General Notes

King John, also known as Lackland or Softsword, was the youngest son of Henry II. Between 1200 and 1204 he fought increasingly losing campaigns to hold onto his Continental possessions. In England he was responsible for refining the government and was instrumental in the spread of literacy. King John, despite his bad reputation, was possibly one of the most learned of all the English kings. He was a keen historian and lawgiver who enjoyed nothing more than to stand in judgement on his peoples. This keen sense of involvement in the running of the kingdom no doubt helped antagonise his baronage, who quite rightly thought that their many privileges were under threat. Magna Carta was the work of an admittedly unwilling King John and his impressive legal advisors, not the rag tag army of discontented barons who faced him at Runnymede. In 1216 when faced by the invasion of a French army he refused to fight them on the coast as, we are told, his history books well reminded him of the fate of a previous king in 1066 who did just that! John's refusal to risk all on one decisive battle led to the long civil war of 1216-8. He died of dysentery at Newark in October 1216 after the infamous loss of his treasure in the Wash.

-----------------------------------------

Medieval rulers led lives that rival those of any of today's soap opera characters. A look at King John's family explains why this English monarch behaved in ways that sometimes helped his subjects and sometimes hurt them. As soap opera fans know, even villains sometimes do good!
John's father, King Henry II, was often unfaithful to John's mother, Eleanor. Their unhappiness increased when four of their sons survived to adulthood. Who would succeed to the throne? The official heir, young Henry, disagreed with his father's policies, and his brothers Richard, Geoffrey, and John also wanted to rule. John, the youngest, stood the least chance and was mockingly called "John Lackland."
Eleanor supported her sons when, in an alliance with the French king, they tried to overthrow their father. A bitter Henry II commissioned a painting showing four eaglets attacking their parent, the smallest one viciously poised to peck out the adult bird's eyes. Henry II believed his youngest son John would "in the end insult [him and his family] more grievously and more dangerously than any of the others."
Henry II was correct. Soon after Richard became king, John began to plot against him. When Richard left on a crusade to Jerusalem, John placed his own followers in positions of power. When the king was captured as he was making his way home, his brother pretended to raise a ransom for his release. Actually, he tried to bribe Richard's captor to hold him in prison longer! The money was raised, nevertheless, and Richard returned to England only to die five years later, of wounds received on the battlefield in Normandy. In May of 1199--just one month after Richard's death, John was crowned king of England. Aware that many in his realm still saw his nephew Arthur as the legitimate heir to the throne, John eliminated this rival-according to a contemporary account, John himself committed the foul deed. Early in life, "John Lackland" had learned to distrust anyone, even family members, who could challenge him.
Despite his suspicious nature and hot temper, John could also act wisely. He expanded the civil service system begun by Henry II that authorized local sheriffs, justices of the peace, and coroners to maintain the law and resolve disputes. John frequently attended trials and even settled difficult points of law. Commoners also sought justice from John, knowing that the king, when "moved to pity," could overrule the judges. King John was fair-minded and merciful when dealing with powerless people: Once, he spared the life of a young boy who had thrown a stone that accidentally killed another child. John's other accomplishments included granting self-government to growing cities, establishing a uniform system of weights and measures, creating a royal navy, and requiring government offices to keep formal archives.
Because John needed money to fight France, he sometimes abused the court system. He did not oppose people "buying" a not-guilty verdict, and had rich people falsely accused of crimes just to collect their fines. John even accepted bribes from those scheming to marry wealthy heiresses or become the guardians of rich orphans. John's barons resented his policy of forcing them to pay frequent taxes ("scutages") instead of supplying soldiers for the campaigns against France. As a result, there were many defeats, and John earned another scornful nickname, "John Softsword."
When King John disagreed with Pope Innocent III about who should hold the distinguished post of Archbishop of Canterbury, the pope placed England under "interdict." This meant that churches were closed throughout the country, and priests there could no longer perform baptisms or marriages, hear confession, or bury anyone in consecrated ground. Devout people began to fear damnation. Yet, King John would not change his mind even when the pope excommunicated him. "John Lackland" respected earthly power more than he feared the judgment of the church. King John finally accepted the pope's candidate for archbishop, but only because his excommunication excused the royal barons from supporting him. This situation naturally benefited his enemy, the French King.
Heavy taxes and corrupt courts displeased most of John's barons, but fear for their families may have motivated the 40 who would confront him at Runnymede. John had recently killed 28 hostages, all family members of rebellious Welsh chieftains. As a result, many barons were reluctant to send the king the hostages he now demanded to guarantee their loyalty. Thus, "family matters," as much as the desire for power and wealth, led King John and his barons to their fateful meeting at Runnymede.
----------
He was a King of England. Reigned 1199-1216. Signed Magna Carta in 1215 at Runnymede. His reign saw renewal of war with Phillip II Augustus of France to whom he has lost several continental possesions including Normandy by 1205. He came into conflict with his Barons and was forced to Sign the Magna Carta. His later repudiation of the charter led to the first barons war 1215-17 during which John died. Burke says he was born in 1160. King of Ireland 1177, Count of Mortain 1189, Earl of Gloucester. He was married to Isabella TAILLEFER on 16 Aug 1200 in Bordeaux, Gironde, France.