Frankly … King John (1166 – 1216) was mostly bad … I'm not sure I can find much good to say about him after his early years, when he was doted on by his father, King Henry II and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine.
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| King John his tomb effigy |
He was awful … other kings were as incompetent (Edward II (1307 - 1327)), or perhaps as cruel (Richard III (1483 - 1485)), but in the eyes of his contemporaries John appears to have been uniquely both.
Yet his disastrous and bloody reign led to one of the most famous documents in history: Magna Carta.
Magna Carta - perhaps you can read it?!
... part of it ...
To save you the history lesson … and me to make it short enough to be entertaining … perhaps this all you need to know …
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| Rous Roll depicting Richard III (c/o John Rous) |
John was not in any way diplomatic … alienating many, cruelly leaving others to die, sometimes killing many others …
… his reign as King of England was a failure … although some historians have tried to paint a more positive picture of John, but this is hard to do when one recalls his deeds as monarch:
the murder in France of his young nephew, Arthur;
the English lands lost to the French;
the starvation of a mother and her young son;
the submission of his kingdom as a fief to the papacy;
his blatant adultery;
his cowardly retreat from combat;
the taxation that finally pushed the country into open rebellion; and after his death ...
leaving London and one-third of the country under French rule.
To somewhat confirm the above - here are a couple of quotes recorded in history …
Gerald of Wales:
'He Feared Not God, Nor Respected Men'.
The Barnwell annalist:
'A Pillager of his own People'
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| King John ratifying Magna Carta in 1215 |
Yet from his reign came one of the greatest legacies – Magna Carta … it might have been forced upon him as a damning verdict of his rule, but it has endured as a global symbol of political rights and freedom …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters International Stories
24 comments:
Some good from an awful lot of bad.
Hari OM
Yes, the MC arose because of John's evil, and to enhance the 'rule of law'... something a few in power now could well be reminded of! YAM xx
@ Janice - yes a lot of good from a really poor, cruel monarch ... poor people ...
@ Yam - I know ... the rule of law - my talk is going to be a challenge - I think I'll leave it in the 1200s ... and let the next 700 years take their own course ... it's going to be a challenge to my brain - still no doubt will do me good ... and yes remind a few people of its inheritance ...
Cheers to you both - Hilary
No-one is above the law, something more recent rulers should remember.
To add to your list, he also lost the crown jewels trying to cross The Wash!
He was indeed a bit of a shocker wasn't he? Though goodness many of the earlier Kings were cruel.
It is amazing that out of his cruelty and self interest something good and lasting emerged... Not the legacy he wanted to leave but a more positive one than his actions warranted.
@ Ian - yes thanks re losing the Crown Jewels in The Wash - I think that's stupidity and selfishness ... I mentioned it in my history talk - these things were all grievances of the people ... but no-one is above the law as you say ... I just wish the law would be quicker ...
@ EC - King John was a shocker ... still his name will for ever be remembered because of Magna Carta. Your comment is spot on ...
Cheers to you both - thanks for reading ... Hilary
I am not familiar with King John to any great extent, but the Magna Carta is known the world over as a foundational document in the evolution of democracy. Permit me an anecdote if you will. Last time I visited the UK we were in a restaurant having lunch and a couple at the adjacent table were having a quite animated conversation, and suddenly inquired of me, “Where was Magna Carta signed” and I was able to say with confidence, “Runnymede.” Think of that, a mere colonial giving the answer! Not bad, if you ask me!
The Magna Carta was a huge inspiration to Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Bad rulers sometimes have good outcomes, but only when the people push back. I'm sure the people of the time didn't consider the Magna Carta worth all the trouble.
A great history lesson. Famous as the Magna Carta is, I only knew bits and pieces of the story behind it and the basic facts about King John.
As long as royals were not limited in their legislation, religion and personal behaviour, they could do absolutely anything that popped into their brains. And nobody else could do anything about it (except assassinating the royal, I suppose). King John the Bad was only one uncontrolled royal over the years and on different nations.
