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JOHN, the youngest son of Henry II., was born Dec. 24, 1166, at Oxford. Though very early the nominal governor of Ireland, he was not the holder of any fiefs, as his brothers were, and hence the name of Sansterre, or Lackland, by which he is commonly known. He did not openly oppose his father, but he treacherously allied himself with his enemies; hence, although liberally treated by his brother Richard, he was distrusted by him, and forbidden to come to England during the latter's absence on the crusade. This injunction he disregarded, and he had hopes of placing himself on the throne, when Richard's return disconcerted his schemes and drove him into exile. He was soon pardoned by the generous king, and, by the influence of his mother, was even named his successor. This involved the setting aside of his nephew Arthur, and in the war thereby occasioned the greater part of the French possessions of the crown were lost. The remainder of John's reign was

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filled up with quarrels with the pope (Innocent III.), vain attempts to recover his lost possessions, and such oppression of his subjects as led them to seek foreign aid against him; and when his troubled life was brought to a sudden close, Oct. 19, 1216, the dauphin of France was the acknowledged master of a great part of England.

John, when a child, was contracted to Alice, daughter of Humbert, count of Savoy, but she died soon after; he afterwards married his cousin Isabel (or Hawise, as she is sometimes called), grand-daughter of the celebrated Robert, earl of Gloucester, receiving with her the earldom, but he divorced her on the plea of consanguinity to marry Isabel, daughter of the count of Angouleme, although she was already betrothed, if not married, to Hugh Lusignan, or le Brun, earl of Marche. His legitimate children, who were all by Isabel, were— 1. HENRY, who became king.

2. Richard, earl of Cornwall, born in 1209; he served with reputation and success both in France and the Holy Land, and he was in many respects a perfect contrast to his brother the king, being wise, valiant, and rich, and he often acted the part of a mediator

• After John's death she married Hugh, and had by him a numerous family, who were greatly favoured by their half-brother Henry. She also induced Henry to go to war with Louis of France in support of her husband, who had rebelled, and caused so much mischief by her intrigues that the French named her Jezebel. Hugh, after acting most treacherously by his English allies, was obliged to submit to Louis and to accompany him to Egypt, where he was killed, being, as his cotemporaries assure us, purposely placed in the front rank as a suspected man. His widow took the veil, and dying soon after was buried at Fontevraud.

Much of this wealth, however, was discreditably acquired. Beside plundering the Jews, who were considered fair prey for all, he gained large sums by purchasing from the pope the power to release from their vows, on his own terms, such as wished to be excused from

Richard was induced to

between him and his subjects. aspire to the imperial dignity, and bore the title of king of the Romans, but derived little else from his profuse expenditure of money abroad. He fought on his brother's side at Lewes, and was made prisoner. He died at his manor of Berkhampstead, in 1271. He married first Isabel, daughter of William Marshal, earl of Pembroke, and secondly Sanchia, sister of his brother's wife, Eleanor of Provence. He had several children, of whom one, Henry, was murdered in a church at Viterbo, by his fugitive cousins the Montforts, in 1271, and another, Richard, was killed at the siege of Berwick in 1296.

Arms of
Richard, earl of Cornwall.

John left three daughters, of whom Joan was married to Alexander II. of Scotland; Eleanora, first to William Marshal, the younger, earl of Pembroke, and next to Simon de Montfort; and Isabel, to the emperor Frederick II.

This king had many illegitimate children, of whom may be mentioned, Richard, who put to death Eustace the Monk; Oliver, who served at Damietta in 1249; and Joan, married to Llewelyn II. (ap Jorwerth), prince of North Wales.

The arms borne by John are the same as those used by Richard I. in the latter part of his reign, "Gules, three lions passant gardant in pale, or." His badge appears to have been a star issuing from between the horns of a crescent.

going on the crusade; "from one archdeaconry only," says Matthew Paris, "he is said to have carried off £600." William Longespee also raised money by like means, but he expended it in the holy war.

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No English king has been handed down to us with so bad a character as John, but we can hardly expect a perfectly fair account, when we remember that all our early historians belong to a body with which he was at open variance for the greater part of his reign. The treachery and ingratitude which he is accused of displaying to his father and his brother Richard seem undeniable, as well as a licentious life, and many acts of cruelty when he had become king; but he probably was not the cowardly, incapable ruler which he is usually represented by English writers; foreign annalists, on the contrary, speak of him as a fierce and warlike king. It is certain that he made campaigns in Scotland and in Ireland with success, and if he was less fortunate in France and in Wales, the cause is probably to be found quite as much in the disaffection of his followers, as in any want of courage or conduct on his own part.

A.D. 1199. Earl John is received as duke of Normandy at Rouen, April 25. Arthur, his nephew, is acknowledged in Anjou, Maine, and Touraine, and supported by the king of France (Philip II.)

Archbishop Hubert, Geoffrey Fitz-Pierre, and William Marshal, being despatched to England, obtain the recognition of John as king at a council at Northampton.

John lands at Shoreham, May 25; is crowned at Westminster, May 27 (Ascension-day); he returns to Normandy before the end of June.

A.D. 1200. John comes to England in February, and makes a progress through the country; meanwhile, the king of France garrisons Arthur's possessions, and attacks Normandy.

John goes to Normandy at the end of April; Philip makes peace and acknowledges him as king, May 23.

John divorces his wife, and marries Isabel of Angouleme, who was betrothed to Hugh Lusignan, count de la Marche; is crowned with her at Westminster October 8.

The king of Scotland does homage to John at Lincoln f, Nov. 22.

A.D. 1201. John returns to Normandy in May; visits the king of France at Paris in July, and endeavours to induce him to abandon the cause of Arthur.

A.D. 1202. The king of France, urged by Hugh, count de la Marche, makes war on John, and endeavours to establish Arthur in Poitou.

Arthur and Hugh besiege Queen Eleanor in the castle

• The years of his reign are calculated from one Ascension-day to another, and as this is a movable feast, their commencement varies from May 3 to June 3.

English and Scottish historians differ as to what lands this homage was for; but as Richard I. had formally abandoned all claim to homage for the kingdom, (see p. 267), it could hardly be for anything more than the earldom of Huntingdon and other lands in England.

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