King John

King John was born in 1167 and died in 1216. Like William I, King John is one of the more controversial monarchs of Medieval England and is most associated with the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215.

John was born on Christmas Eve, the youngest son of Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. As a child, John tended to be overshadowed by is older brother Richard. Like his father, John developed a reputation for violent rages that lead to him foaming at the mouth. Henry left no land to John when he died so John was given the nickname John Lackland. In 1189, all of Henry's territory went to his oldest son, Richard I, better known as Richard the Lionheart.

In 1191, Richard left England to embark on the Third Crusade. He left John in charge of the country. John's reputation as a leader had been severely dented as far back as 1185 when Henry II sent him to Ireland to rule.

John Hay Residence

English: John of England signs Magna Carta. Image ...

John_Deere_4630_Tractor.jpg

John proved to be a disaster and within six months he was sent home.

In 1192, Duke Leopold of Austria imprisoned Richard as he returned from the Crusades. John tried to seize the crown from his brother but failed. In 1194, when Richard finally returned to England, his brother forgave John.

In 1199, Richard was killed in France and John became the king of England. His reign started in an unfortunate way. In 1202, John's nephew, Arthur of Brittany, was murdered. Many in Brittany believed that John was responsible for his murder and they rebelled against John. In 1204, John's army was defeated in Brittany and John had no choice but to retreat. His military standing among the nobles fell and he was given a new nickname - John Softsword. The defeat in...