BRITPOLITICSFactSheet–KingJohn
ThisfactsheetcoversthelifeandreignofKingJohn.Youcanfindlotsmoreabouttoday’sRoyal
FamilyandpastBritishKingsandQueensonwww.britpolitics.co.uk
HowdidJohnbecomeKing?
KingJohnwastheyoungestsonofEleanorofAquitaineandKingHenryII.
HisbrotherRichardI(knownasRichardtheLionheart)succeededtothethroneandbecamekingon
thedeathoftheirfatherHenryII.
WhileRichardwasawayontheThirdCrusade,Johntriedtostartarebellionandtakethecrownfrom
him.
In1199RichardIdiedandJohnbecameKing.
KingJohn'sEarlyReign
JohnlaidclaimtotheCrownastheonlylivingsonofHenryII.HisnephewArthur,asthesonofhis
deceasedelderbrotherGeoffrey,alsohadapotentialclaimtothethrone.TheEnglishBarons
supportedJohnastherightfulheirtotheCrownofEngland.
UponsuccessiontothethroneKingJohninheritedtheAngevinEmpire.ThisEmpireincludedallof
EnglandandlargeareasofFrance.In1200KingJohnandKingPhillipIIofFrancesignedtheTreatyof
LeGoulet.
KingJohnpledgedloyaltytoKingPhillipandagreedtobehisvassal.Thismeantthathehadtoobey
anysummonsPhillipmightissueandsupporthimduringtimesofwar.InreturnJohnwasrecognised
astherightfulKingofEnglandandheirtothefiefshisbrotherRichardIhadheldinFrance.
KingJohnhadbeengrantedtheauthoritytoruletheseFrenchterritoriesbutheheldthemfromKing
Phillipwhowashisfeudallord.HealsohadtopayalargesumofmoneytoKingPhillipuponthe
inheritanceoftheselands.TheDuchyofAquitainewasnotincludedinthistreatyasitwaspartofthe
EnglishCrownthroughJohn’smotherEleanor.
NotpursuingthemilitaryoptionandmakingpeacewithKingPhillipofFranceledtoKingJohn
earningthenicknameofSoft-sword.HehadbeengivenhisothernicknameofLacklandatanearlyage
ashewasnotgiventherightstoholdlandinFrance,unlikehisolderbrothers.
In1200KingJohnmarriedIsabellaofAngouleme.Hugh,LordofLusignan,apowerfulnoble,
complainedaboutthemarriagetoKingPhillipofFrance.Isabellahadalreadybeenpromisedashis
wife.KingPhillipsummonedKingJohntoappearbeforehimintheFrenchCourt.KingJohndidnot
obeythesummons.KingPhillipdeclaredKingJohn’slandsinFranceforfeitandgavethem,withthe
exceptionofNormandy,toJohn’snephewArthurofBrittany.
WarwithFrance
AtfirstthewarwithFrancewentwellforKingJohn.Hecapturedandimprisonedmanyoftherebel
leadersincludinghisnephewArthur.Howeverhebegantolosesupportfromhisregionalallies,the
BaronswhichgovernedhisFrenchterritories.Manyoftherebelleaderswerehigh-rankingnobles
andthemaltreatmenttheyreceivedasprisonersangeredtheBarons.KingJohnhiredmercenariesto
fightforhim.Thesehadareputationofmistreatingcivilians.Healsoputtheminpositionsofmilitary
commandthatwouldtraditionallyhavegonetothelocalnobles.KingJohnoffendedsomeofhisallies
bynottrustingthemornotlisteningtotheiradvice.
In1203ArthurofBrittanydisappeared.RumoursspreadthatKingJohnhadorderedhisdeath.The
annalsofMargamAbbeyclaimedthatKingJohn,whiledrunk,hadcommittedthemurderhimselfand
thrownArthur’sbodyintotheSeineweighteddownwithastone.ThisseriouslydamagedKingJohn’s
reputationinFranceandEngland.
InDecember1203KingJohnwentbacktoEngland.KingJohnhadraisedmoremoneyandwas
assemblinghisforcestolaunchanotherattack.However,PhillipIIhadmadetoomuchprogressfor
thistohappen.In1204Phillip‘sforcescapturedNormandy.
KingJohn’smotherEleanorofAquitainehadalsodied.
By1205,mostoftheAngevinEmpirethatKingJohnhadwhenhebeganhisreignhadbeenlost.
TroubleswiththePope
In1207StephenLangtonbecametheArchbishopofCanterbury.KingJohnhadchosenadifferent
candidatebutPopeInnocentIIIdidnotapproveofhim,sohehadappointedStephenLangton.King
JohndidnotwantLangtontobeArchbishopashedidnotfeelthathecouldtrusthim.KingJohnwas
alsoangeredbythePope’sdecisionnottoinvolvehimintheelectionofthenewArchbishop.He
thoughtitwaspartofhisrightsasaKingtoinfluencewhowasappointed.KingJohntookallofthe
landoftheArchbishopofCanterburyandhebannedhimfromcomingtoEngland.
