Prince John’s Plot Against King Richard The Lionheart

David Tee - AncientPages.com - Prince John did not have a good reputation.

Historian W. L. Warren probably described Prince John the best when he wrote, “By comparison with Richard, John has been seen as a weedy little tick.” The reason for this disturbing personality in John could have been jealousy. Richard was beloved, a good king, older and taller than John.

Left: Prince John. British School – School Details of artist on Google Art Project. Credit: Public Domain - Right: 19th-century portrait of Richard the Lionheart by Merry-Joseph Blondel. Credit: Public Domain

Prince John (1166 - 1216), also known as John Lackland, was the last child of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and was born on Christmas Eve in 1137 AD. Even being born in a festive spirit had no influence on John’s character. Richard had everything John did not

Another factor that could have given rise to Prince John’s attitude was that King Henry II had no more land to give him when he was born. John was a prince without a kingdom.

Prince John Was A Failure

There is no polite way to describe the life and person of Prince John. Once his father tried to make him king of Ireland, but his behavior toward the Irish leaders caused a rebellion and forced his departure from that country.

Even his attempt to dethrone his brother failed miserably. The conflict between John and Richard may have started when their father ordered Richard to give John Aquitaine. The former refused, and Henry II told John jokingly to invade Richard, which John proceeded to do.

This invasion failed as well. John also lost most of his father’s empire in France.

Prince John’s Plot Against His Brother, Richard The Lionheart

 One good thing that can be said about Richard the Lionheart was that he was a warrior. When the time came for another Crusade against the Arabs controlling the Holy Land, Richard responded with men, leadership, and other contributions.

Richard I pardons his brother Prince John at the behest of their mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Credit: Public Domain

It was the change that John could have been waiting for. With Richard gone, he could rule in his stead and do as he pleased. But when Richard did not die in the Crusade, John conspired with Duke Leopold of Austria and Philip Augustus of France to keep Richard in prison and away from England.

Unfortunately for John, this plot failed as well. He and Philip tried to bribe Henry VI to hand Richard over to them, but Henry VI’s nobles did not like the change of heart and compelled Henry to keep his original promise.

Richard was eventually released from his captivity, and John fled England and went to France. Of course, during this time, John’s mother organized a rebellion against John and helped Richard return to the throne.

John Was Not A Good King

Historians have compared John to the Roman Emperor Caligula. They both murdered to get to the top, stole from nobles, abused the courts, and even lost their French empire due to cowardice.

The acts of John were outrageous in their own right, as he had a friend’s wife and child starved to death. He also used devious means to revoke the power of his brother Richard’s allies. Most of this was done apparently before John reached the throne legitimately.

Prince John did eventually become King John. On his deathbed, the story goes that Richard made John his heir despite his older brother’s son’s better claim to the throne. This act did not sit well with Arthur, the son, and John had more problems on his hands.

A romanticised 19th-century recreation of King John signing Magna Carta. Rather than signing in writing, the document would have been authenticated with the Great Seal and applied by officials rather than John himself. Image credit: James William Edmund Doyle - (1864) "John" in A Chronicle of England: B.C. 55 – A.D. 1485, - Public Domain

The Magna Carta Comes Into Existence

It is said that King John may not have been a very good person or king, but he left a very good piece of legislation to govern England and other countries. We can only disagree with that thought because it was probably John’s subjects that should get the credit for constructing the Magna Carta and forcing King John to sign and agree to it.

The Magna Carta was sealed on June 15, 1215.

The Magna Carta was not a product of a lousy king but a result of good people coming together to stop the evil John was doing. It is doubtful that a man known for killing his enemies, like starving the knights at Corfe Castle, would devise a plan restricting his power.

John eventually contracted dysentery and died.

His son, Henry III, ascended the throne. King John is buried at Worcester Cathedral.

Written by – David Tee  AncientPages.com 

Updated on December 11, 2022

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