John, King of England

John, King of England - Kings, Family and Childhood

Violet FieldHome › BritishJohn, King of EnglandDecember 24, 1166430 views

0 based on 0 rates
John, King of England Biography Stories 

John, King of England's Personal Details

John, the treacherous king of England, was one of the most controversial monarchs in the nation’s history

InformationDetail
BirthdayDecember 24, 1166
Died onOctober 19, 1216
NationalityBritish
FamousHistorical Personalities, Emperors & Kings, Emperors, King of England, Kings
SpousesCountess of Gloucester (m. 1189–1199), Isabella, Isabella of Angoulême (m. 1200–1216)
SiblingsAlix of France, Archbishop of York, Count of Poitiers, Countess of Champagne, Duchess of Saxony, Duke of Brittany, Eleanor of England, Geoffrey, Geoffrey II, Henry the Young King, Joan of England, Marie of France, Matilda of England, Queen of Castile, Queen of Sicily, Richard the Lionheart, William IX, William Longespée
Known asJohn Softsword, John Lackland
ChildrensHenry III of England
Birth PlaceBeaumont Palace, Oxford
GenderMale
FatherHenry II of England
MotherEleanor of Aquitaine
Sun SignCapricorn
Born inBeaumont Palace, Oxford
Famous asKing of England
Died at Age49

// Famous Emperors

Sundiata Keita

Sundiata Keita

Sundiata Keita was the founder of the Mali Empire in West Africa. This biography profiles his childhood, early life, struggles, founding of empire, rule, administration, achievements and also gives some fun facts.

Ashoka

Ashoka

Ashoka was the third emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty and ruled almost the entire Indian subcontinent. This biography profiles his childhood, life, reign, achievements and timeline

Murad IV

Murad IV

Murad IV was one of the mighty Sultans in the history of the Ottoman Empire. This biography profiles his childhood, family, accession, rule, administration and timeline.

John, King of England's photo

Who is John, King of England?

John, the treacherous king of England, was one of the most controversial monarchs in the nation’s history. Popularly regarded as the “flawed king,” John started his reign in England after the death of his elder brother, Richard I. John was known to have an unstable temper. His arrogant behavior led to a lot of conflict with his barons and other kingdoms. He had also betrayed his own family a number of times. For instance, he tried to seize the throne while his brother was away from his kingdom. He is best remembered for signing the ‘Magna Carta’ (the “Great Charter”), which was the result of the rising discontentment among John’s barons due to his arrogant behavior. One of his cruel decisions was the imposition of high taxes to win back Normandy, Anjou, Maine, and parts of Poitou, which he had lost to King Philip II of France. This resulted in rebellion by his barons and the sealing of the “Great Charter.” He eventually lost everything to King Philip II. Toward the end of his life, he suffered from dysentery. His health deteriorated with time, leading to his death in 1216.

// Famous King of England

Harold Godwinson

Harold Godwinson

Harold Godwinson was an Anglo Saxon King of England in the 11th Century. Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Edward VI of England

Edward VI of England

Edward VI served as the King of England, from 1547 until his death in 1553. Check out this biography to learn in details about his life, his works as a king and timeline

William III of England

William III of England

William III was the stadtholder of the main provinces of the Dutch Republic and the king of England, Ireland, and Scotland (King William II of Scotland). Check out this biography to know more about his childhood, family, life history, etc.

Childhood & Early Life

John was born to King Henry II of England and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, on December 24, 1166, at ‘Beaumont Palace’ in Oxford. John was very young when his mother left for Poitiers and sent John to ‘Fontevrault Abbey,’ where he was assigned a teacher to educate him.

He was later taught by Ranulf de Glanvill, a leading English administrator. He also received training in military and hunting. The youngest and the favorite son of Henry II was jokingly nicknamed “Sanz Terre” or “Lackland” for not acquiring any land for himself due to his low place in the line of succession.

