The Children of Adam and Eve

Called John Lackland. Also Lord of Ireland, and Count of Mortain, best
known for signing the Magna Carta.

Henry II provided for the eventual inheritance of his lands by his older
sons before John was born. By 1186, However, only Richard I, the
Lion-Hearted, and John were left as Henry's heirs. In 1189, as Henry
neared Death, John joined Richard's rebellion against their father, and
when Richard was crowned, he gave John many estates and titles. John tried
but failed to usurp the Crown while Richard was away on the Third Crusade:
Upon returning to England, Richard forgave him. When his Brother died in
1199, John became king. A revolt ensued by the supPorters of Arthur of
Brittany, the son of John's Brother, Geoffrey. Arthur was defeated and
captured in 1202, and John is believed to have had him murdered. King
Philip II of France continued Arthur's war until John had to surrender
nearly all his French possessions in 1204. In 1207 John refused to accept
the election of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury. Pope Innocent
III then excommunicated him and began negotiating with Philip for an
invasion of England. Desperate, John surrendered England to the Pope and
in 1213 received it back as a fief. Trying to regain his French
possession, he was decisively defeated by Philip in 1214. John's reign had
become increasingly tyrannical; to support his wars he had extorted money,
raised taxes, and confiscated properties. His barons finally united to
force him to respect their rights and privileges. John had little choice
but to sign the Magna Carta presented to him by his barons at Runnymede in
1215, making him subject, rather than superior, to the law. Shortly
afterWard John and the barons were at war. He died while still pursuing
the campaign, and was succeeded by his son, Henry III.