John of England

John
John - Illustration from Cassell's History of England
King of England (more...)
Reign	6 April 1199 — 19 October 1216
Coronation	27 May 1199
Predecessor	Richard I
Successor	Henry III
Lord of Ireland
Reign	5 May 1177 — 19 October 1216
Predecessor	Henry II
Successor	Henry III
Duke of Aquitaine
Reign	1 April 1204 — 19 October 1216
Predecessor	Eleanor
Successor	Henry II
Born	(1166-12-24)24 December 1166 Beaumont Palace, Oxfordshire
Died	19 October 1216(1216-10-19) (aged 49) Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire
Burial	Worcester Cathedral, Worcestershire
Spouse	Isabella, Countess of Gloucester ​ ​ (m. 1189; div. 1200)​ Isabella of Angoulême ​ ​ (m. 1200)​
Issue	Henry III, King of England Richard, King of the Romans Joan, Queen of Scots Isabella, Holy Roman Empress Eleanor, Countess of Pembroke
House	Plantagenet
Father	Henry II of England
Mother	Eleanor of Aquitaine

John also called John Lackland (24 December 1166 — 19 October 1216) was the King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He was also the Lord of Ireland from 1177 to 1216 and the Duke of Aquitaine from 1204 to 1216. He was the youngest son and child of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

As the youngest son, John was never expected to inherit the throne. However, when John's older brother King Richard I died childless in 1199, John took the throne.

John's reign was marked by disputes between the king and his barons and bishops. Because of this the nobles forced him to agree to Magna Carta, which limited his power. Magna Carta was a significant legal document in English history, as well as one of the first English “bills of rights”. It introduced the idea that monarchs had limited powers and had to follow certain laws. It gave the nobles more say in the government. It affected English government and inspired those of other countries.^[1]

Some think John was not a good ruler. His father's empire, the Angevin Empire collapsed under his reign. It should be remembered that no-one had held both England and France since the Romans. When John lost his lands in France to King Philip II of France, some argued this was John's fault. It could be just a return to a more natural arrangement. The two countries have the Channel between them. Before he was king, John attempted to seize the throne for himself while his brother Richard was in captivity.

1. ↑ King John of England. Historic World Leaders. Gale, 1994. Biography In Context. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.