King Richard and John (1189-1216)

• Who's King Henry II? When was he crowned king and when did he die?

  - FORMER King of England, Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou, Duke of Aquitaine, Count of Poitou

  - Father to Henry, Richard, Geoffrey and John

  - Crowned king in 1154, Died in 1189
• What was King Henry II described as?

  "A bully with brains and brawn" - his sons (even his favourite, John deserted and rebelled against him)
• Why did Henry "The Young King" rebel against his father Henry II?

  His father refused agreement to hand him the throne to rule England, Normandy or Anjou on his own in 1173 (since he's eldest) and later in 1182 (with Geoffrey and Philip II) when he had no land whereas his brothers did
• Why did Richard rebel against his father Henry II?

  - Henry's favouritism for John

  - Tried to take away Richard's possession of Aquitaine and give it to John which he refused to give away (the position of Duke of Aquitaine)

  - He rebelled later in 1189, joining forces with Phillip II which led to a successful attack on Henry's lands and forced Henry II to sign a humiliating peace treaty
• Who is Eleanor of Aquitaine?

  - A noblewoman and Richard's and John's mother

  - Ambitious and powerful - she took an active hand in politics - She inherited vast lands in southwestern France (Duchy of Aquitaine)

  - Referred by Henry II as his "hated Queen"
• Who is Geoffrey's son?

  Arthur
• What year did John become a legitimate heir to the throne? Who named him as heir?

  - 1199

  - King Richard
• When did young Henry and Geoffrey die? Cause of death?

  Henry - 1182 (illness)

  Geoffrey - 1186 (trampled to death at a jousting tournament)
• What was the importance of the English Barons?

  - Most powerful and wealthy group of people in the country

  - Supplied king with an army in wartime

  - Helped maintain law and order

  - They could rebel if they were angered by the King

  - Threats; they had their own castles and armies
• What was importance of the Pope?

  - Head of the Roman Catholic Church (which all churches and monasteries were apart of) = powerful

  - Often involved in disputes in Europe

  - Encouraged all Christians to defend the Holy Land in the Middle East as their main duty
• Who are the 2 key Popes during the reigns of King Richard and John?

  - Innocent III (after 1198)

  - Gregory VIII (before 1198 - he dies that year)
• Overview of the reigns of Richard and John (1189-1216)

  1) Richard becomes king

  2) Crusades

  3) Richard is Captured

  4) Richard wins back land in France

  5) John becomes king, Arthur disappears

  6) Loss of Normandy

  7) Quarrel with Pope

  8) Quarrel with barons

  9) Magna Carter

  10) Civil war and French Invasion
• Where was Richard crowned and what year?

  Crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1189, left to tour his lands in France in 1190
• What was Richard and John nicknamed during the time?

  R - "cœur de lion" (Richard the Lionheart)

  J - "lackland" "softsword"
• What were Richard's I qualities?

  Political tactician (diplomatic) and a ruthless military leader who embodied the knightly traits of valor, generosity, and chivalry
• What were John's qualities?

  Lack of military skill, inexperienced, cruel tyrant, selfish (cheapstake), unchivalrous, cowardly leader who chose favourites
• Criticisms: King John

  -- He's a failure - e.g. Loss of Normandy in 1204, picking favourites with the barons

  -- Created many problems for himself (that were possibly easy to fix) - e.g. Marriage to Isabella of Angouleme, use of his nephew Arthur, Magna Carter, quarrel with Pope and barons etc.

  -- He was a poor soldier and useless at managing the barons, which was his most important job - e.g. Baron's war, Battle of Bouvines (he was not present)
• Defence: King John

  -- Intelligent + hardworking

  -- He was unlucky who ruled England during a difficult time and faced an impossible task to keep the Angevin Empire together with the lack of resources e.g. money after Richard's ransom

  -- He faced an experienced, dangerous and skilful opponent (Phillip II)
• Criticisms: King Richard

  -- King who neglected his kingdom and wasted resources abroad on crusades (only had been in England for about 6 months in his 10 month reign)

  -- Obsessed with war and his actions of crusade were brutal and stupid (4 battles - Third Crusade, Battle of Jaffa, Acre and Arsuf. Also died during battle in France by a crossbow wound)
• Defence: King Richard

  -- Skilful military leader who successfully defended the Angevin Empire

  -- Skilled diplomat who kept a good relationship with the Church and his barons + clever politician (pardoned men who fought alongside Henry II)

  -- Set up a strong system of government so he didn't need to be there