In1208thePopeimposedaninterdictonEngland.Thismeantthattheclergywerenotallowedto
performmostreligiousceremonies.Christianburialwasalsoforbidden.
KingJohntookthelandsofanyclergymenwhocarriedoutthePope'sinstructions.
ThePope'excommunicated'KingJohnin1209.ExcommunicationmeantthatKingJohnwouldnotbe
abletoattendChurchortakepartinanyreligiousservices.Thiswasveryserious.Atthistimepeople
believedthatexcommunicationmeantyouwouldgotohellwhenyoudied.
KingJohnclaimedallthemoneyfromthetakenChurchlandsandusedittohelpfinancehiswarsin
France.
In1213,politicalpressureandpossiblyinresponsetothethreatofFrenchinvasion,KingJohn
negotiatedwiththePopetobringanendtohisexcommunication.HeacceptedStephenLangtonas
ArchbishopofCanterbury.KingJohngavehisloyaltyandobediencetothePopeandturnedthe
KingdomofEnglandovertothePope.ThismadePopeInnocentIIIhisfeudalLordandapowerfulally
ofKingJohn.
GettingonwiththeBarons
TheEnglishBaronshadbeenusedtogoverningEnglandbecauseRichardIhadspentthemajorityof
histimewhenKingawayoncrusade.
UnlikeRichardIandHenryII,KingJohnspentlongeramountsoftimeinEngland.Healsowantedto
takeamoreactiveroleinrulingEngland.Hewasinterestedingovernmentandthejusticesystem.
MenofKingJohn’schoosingwerefillingmanyofthepositionsatcourtandintheRoyalhouseholdbut
theyweren’tnecessarilyBarons.KingJohnoftenignoredtheadviceoftheBaronsorchosenottoseek
it.Hepreferredtorelyonhisownmenorchosetodothingshisownway.Thismadethemdislikehim.
KingJohnwasalsodeeplysuspiciousoftheBarons.Theywerepowerful,richmen.Hesawsomeasa
potentialthreattohiscrownandsotreatedthemmorelikeenemiesthanfriends.KingJohndidnot
trustthemandtheyinturndidnottrusthim.ThismeantabadrelationshipbetweentheKingandthe
Barons.
RaisingMoney
KingJohnspentmostofhisreigntryingtoreclaimNormandy.Forthisheneededtoraiserevenue.He
broughtinaseriesoffinancialmeasuresdesignedtomaximizeincomegoingtotheCrown.These
werenotverypopular.
ThemainsourcesofincomeavailabletoKingJohncamethroughhisfeudalrights.Scutagepayments
weretobeagreatsourceofcontentionbetweentheBaronsandtheKing.Scutagewasameansof
raisingmoneyintimesofwar.Aknightcouldmakeapaymentinsteadofperformingmilitaryservice
fortheKing.KingJohnleviedthistaxmorefrequentlythananyMonarchbeforehimandhe
successivelyincreasedtheamounttobepaid.
Someofthetaxes,finesandpaymentsdemandedbytheCrownamountedtoenormoussums.Many
Baronshadtoborrowmoneytopaythem.Somewhocouldnotpayhadtheirlandsconfiscated.
KingJohnneededthemoneytopayforhiswarsinFrance.Heamassedalargearmy,whichincluded
thehiringofmercenaries,andhebuiltupthenavy.TotheBarons,therewerenosignificantgainsof
territories,nogreatvictoriesthatjustifiedtheamountofmoneybeingdemandedfromthem.In1214
KingJohntriedtore-takeNormandyforthelasttime.AfterthedefeatofhisalliesattheBattleof
Bouvines,KingJohnsignedapeacetreatywithKingPhillipIIofFranceandreturnedtoEngland.In
1215theBaronsrebelled.
1215,FirstBarons'War
TheRoyalChancerydrewupformalcopiesofthisCharterandsentthemouttoofficialsthroughout
thecountry.KingJohndidnotaccepttheconditionsoftheCharterasitattemptedtolimithisRoyal
powers.HetriedtohaveitannulledbyappealingtoPopeInnocentIII.ThePopesidedwithKingJohn
andreleasedhimfromanyobligationtoabidebythetermsoftheCharter.Civilwarbrokeoutagain.
WithinonlyafewmonthsKingJohn’sforceshaddefeatedtherebelsandtheiralliesinmostpartsof
England.
TherebelslookedtoFranceforassistance.InreturnforhelpingdefeatKingJohntheyofferedPrince
LouisthethroneofEngland.PrinceLouis,sonofKingPhillipII,laidclaimtotheEnglishthrone
throughhiswifeBlancheofCastile.BlanchewasadescendantofHenryII.In1216PrinceLouis
landedwithhisarmiesinEngland.ThecombinedforcesoftherebelBaronsandtheFrenchbeganto
re-takelostterritoryforcingKingJohntoretreat.InSeptemberKingJohnlaunchedfreshattacks.
