King John

A readable and interesting biography of this most maligned of kings who has, to some extent at least, been unfairly judged due to an over-reliance on the word of one particular non-contemporary chronicler, Roger of Wendover. While John's petty tyrannies towards the barons and character flaws are manifest, he was also a much sought after and judicious arbiter in legal proceedings involving ordinary men and also effectively founded the English navy. Up to a point it seems odd that John, unlike the equally but somewhat unfairly maligned Richard III, has no organised defenders today.

Oh, so little known, so little studied yet, in my opinion, King John covers an interesting moment in the history of relations between England and France and is well worth a read. The reader enters the story towards the end of John’s reign as King Philip requests that John step down and give the crown to the rightful owner, Arthur, John’s nephew. Not doing so will result in war between the two countries. The battlefield will be Angier’s an area located in France yet under English rule. The savvy citizen’s of Angier’s will not allow the gates of their city to be opened to allow either King into their domain and devise a remedy to their perilous situation. Peace is short lived however for Rome has entered the fray and asks that show more France aid the Catholic Church in their cause for John did not appoint the pope’s chosen man as Archbishop of Canterbury and must be excommunicated. Thus war ensues and the winner, in the end, does not win at all. show less

wonderful book

Not the most popular of members in the royal lineage, King John was the king who signed the Magna Carta. Not least for that reason, there will probably never be a John II, which is why I respectfully call him ”John the Only”