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biography
| name: |
John (of England),
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also known as John Lackland
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| sex:
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| lived:
| (1167–1216)
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| biography:
| King of England (1199–1216), the youngest son of Henry II, born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, SC England, UK, and one of the least popular monarchs in English history. He tried to seize the crown during Richard I's captivity in Germany (1193–4), but was forgiven and nominated successor by Richard, who thus set aside the rights of Arthur, the son of John's elder brother Geoffrey. Arthur's claims were supported by Philip II of France, and, after Arthur was murdered on John's orders (1203), Philip marched against him with superior forces, conquering all but a portion of Aquitaine (1204–5). In 1206 John refused to receive Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury, and in 1208 his kingdom was placed under papal interdict. He was then excommunicated (1209), and finally conceded (1213). His oppressive government, and failure to recover Normandy, provoked baronial opposition, which led to demands for constitutional reform. The barons met the king at Runnymede, and forced him to grant the Great Charter (Magna Carta) (Jun 1215), the basis of the English constitution. His repudiation of the Charter precipitated the first Barons' War (1215–17). |
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