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John's
own father, King Henry II referred
to him as "Lackland", due to John's lack of
estate, and John grew up somewhat paranoid, & unable to trust
anyone. Born on Christmas Eve 1166, to Henry II and
Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, John was their forth son and child
and therefore, the last of the Angevin Kings. Henry
II died on 6 July 1189 after Richard had declared war upon him,
causing Henry to flee across England, an old and broken man.
Ten years later,
when King Richard (The Lionheart) was on his deathbed, He
named John as his successor rather than the true heir, Arthur,
the son of their deceased elder brother Geoffrey. John's
coronation was held in Westminster Abbey on 27th May
1199. The estate held by this family at that time spread
from Scotland, and through France (Gaul) to the Pyrenees.
The Barons were those who had
financially supported John through raised taxes, to fund his
efforts at retaining his land in France, which He had completely
lost by 1204. John raised taxes without asking, and this was not
acceptable according to the "Feudal Law".
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