RebellionoftheBarons
In1215agroupofBaronsstartedarebellionagainstKingJohn.Theyweremainlyfromthenorthand
eastofEngland.RobertFitzwalteraBaronfromEastAngliawaschosenastheirleader.TheBarons
triedtogetKingJohntolistentotheirdemands.Whenattemptsatnegotiationfailed,civilwarbroke
out.TherebelsmarchedonLondonandinMay1215successfullyoccupiedit.KingJohnwasforcedto
negotiate.
InJune1215,therebelleadersandKingJohnmetinameadowatRunnymedenearWindsor.
ArchbishopLangtonhadbeenengagedinpeacenegotiationswiththeBarons.Theresultofwhichwas
thedrawingupofadocumentknownasTheArticlesoftheBarons.Thissetoutthetermsforpeace.It
wasbaseduponacharter,whichdatedfromthetimeofHenryI.TherebelarmywouldleaveLondon
andpledgetheirallegiancetotheKing,ifKingJohnagreedtotheirreforms.
On15June1215KingJohnplacedhisGreatSealtotheArticles.On19JunetheBaronspledgedtheir
loyaltyandsworeoathsofallegiancetotheKing.TheRoyalChancerydrewuptheagreementsmade
atRunnymedeasaformalCharter.ThisbecameknownastheMagnaCarta.
MagnaCarta
TheoriginalMagnaCartaorGreatCharterof1215wasessentiallyapeacetreatybetweenKingJohn
andhisBarons.ItwasoriginallyknownastheCharterofLiberties.TheBaronswantedtoensurethat
KingJohn’smisuseofthejusticesystemandhisexploitationoffeudalrights,primarilytoraisemoney,
wouldend.Theywantedtoprotectinlawtheircustomaryrightsandliberties.TheBaronsalso
soughttolimittheauthorityoftheKing.TheKingshouldbesubjecttothelawandnotarbitrarily
imposehiswill.ItmadecleartherightsoftheChurchandothergroupsincludingmerchantsand
knights.Thelibertiesweregrantedtoallthe‘Freemen’ofthekingdom.Freemendidnotmean
everybody.Thereweremanypeasantswhowereserfsorvilleinsandsonotclassedasfreemen.
TheoriginaldocumentwaswrittenonparchmentinMedievalLatinandwaslaidoutasasinglepiece
oftext.TherightsoftheChurchweresetoutinChapter1.
Someofthelibertiesdealtwithtaxes,particularlyscutage,whichhadbeenthemainsourceof
discontentbetweenKingJohnandtheBarons.Chapter14oftheCharterstatedthata‘common
counciloftheKingdom’madeupofhighrankingreligiousofficialsaswellastheleadingBarons
neededtobeconsultedwith,beforetheKingcouldraisetaxes.
TheBaronswereassertingtheirfeudalrightstobepartoftheGreatCouncilandadvisorstotheKing.
KingJohn’sabuseofthejusticesystemwasalsodealtwith.Menwhocarriedoutjudicialfunctions,
suchasbailiffsorsheriffs,hadtoknowthelawofthelandandcarryitoutproperly.
Chapter39wastoguaranteethat‘noFreemanshallbetakenorimprisonedorbedisseised[deprived
ofproperty]...orbeoutlawed,orexiled,orinanyotherwaydestroyed;norwillWenotpassupon
him…butbythelawfuljudgmentofhisPeersorbytheLawoftheLand.’Chapter40wentonthat‘We
willselltonoman,wewillnotdenyordefertoanymaneitherJusticeorRight.’Thisclausealso
appearsinthe1297versionoftheMagnaCarta,whenKingEdwardIconfirmedtheCharterdrawnup
duringthereignofKingHenryIII.Ithasnotbeenrepealed.Thisclausetookongreatersignificance
longafterthesigningoftheMagnaCartaandprobablymuchmorethanwhenitwasfirstwritten.It
formedthebasisforthelegalconceptofhabeascorpus.Anindividual’sfreedomshouldbeprotected
fromarbitraryactionsofthestate.
InChapter13,theCityofLondonandothercitiesandtownswereguaranteedto‘havealltheir
LibertiesandfreeCustoms’.Thisclausehasalsonotbeenrepealed.
Mostoftheclausesdealwithspecificissueswherecustomsortraditionalrightshavebeenexploited
orabused.
Chapter61statedthattwenty-fiveBaronsweretobeappointedtoensurethatallobservedthe
conditionsoftheCharter,includingtheKing.
DeathofKingJohn
InOctober1216,KingJohndiedatNewark,probablyofdysentery.HewasburiedinWorcester
Cathedral.
HenryIII,John’snine-year-oldsonwasproclaimedKingofEngland.WilliamMarshall,Earlof
PembrokewasnamedashisRegent.ManyoftherebelBaronsturnedtosupportthenewking.Prince
LouisreturnedtoFrance.TheMagnaCartawaseditedandre-issuedtosettermsforthegovernance
ofthecountryandtotryandpreventanothercivilwar.
FourcopiesoftheoriginalMagnaCarta1215stillexist.TwoareheldattheBritishLibrary.Salisbury
CathedralholdsoneasdoesLincolnCathedral.AtranslationoftheMagnaCartaisavailableonthe
BritishLibrarywebsite.