John Lackland (Oxford, 24 December 1167 - Newark, 19 October 1216)

The youngest son of Henry II Plantagenet. As a young man John was his father’s favourite, but was unable to seize Aquitaine from his brother Richard (1184) and failed in an expedition to Ireland (1185). In 1189 John took part in the final rebellion against his father at whose death he obtained the County of Mortain and large swathes of the English domains from Richard before the latter’s departure on the crusades. In his brother’s absence (1190-1194), John conspired with Philip Augustus. He tried to take the regency of England for himself and allowed the King of France to invade Normandy. On the return of Richard (1194) John submitted to him and Richard named him his heir upon his death (1199). However, the barons of Anjou, Maine and Touraine, supported by Philip Augustus, favoured Arthur of Brittany, son of John’s brother Geoffrey (who died in 1186). A dispute between John and his Aquitaine vassals gave the King of France the pretext to announce the confiscation of his continental fiefdoms (1202). Philip Augustus conquered Normandy, Touraine and Anjou (1204-1205) and then Poitou, Saintonge, and part of Aquitaine (1206-1207). Withdrawing to England, and wishing to impose his own candidate for the archbishopric of Canterbury (1207), John clashed with the church. He was excommunicated (1209) and England was put under an interdict. John re-established himself by recognising the vassal kingdom of St Siège (1213). He subsequently adhered to the coalition formed against the King of France by the Emperor Otto IV of Brunswick, but was defeated at la Roche-aux-Moines while his allies were defeated at Bouvines (July 1214). John granted the Magna Carta (June 1215) to the English barons who had risen up and offered the crown to Louis of France, son of Philip Augustus. Louis landed in England in May 1216 and remained there until the death of John (Oct. 1216) without actually challenging the passing of the crown to Henry III (1216-1272).

Bibliography :

- François Neveux. - La Normandie des ducs aux rois, Xe-XIIe s. - Rennes : Ouest-France, 1998.
- Jean Favier. - Dictionnaire de la France médiévale. - Paris : Fayard, 1993.
- John Baldwin. - Philippe Auguste. - Paris : Fayard, 1991.