2006-12-15 23:58:37 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
King John was one of a family of not very nice people, called the Plantagenets.
His brother, Richard I, known as the Lion-heart, and as queer as a nine bob note, spent most of his life in Normandy or on Crusade. He milked the country for funds for his trips to the Holy Land. However, Richard always gets a good press.
John was a shifty, corrupt, cowardly, devil, much like the rest of the breed. He took advantage of the absentee Richard and took the throne. At least he was in England most of the time.
By the way, John didn't sign the Magna Carta, he had his seal set to it. He then promptly ignored it.
2006-12-16 00:10:56 · answer #1 · answered by efes_haze 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you are speaking of the brother of Richard the Lionheart, I am not sure he was regarded as being a good King. Certainly we have the Magna Carter, enshrining our English rights, and the nearest thing we have to a written constitution, but don't be fooled, King John was dragged to the spot to sign it: he would never have signed it(or put his seal) of his own accord. You may also have noticed that no other King of England has been named John - tell you anything?
2006-12-16 00:02:52 · answer #2 · answered by Raymo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because he didn't go riding off to Jerusalem on a feeble pretext. King John was never my favourite Monarch, but as far as the Middle East is concerned Blair could have got some tips from him.
2006-12-16 03:17:13 · answer #3 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not according to history he wasn't , although it doesn't tell the full story The Robin hood fables came from that period and it is a commoners story so he obviously was not well liked , but some history speaks of him building churches and places of learning making sensible laws , and appointing magistrates to keep the Peace . Remember he was the minor brother of a national hero Richard the Loin heart so he had one hell of a figurehead to live up to
2006-12-16 03:27:37 · answer #4 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Magna Carta was sealed by King John.
The Magna Carta was the first British constitution, setting down the relationship between citizens and state. It was forced upon the king by his uncontrollable barons who had had enough of his high taxation and arbitrary decisions.
The origin of the barons’ rebellion came about from the moment when John came to the throne in 1199. John had inherited the crown from his brother Richard I, or to be correct, seized it from the legitimate heir, his nephew, Prince Arthur. The French King Philip II supported Arthur’s claim, not only to the throne of England, but to French lands in Normandy and Anjou, which had been held by Richard. King Philip summoned John to appear before him and when John refused, confiscated his French lands and allocated some of them to Arthur and some to himself. John responded by sending an army to defend his lands in Normandy, thus bringing about a minor but costly war.
In order to defray the cost, John instituted a series of taxes, including Forest Law, a set of regulations regarding woodlands, which were difficult to obey in their entirety, easily broken and raised a great del of money in fines. John also started an Income Tax, which raised him enough to pay for his wars and more besides. Naturally, thee barons were unhappy at this state of affairs and a group of them joined together in rebellion. They captured London, forcing John to leave the city, and then rounded on him at Runnymede. [grid reference SU999729. National Trust] Here, at the point of a sword, they forced his to sign the great charter.
John had no intention of honouring his promise. As soon as the barons had left London, he raised a force against them and tried to hunt them down, one at a time, thus plunging England into civil war. On 18th October 1216, John died of a surfeit of peaches and cider and was succeeded by his nine-year-old son, Henry III. [For other unusual royal deaths see 24th March.] The barons found it simple to manipulate the young king into issuing a new and enforceable charter.
Magna Carta contained no new rights or privileges, but only put in writing old laws. The barons needed John to make explicit what was already implicit. Contrary to popular belief, The Magna Carta was not signed by King John. He was illiterate.
2006-12-16 04:13:57 · answer #5 · answered by Retired 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was a weak King
2006-12-16 00:35:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
cos' King John could spell his name properly
2006-12-16 00:13:28 · answer #7 · answered by SAPPER 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
king bush is worse
2006-12-16 00:02:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
who was he??
2006-12-16 00:01:18 · answer #9 · answered by archaeologia 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