Irene Preston's Historical Writing
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - PART TWO
Richard I and King John
Richard 1
King John
RICHARD I became king in 1189 when his father Henry II died. Richard’s
two older brothers having already died, Henry in 1183 and Geoffrey in
1186; leaving Richard and his younger brother John. The volatile
relationship between the brothers did not disappear. John resented
Richard as he was always compared to his brother who spent little time
in England having spent most of his adult life in Aquitaine and on
crusades. His father Henry II had refined the laws to enable him to
extract more money from the earls and barons. Richard I was a warrior
and not so much a politician but to pay for his campaigns in France and
crusades to Jerusalem he must have been an able administrator. He chose
good ministers and clerics who were capable of extracting large amounts
of money to satisfy him. His regional lords in the ‘Angevin Empire’ were
growing strong and Richard had to rely on military force and violence as
a means of asserting his authority. Richard had to fight on all sides to
hold his territories against King Philip of France who was his equal in
strategy and power.
Richard had married his childhood friend Berengaria, the daughter of the
King of Navarre, they seemed to suit one another and she went on crusade
with him. Richard took the Palestinian city of Acre in 1191. His cruel
streak and brutality was noted when he massacred 3000 Muslim prisoners
outside the city walls. The following year he defeated Saladin the
Saracen leader and left the Holy Land to return to England with his
queen. Berengaria made her way to Italy and Richard decided to venture
across Europe where he was captured by King Leopold of Austria and
imprisoned in a castle beside the River Danube. High-ranking prisoners
were treated as befitted their station and Richard's ransom was 100.000
marks. It was a tremendous amount of money and the people were not happy
with John's heavy taxes especially for a king who spent so little time
in England. Richard had appointed William Longchamp as his Chancellor
the year he was crowned but in the king's absence his brother John had
dismissed him and taken control. He upset local barons and lost French
territories. On Richard's return John was punished by the confiscation
of his castles and lands. His followers were also punished by
imprisonment and starving to death. Others offered large sums of money
and made peace with the king. Richard left almost at once for France to
regain his lost territories and was wounded by a crossbow bolt during a
siege. The wound developed gangrene and Richard I died in 1199 never to
see England again. He is remembered as Richard the Lionheart.
KING JOHN was crowned in 1199 according to the wish of his brother
Richard I, who died without an heir. He left John a disputed succession
and a discontented English baronage. John ruled England and Normandy,
his mother Eleanor ruled Aquitaine on his behalf, and his nephew Arthur
ruled Brittany inherited from John's late brother Geoffrey. The nobles
and counts of other French territories objected to John and preferred
Arthur of Brittany who was only 11 years old. In 1189 John had married
Isabella, Countess of Gloucester, and they were to remain married for 10
years. In 1200 the marriage was annulled as they were second cousins and
John then married 12 year old Isabella of Angouleme. Apart from John's
many illegitimate children Isabella gave him 5 children, Henry the
future king and Richard the Earl of Cornwall, Joan, Isabella and Eleanor
all made good marriages. King Philip II of France was not pleased with
John's high-handed ways. First his marriage to Isabella who had been
betrothed to Hugh X, Duke of Lusignan, and second he supported the claim
of Arthur of Brittany. In 1203 fighting broke out in France and by the
following year Philip had taken Anjou and Normandy forcing John to
return to England. On his return he increased taxes and disagreed with
appointments to high office such as the position of Archbishop of
Canterbury. The Pope excommunicated John but with the threat of a French
invasion John later sought the Pope's protection placing England almost
in the hands of the Vatican. This was too much for the barons and the
clergy and there was much rebellion amongst the people who marched on
London with their list of grievances in 1216.
To add to the pressure of the rebels, clerics and barons, Louis, the
Dauphin of France, son of King Philip II, took his opportunity and
joined the march on London. He was to hold and rule the eastern part of
England including London with the support of the rebel barons who were
against the King. John's half-brother William Longspee was an able
commander and did battle at sea against the French. He was also
instrumental in advising and preparing the Magna Carta or Great Charter,
which the barons presented to the king having just cause to force him to
agree to their demands and put his seal on the Magna Carta at Runnymede
in 1216.After the signing of the Magna Carta the barons were to choose
25 from their ranks to observe and maintain the peace and liberties
granted and confirmed by the King. There was also to be a sub-committee
of 4 to be appointed by the 25 barons to deal with default or grievance.
They had authority to seize royal castles, lands and possessions, levied
on the king not only for his own misdemeanours or oppressions, but also
for those of his bailiffs or officers anywhere in the country. This was
to show that the king was not above the law and the Magna Carta would be
re-affirmed and enlarged as a fundamental guarantee of political
liberties.
The Magna Carta has been the basis in one version or another in the
founding charters of the new colonies of America. From the middle of the
16th century the founders and leaders were aware of the need to
establish the rule of law on a firm basis. Many were based on religion
and were central to the early constitution making and joined with those
of ‘Common Law.’ The history of America refers to The Great Charter,
‘the inhabitants shall have all their rights and liberties according to
the Great Charter of England.’ In the revised versions, religious
content gave place to practical and legal concerns. Sir Edward Coke,
Chief Justice for King James I, drafted a rather colourful version of
Magna Carta and granted to the Virginia Company in the early 17th
century.
The loss of all the French territories and especially Normandy was the
culmination of a long process of changes in French politics and
economics. Philip II of France was a formidable opponent and John, not
having his brother Richard's military skills, was no match for Philip.
King John died 5 months later and his young son, only 9 years old, was
quickly crowned King Henry III in Gloucester Cathedral. Isabella left
England and married the Duke of Lusignan to whom she had previously been
betrothed. She had several more children who would later cause unrest at
Henry's Court and in 1250 Isabella died.
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - William I to Henry II click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Richard I and King John click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Henry III click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Edward I click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Edward II click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Edward III
click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Richard II
click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Henry IV click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND - Henry V click
THE PLANTAGENET KINGS OF ENGLAND -
Henry VI
click