@ David - I'm learning about the Plantagenets ... lots more to learn. But yes the Magna Carta I knew about ... but now I need to understand more of its contents ... thank you for that basic introduction to it. I honestly don't think until recently ... 20 years perhaps ... that I knew where Magna Carta was signed - yet we lived very near Runnymede - it's not a name that has resonated in my brain that well. Your anecdote is perfect ... I expect they were amazed to hear your Canadian accent proclaim 'Runnymede' ... funny how that sort of interaction is remembered.
@ John - yes I'm anxious about bringing in the USA side of things ... I think I may stick to the 11th C ... but may become brave!
@ Liz - I think the barons who provoked Magna Carta into being were most definitely determined that the King had overstepped the mark and there needed to be some form of administrative oversight ... and I'm sure the people (peasants) didn't understand yet accepted its introduction, they'd have hoped less 'tax' would need to be extracted from their lives ...
@ Damyanti - I'm so glad you're like me ... knowing the basic facts but no more ... after these history sessions I'll definitely be wiser! Good to see you here ...
@ Hels - many 'bads' through the eras of empires are known to us aren't they. John theoretically was trying to keep his kingdom together ... sadly, but fortunately, he failed, then for us the barons have left us with the Magna Carta ...which is still bearing relevance centuries later ...
Thanks to you all for commenting relevantly ... always useful to the person who writes these posts! Cheers Hilary
He was really the perfect villain, wasn't he? In an almost cartoonish way. But the Magna Carta is a fine piece of work!
There were many bad kings, but he was probably the worst.
Memories of school here with the Magna Carta. If only the French had stayed in London I might have been brought up with a language that would not cause me the problems it does in my old age 😊 I hope all is well, cheers Diane
I had to laugh, thinking that here in the United States we may soon have a ruler who also will pillage his own people for his own benefit. Hopefully our checks on such things will hold.
Well written and enlightening. Thanks, Hils
I like what Inger said above. Maybe some good can come from evil from 2025-2029? Maybe. Then again....alas. King John did not have AI, Social Media, and all out evil no -reading ignorant lackeys at his beck and call? Sigh. We'll see. Excellent post.
@ Elizabeth - he appears to have been the perfect villain ... but that was the way as the King with his followers 'ruled the waves' ... yes writing up my Magna Carta talk will stretch me ... but to have survived 800 years is pretty incredible ...
@ Anabel - yes many bad kings and rulers ... but his actions were recorded by the chroniclers ...
@ Diane - great I'll be over soon ... I don't remember learning about Magna Carta at school - but then I seem to know about many aspects of life that surprise me now ... as to how and when. Funny - yes if I was speaking French ... you'd be happy over the Channel ...
@ Inger - my next post will amuse too ... I just hope the world will ease up as we progress into the second half of the 2020s ...
@ Sandra - thanks ... I had some good references to use ... and I'm learning.
@ Joanne - I do hope the next 4 - 5 years will be peaceful and more understanding about life in general ... and that we think for ourselves, not just simply believing what's being shouted out ...
Cheers to you all ... as Joanne says ... we'll see - take care - Hilary
Not before nor since has a ruler caused such harm yet provided his subjects and others something as positive. A king of two parts! A really interesting piece, Hilary.
What a guy. Cough. Cough. Hack. Hack.
Have a grand weekend, Hils.
It's fascinating how such a flawed monarch could inadvertently contribute to the foundation of modern democracy! Yes, sometimes disastrous leadership can spark progress in unexpected ways. Strange, is it not? A timely post, as well, considering the world we are in now!
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Hi Hils, Hope you had a relaxing weekend. And are having a fun, productive week.
@ Keith - yes as you say a king of two parts ... thank you - the other thing is that there's never been another King John in England ...
@ Sandra - well he must have run roughshod over many of his peoples ... I hope that cough and hack are easing up ... I'm steering clear if I can ...
@ Pradeep - history is interesting isn't it - or perhaps the laws of unintended consequences. My next post too - could be considered 'timely' if read from a different angle ...
Thanks so much for visiting - cheers Hilary
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