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Individual Record for: I JOHN (male)

Source:

bulkeley.txt

Notes:

John's loss of the French dominions, his disputes with Rome, and a high le vel of taxation had the English nobility up in arms against him. In 121 5, they forced the King to sign the Magna Carta, guaranteeing their righ ts in relation to those of the crown. This led to civil war, which only e nded with John's death.

Despite his problems with France and the English barons, recent historic al research suggests that John was a keen administrator, a good genera l, an astute diplomat, and a hardpworking and intelligent ruler with a str ong sense of justice.

Died of fever, chills, exhaustion after crossing Wash of Lincoln & Norfolk .

*********

John was born in 1167. He married Hadwisa (Isabella) of Gloucester, wh om he divorced and Isabella of Angouleme, who survived him. His children w ere all from his second marriage: Henry, Richard, Joan, Isabella and Elean or. John was a very spoilt and selfish person. He continually conspired ag ainst the people who cared for him and treachorously conspired with the Ki ng of France to bring about his brother, Richard's downfall. His father ca lled him Lackland, due to the fact that by the time he was born, the Ki ng had already apportioned out all his lands to the elder children. John m anaged to retain that name, through his reign, by losing the land of Norma ndy through incompetence. A military defeat in Flanders lead to sucha weak ening of Englands position, that the Barons were forced to call in the arm ies of the Dauphinof France. A civil war followed and it was then that Jo hn truly lost his crown and his treasures. He is famed for the signi ng of the document, the 'Magna Carta'. This legendary paper has the signif icance of phrases enshrining general principles of justice. The signi ng of it was a major event. John divorced his first wife, and a year aft er his succession to the throne, chanced upon the 12 year old Isabel la of Angouleme. She was already betrothed but he managed to persuade h er to marry him and she was later crowned Queen of England. Their childr en were all married off to people of great distinction, whatever regard th ey may have held for King John. His wife was later to betray him political ly, and after his death went to marry her first love. John died of dysentr y, and his son Henry came to be his successor at the age of nine.

John and Magna Carta

John (reigned 1199-1216) was an able administrator interested in law and g overnment but he neither trusted others nor was trusted by them. Heavy tax ation, disputes with the Church (John was excommunicated by the Pope in 12 09) and unsuccessful attempts to recover his French possessions made him u npopular. Many of his barons rebelled and in June 1215 they forced the Ki ng to sign a peace treaty accepting their reforms.

This treaty, later known as Magna Carta, limited royal powers, defined feu dal obligations between the King and the barons, and guaranteed a numb er of rights. The most influential clauses concerned the freedom of the Ch urch; the redress of grievances of owners and tenants of land; the ne ed to consult the Great Council of the Realm so as to prevent unjust taxat ion; mercantile and trading relationships; regulation of the machine ry of justice so that justice be denied to no one; and the requireme nt to control the behaviour of royal officials. The most
important clauses established the basis of habeas corpus ('you have the bo dy'), i.e. that no one shall be imprisoned except by due process of law, a nd that 'to no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay rig ht or justice'.

The Charter also established a council of barons who were to ensure that t he Sovereign observed the Charter, with the right to wage war on h im if he did not. Magna Carta was the first formal document insisting th at the Sovereign was as much under the rule of law as his people; and th at the rights of individuals were to be upheld even against the wish es of the sovereign. As a source of fundamental constitutional principle s, Magna Carta came to be seen as an important definition of aspects of En glish law, and in later centuries as the basis of the liberties of the Eng lish people.

As a peace treaty Magna Carta was a failure and the rebels invited Lou is of France to become their king. When John died in 1216 England was in t he grip of civil war.

John was a Plantagenet king of the House of Anjou; Reign: 1199-1216; Be st known for signing the Magna Charta. John's reign had become increasing ly tyrannical. To support his wars he had extorted money, raised taxes a nd confiscated properties. His barons finally united to force his to respe ct their rights and privileges. John had little choice but to sign the Mag na Charta presented to him by his barons at Runnymede in 1215. This made h im subject rather than superior to the law. Shortly afterward John and t he barons were at war.

John (reigned 1199-1216) was an able administrator interested in la w a nd government but he neither trusted others nor was trusted by them. Heavy taxation, disputes with the Church (John was excommunicated by the Po pe in 1209) and unsuccessful attempts to recover his French possessions ma de him u npopular. Many of his barons rebelled and in June 1215 they forc ed the King t o sign a peace treaty accepting their reforms. This treat y, later known as Mag na Carta, limited royal powers, defined feudal oblig ations between the King a nd the barons, and guaranteed a number of right s. The most influential clause s concerned the freedom of the Church; t he redress of grievances of owners an d tenants of land; the need to consu lt the Great Council of the Realm so as t o prevent unjust taxation; merca ntile and trading relationships; regulation o f the machinery of justi ce so that justice be denied to no one; and the req uirement to control t he behaviour of royal officials. The most important clau ses established t he basis of habeas corpus ('you have the body'), i.e. that n o one sha ll be imprisoned except by due process of law, and that 'to no one w i ll we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay right or justice'. The Char te r also established a council of barons who were to ensure that the Sove reign observed the Charter, with the right to wage war on him if he did no t. Magna Carta was the first formal document insisting that the Soverei gn was as much under the rule of law as his people; and that the righ ts of individuals were to be upheld even against the wishes of the soverei gn. As a source of fundame ntal constitutional principles, Magna Carta ca me to be seen as an important d efinition of aspects of English law, a nd in later centuries as the basis of t he liberties of the English peopl e. As a peace treaty Magna Carta was a fail ure and the rebels invited Lou is of France to become their king. When John di ed in 1216 England w as in the grip of civil war.


Notes Source: bulkeley.txt

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