RICHARD REFUSED TO GIVE HIM AQUITAINE AS DICTATED BY THEIR FATHER. T
HE FOLLOWING YEAR, HENRY SENTJOHN TO RULE IRELAND, BUT JOHN ALIENATED T
HE NATIVE I RISH AND THE TRANSPLANTED ANGLO-NORMANS AND JOHN RETURNED HO
ME AFTER SIX MONTHS .  AFTER RICHARD'S SUCCESSION IN 1189, RICHARD GAVE JO
HN VAST LANDS  TO APPEASE HIM.  THIS DID NOT WORK AND JOHNTRIED TO OVERTHR
OW  RICHARD'S ADMINISTRATORS D URING RICHARD'S GERMAN CAPTIVITY.  HE CONSP
IRED WITH PHILIP II, AND THAT ATTEMP T FAILED.  UPON RICHARD'S RELEA
SE IN 1194, JOHN WAS FORCED TO SUE FOR PARDON, A ND SPENT THE NEXT FIVE YE
ARS IN HISBROTHER'S SHADOW, ATTEMPTING TO GAIN FAVOR T O BE NAMED HE
IR TO THE THRONE.
HISTJOHN'S REIGN WAS FULL OF TROUBLE.  A QUARRE L WITH THE CHURCH RESULT
ED IN ENGLAND BEING PLACED UNDER AN INTERDICT IN 1207, WITH JOHN'S EXCOMMU
NICATION TWO YEARS LATER.  THE DISPUTE, ORIGINATING IN JOHN' S REFUS
AL TO INSTALL THE PAPAL CANDIDATE,STEPHEN LANGDON, AS ARCHBISHOP OF CANT E
RBURY.  THIS WAS NOT RESOLVED UNTIL POPE INNOCENT III INTERCEDED.
HISTA SUC CESSION DISPUTE WITH HIS NEPHEW, ARTHUR OF BRITTANY, RESULT
ED IN THE LOSS OF FR ENCH TERRITORIES, AS THE FRENCH NOBLES FAVORED ARTHU
R.  BY 1205, JOHN WAS BACK IN ENGLAND AS HE LOST THE LAST OF HIS FRENCH HO
LDINGS.  FROM 1206 TO THE END OF HIS REIGN, JOHN WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH REGA
INING THESE LANDS, LEVYING HEAVY TAXES ON THE LANDED BARONS TO PAY FOR H
IS CAMPAIGNS.  THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN SATISFACT ORY HAD JOHN BEEN WINNING BA
TTLES, BUT HE WAS CONTINUALLY TROUNCED BY THE FRENC H.  THEDISCONTENTED BA
RONS REVOLTED AND SEIZED LONDON IN MAY 1215.  IN JUNE, AT RUNNYMEADE, JO
HN SIGNED THE MAGNA CARTA, A FEUDAL RIGHTS DOCUMENT THAT STRESSE D THREE P
OINTS:
HIST1)THE CHURCH WAS FREE TO MAKE ITS OWN APPOINTMENTS.
HIST2 )NO MORE THAN THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF MONEY WOULD GIVEN TO RUN THE GOVE
RNMENT, UNL ESS THE FEUDAL TENANTS GAVE THEIR CONSENT.
HIST3)NO FREEMAN WAS TO BE PUNISHED BY OTHER THAN THE COMMON LAW.
HISTTHIS DOCUMENT WAS FORERUNNER TO MADERN CONS TITUTIONS.  JOHN SIGN
ED IT AS A MEANS OF BUYING TIME AND FAILED TO KEEP HIS WOR D.  THE BARO
NS APPEALED TO THE FRENCH AND JOHN DIED IN THE MIDST OF AN INVASION