John was Henry II’s favorite child, perhaps because the rest of his brothers, Henry, William, Richard I, and Geoffrey, rebelled against their father between 1173 and 1174. John was the fifth-born child of Henry II.

As he was the last-born child of the royal family, he could not expect inheritance. Slowly, he acquired his father’s raging temper. However, unlike his father, he was more of a cynic.

The “bad king” never trusted anyone and conspired against his own people.

Early Career

During his early years, John was not given any substantial land, while his brothers were given control of certain lands. Henry the Young King was crowned as the king of England in 1170.

Henry II betrothed John to Alais, the daughter of Humbert III of Savoy, in order to control the southern borders of Aquitaine. John was only 5 years old during the negotiation. Thus, his father decided to control his son’s lands.

Unfortunately, Alais died before marrying John, and once again, John remained without inheritance. As part of the potential alliance, Henry II had transferred the ownership of the castles of Loudun, Chinon, and Mirebeau to John. However, this decision was not welcomed by Henry the Young King.

Between 1173 and 1174, Henry the Young King, with the support of Eleanor, Louis VII of France, and his brothers, rebelled against his father. John remained on the side of Henry II during the short-lived rebellion.

Henry II defeated his sons and gave them Montlouis as a peace settlement. However, his wife, Eleanor, was imprisoned for supporting a war against her husband.

In 1175, John was given the estates of the late Earl of Cornwall by his father. He was also betrothed to Isabelle of Gloucester.

The couple got married when John turned 21, but they failed to have any children. In 1177, Henry replaced the Lord of Ireland, William FitzAldelm, with John.

John’s first stint as a ruler was not successful, since he, along with his companions, made fun of the chieftains by commenting on their clothes and pulling their beards. This resulted in John being driven out of Ireland. Around this time, problems in his family started growing tremendously.

Richard I was the most eligible candidate for the throne of the king of England after the death of Henry the Young King. Geoffrey also died in 1186, during a tournament, bringing John closer to succession.

In 1189, Henry II confirmed that Richard I would be his successor. He died soon after the declaration. Richard, the lionhearted, was crowned the new king of England in September 1189.

As he decided to join the ‘Third Crusade,’ Richard I named his nephew, the 4-year-old Arthur of Brittany, the son of Geoffrey, as the heir to his throne. While he was away, John tried to overthrow him from the throne.

Meanwhile, Richard I was captured by the duke of Austria, and a huge amount of ransom had to be collected for his release. John put in a lot of effort to raise the amount.

Richard I was finally released, and upon his return to the kingdom, he decided to forgive John and named him his successor. Richard I died on April 6, 1199.

John became the new king of England and the ruler of the Angevin Empire.

Career

John’s reign lasted from 1199 to 1204 but not without a conflict from his nephew, Arthur of Brittany. Arthur, along with Philip II of France, attacked John for the throne.

In the end, John was considered by Philip to be the better choice for a king. However, John had to agree to be Philip’s vassal in Normandy and Angevin.

The war did not end there. Philip gave away all the land taken from John, except Normandy, to Arthur and betrothed him to his daughter, Marie.

Arthur even abducted his grandmother, Eleanor, but was captured by John’s army. In 1202, Arthur died under mysterious circumstances.

People in Brittany were convinced that he was murdered by John. Two years later, John attacked Brittany but was severely defeated.

John’s marriage to Isabelle of Angoulême also invited a lot of controversy. Isabelle was already betrothed to a French noble, Hugh X of Lusignan, and John’s marriage to her infuriated the French king, Philip Augustus.

Philip ordered John to submit himself in the French courts and explain his action. John, out of arrogance, refused to do so, giving fire to another war between the French and the English forces.

Soon, John had a conflict with Pope Innocent III over the election of the new archbishop of Canterbury after the death of Hubert Walter. The pope excommunicated John and announced that anybody who would overthrow John would be legally entitled to do so.

