The Barons Who Helped John Lackland

[MonaLisa]

As far as I know there was a group of barons involved in John Lacklands attempt to gain the English throne furing Richard's absence. Who were they and where were they from?

[Ewood27]

You are talking the sons of Henry II, the Plantagenet king. Speaking from hazy and incomplete memory, he had four sons, of whom the third was Richard, later Richard I (Lionheart) and the fourth was John. Richard was never intended to be king of England, but lord of some other lands in France. They were an intensely quarrelsome family, however, and Richard grabbed the English throne. His brother John didn't want to be king, but rather a power in the background. His father had no lands intended for him, hence his nickname Lackland. However, I think the eldest son, his father's favourite, died. Richard rose in rebellion against his own father and seized the throne, and somewhere along the line John also started plotting to take the crown. When Richard was a prisoner in Austria John became Regent, then became king himself after Richard's death. During Richard's kingship John would have had a circle of supporters, but I can't tell you who they were. Sorry! Hope I got all that right and have not repeated what you already knew, but having put it in context perhaps someone else can supply the details.

[archbishop]

Sherrif of Nottingham for one, and maybe Guy of Gisborne.