ohn I, King of England, surnamed Lackland John, the youngest son of Henry II was born at Oxford. His father sent him to Ireland as governor in 1185, but his misconduct soon compelled his recall. He tried to seize the crown during King Richard’s captivity in Austria; but was pardoned and nominated his successor by his brother on his deathbed. John inherited the Dukedoms of Normandy and Acquitaine and the territory of Anjou. John was crowned at Westminster on 27 May 1199, although Arthur, son of John’s elder brother Geoffrey, was the rightful heir. On the Continent, Arthur was acknowledged. His claims were supported by Philip of France, whom, however, in May 1200 John succeeded in buying-off. In the same year, John obtained a divorce from his cousin Hawisa of Gloucester, and he married Isabel of Angouleme. In the war in France, Arthur was taken prisoner, and before Easter 1203 was murdered on John’s orders. Philip at once marched against John and captured city after city, until by Mar 1204 only a portion of Acquitaine was left to John. In 1205, John entered on his quarrel with the church, the occasion being a disputed election for the archbishopric of Canterbury. Pope Innocent III consecrated Stephen Langton an English cardinal, and John declined to receive him. In 1208, the kingdom was placed under an interdict. John retaliated by confiscating the property of the clergy who obeyed the interdict, and banished bishops. He compelled the Scots King, William the Lyon, who had joined his enemies, to do him homage in 1209, put down a rebellion in Ireland (1210), and subdued Llewellyn, the independent Prince of Wales (1212). Meanwhile he had been excommunicated (1209), and, in 1212, the Pope issued a bull deposing him; Philip being charged with the execution of the sentence. John, finding his position untenable, was compelled to make abject submission to Rome, agreeing (May 1213) to hold his kingdom as a fief of the papacy, and to pay a thousand marks yearly as tribute. Philip disappointed, turned his forces against Flanders; but the French fleet was surprised at Damme by the English, 300 vessels being captured, and 100 burned. In 1214, John made a campaign in Poitou, but it turned out ill, and he returned to enter on the struggle with his subjects. A demand by the barons, clergy, and people that John should break his oath and restore the laws of Henry I was scornfully rejected. Preparations for war began on both sides. The army of the barons assembled at Stamford in Lincolnshire and marched to London; they met the King at Runnymede, near Egham on the Thames and on 15 Jun 1215, was signed the Great Charter (Magna Carta), the basis of the English constitution. In August the pope annulled the charter and the war broke out again. The first successes were all on the side of John until the barons called over the French Dauphin to be their leader. Louis landed in May 1216, and John’s fortunes had become desperate, when he died at (of a surfeit of lamphreys). John managed through incompetent kingship to lose most of his inhertance in Normandy. His reign, however, saw improvements in the English civil administration, in the exchequer and the law courts. Royal charters were granted to towns and English local government introduced into Ireland. {Burke’s Peerage and Chamber’s Biographical Dictionary} John I, called Lackland (1166-1216), King of England (1199-1216), fourth son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine; Duke of Normandy, Duke of Acquitaine, Count of Anjou. [GADD.GED]

John (of England), called John Lackland (1167-1216), king of England (1199-1216), best known for signing the Magna Carta.

John was born in Oxford on December 24, 1167, the youngest son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Henry provided for the eventual inheritance of his lands by his older sons before John was born. By 1186, however, only Richard I, the Lion-Hearted, and John were left as Henry's heirs. In 1189, as Henry neared death, John joined Richard's rebellion against their father, and when Richard was crowned, he gave John many estates and titles. John tried but failed to usurp the Crown while Richard was away on the Third Crusade. Upon returning to England, Richard forgave him. When his brother died in 1199, John became king. A revolt ensued by the supporters of Arthur of Bretagne, the son of John's brother, Geoffrey. Arthur was defeated and captured in 1202, and John is believed to have had him murdered. King Philip II of France continued Arthur's war until John had to surrender nearly all his French possessions in 1204. In 1207 John refused to accept the election of Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury. Pope Innocent III then excommunicated him and began negotiating with Philip for an invasion of England. Desperate, John surrendered England to the pope and in 1213 received it back as a fief. Trying to regain his French possession, he was decisively defeated by Philip in 1214. John's reign had become increasingly tyrannical; to support his wars he had extorted money, raised taxes, and confiscated properties. His barons finally united to force him to respect their rights and privileges. John had little choice but to sign the Magna Carta presented to him by his barons at Runnymede in 1215, making him subject, rather than superior, to the law. Shortly afterward John and the barons were at war. He died at Newark in Nottinghamshire on October 19, 1216, while still pursuing the campaign, and was succeeded by his son, Henry III. [Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia]

Additional information: Britannia.com

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