People blamed John for religious restraints, since no marriage was considered legal until the pope approved. Around 1214, the dispute was settled when John surrendered the Kingdom of England to God and saints Peter and Paul for a feudal service of 1,000 marks every year.

Meanwhile, John lost another battle against France at Bouvines. Philip II played a major role in ruining John’s empire and family conditions, and this time, he took almost everything away from him.

John lost control of Normandy, Anjou, Maine, and parts of Poitou, to Philip II. John decided to win Normandy back to ensure the survival of the Angevin Empire.

He decided to charge high taxes and made ruthless financial decisions in order to rebuild his treasury. He also restricted feudal rights of the nobles, which offended the barons.

He formally lost the war to France and returned to England to find that the barons were furious with him. They believed that John was no longer fit to rule the kingdom.

On June 15, 1215, they sealed the ‘Magna Carta,’ or the “Great Charter,” at Runnymede, near London. John was forced to accept the “Great Charter,” which was to establish a council of 25 barons.

With the support of the pope, John questioned the signing of the ‘Magna Carta’ that reinstated English laws and limited royal powers. The pope agreed that the charter was demeaning, unlawful, and unjust.

This led the barons to begin the first ‘Barons’ War’ against John. Prince Louis VIII of France invaded John’s land after the barons promised him the crown of England.

John’s land and treasure were taken away from him. To avoid the war area of East Anglia, John took refuge in The Wash.

He suffered from dysentery and remained ill until his death. John died on October 18, 1216.

His son, Henry III, was only 9 years old at the time of John’s death. Thus, William Marshal was appointed to take decisions on his behalf. Louis subsequently gave up his throne and signed the ‘Treaty of Lambeth’ in 1217.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1189, John married Isabel of Gloucester but annulled the marriage after they failed to produce any children.

He then married Isabelle of Angoulême on August 24, 1200, after abducting her from her fiancé, Hugh X of Lusignan. The couple had five children, namely, Henry III, Richard, Joan, Isabella, and Eleanor. John also had many illegitimate children.

One of the villains in the famous ‘Robin Hood’ legends was inspired by John. William Shakespeare wrote a play based on John’s life.

// Famous Kings

Sundiata Keita

Sundiata Keita

Sundiata Keita was the founder of the Mali Empire in West Africa. This biography profiles his childhood, early life, struggles, founding of empire, rule, administration, achievements and also gives some fun facts.

Ashoka

Ashoka

Ashoka was the third emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty and ruled almost the entire Indian subcontinent. This biography profiles his childhood, life, reign, achievements and timeline

Murad IV

Murad IV

Murad IV was one of the mighty Sultans in the history of the Ottoman Empire. This biography profiles his childhood, family, accession, rule, administration and timeline.

John, King of England biography timelines

  • // 24th Dec 1166
    John was born to King Henry II of England and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, on December 24, 1166, at ‘Beaumont Palace’ in Oxford. John was very young when his mother left for Poitiers and sent John to ‘Fontevrault Abbey,’ where he was assigned a teacher to educate him.
  • // 1170
    During his early years, John was not given any substantial land, while his brothers were given control of certain lands. Henry the Young King was crowned as the king of England in 1170.
  • // 1173
    Between 1173 and 1174, Henry the Young King, with the support of Eleanor, Louis VII of France, and his brothers, rebelled against his father. John remained on the side of Henry II during the short-lived rebellion.
  • // 1175
    In 1175, John was given the estates of the late Earl of Cornwall by his father. He was also betrothed to Isabelle of Gloucester.
  • // 1177
    The couple got married when John turned 21, but they failed to have any children. In 1177, Henry replaced the Lord of Ireland, William FitzAldelm, with John.
  • // 1189
    In 1189, Henry II confirmed that Richard I would be his successor. He died soon after the declaration. Richard, the lionhearted, was crowned the new king of England in September 1189.
  • // 1189
    In 1189, John married Isabel of Gloucester but annulled the marriage after they failed to produce any children.
  • // 1199
    John’s reign lasted from 1199 to 1204 but not without a conflict from his nephew, Arthur of Brittany. Arthur, along with Philip II of France, attacked John for the throne.
  • // 1200
    He then married Isabelle of Angoulême on August 24, 1200, after abducting her from her fiancé, Hugh X of Lusignan. The couple had five children, namely, Henry III, Richard, Joan, Isabella, and Eleanor. John also had many illegitimate children.
  • // 1202
    Arthur even abducted his grandmother, Eleanor, but was captured by John’s army. In 1202, Arthur died under mysterious circumstances.
  • // 1214
    People blamed John for religious restraints, since no marriage was considered legal until the pope approved. Around 1214, the dispute was settled when John surrendered the Kingdom of England to God and saints Peter and Paul for a feudal service of 1,000 marks every year.
  • // 1215
    On June 15, 1215, they sealed the ‘Magna Carta,’ or the “Great Charter,” at Runnymede, near London. John was forced to accept the “Great Charter,” which was to establish a council of 25 barons.
  • // 18th Oct 1216
    He suffered from dysentery and remained ill until his death. John died on October 18, 1216.

// Famous Emperors & Kings

Sundiata Keita

Sundiata Keita

Sundiata Keita was the founder of the Mali Empire in West Africa. This biography profiles his childhood, early life, struggles, founding of empire, rule, administration, achievements and also gives some fun facts.

Ashoka

Ashoka

Ashoka was the third emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty and ruled almost the entire Indian subcontinent. This biography profiles his childhood, life, reign, achievements and timeline

Murad IV

Murad IV

Murad IV was one of the mighty Sultans in the history of the Ottoman Empire. This biography profiles his childhood, family, accession, rule, administration and timeline.

Xerxes I

Xerxes I

Xerxes I (Xerxes the Great) was the fourth and the most famous king of the Archaemenid dynasty of Persia. This biography profiles his childhood, family, personal life, life history, achievements, campaigns, administration, death and other facts.

Sargon of Akkad

Sargon of Akkad

Sargon of Akkad, also called ‘Sargon the Great’, ‘Sarru-Kan’ and ‘Shar-Gani-Sharri’, was the founder and first king of the Akkadian Empire. This biography profiles his childhood, life, rule, administration, timeline, and gives some fun facts.

Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was the King of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2015 and the third wealthiest head of state in the world. Find more facts about his life, childhood and timeline.

John, King of England's FAQ

  • What is John, King of England birthday?

    John, King of England was born at 1166-12-24

  • When was John, King of England died?

    John, King of England was died at 1216-10-19

  • Where was John, King of England died?

    John, King of England was died in Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire

  • Which age was John, King of England died?

    John, King of England was died at age 49

  • Where is John, King of England's birth place?

    John, King of England was born in Beaumont Palace, Oxford

  • What is John, King of England nationalities?

    John, King of England's nationalities is British

  • Who is John, King of England spouses?

    John, King of England's spouses is Countess of Gloucester (m. 1189–1199), Isabella, Isabella of Angoulême (m. 1200–1216)

  • Who is John, King of England siblings?

    John, King of England's siblings is Alix of France, Archbishop of York, Count of Poitiers, Countess of Champagne, Duchess of Saxony, Duke of Brittany, Eleanor of England, Geoffrey, Geoffrey II, Henry the Young King, Joan of England, Marie of France, Matilda of England, Queen of Castile, Queen of Sicily, Richard the Lionheart, William IX, William Longespée

  • Who is John, King of England childrens?

    John, King of England's childrens is Henry III of England

  • Who is John, King of England's father?

    John, King of England's father is Henry II of England

  • Who is John, King of England's mother?

    John, King of England's mother is Eleanor of Aquitaine

  • What is John, King of England's sun sign?

    John, King of England is Capricorn

  • How famous is John, King of England?

    John, King of England is famouse as King of England