The Life and Death of King John, a history play by William Shakespeare, dramatises the reign of John, King of England (ruled 1199–1216), the son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine and the father of Henry III of England. It is believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, but it was not published until 1623, when it appeared in the First Folio.
Characters
King John – King of England
Eleanor – the Queen mother, widow of King Henry II
Prince Henry – his son, later King Henry III
Blanche of Castile – John's niece
Earl of Essex – an English nobleman
Earl of Salisbury – an English nobleman
Earl of Pembroke – an English nobleman
Lord Bigot – Earl of Norfolk
Peter of Pomfret – a prophet
Philip Faulconbridge – also known as Philip the Bastard and Sir Richard the Plantagenet; natural son of Richard I of England Robert Faulconbridge – his half brother; legitimate son of Sir Robert Faulconbridge Lady Faulconbridge – their mother; widow of Sir Robert Faulconbridge James Gurney – her attendant Lady Constance – widow of Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany Prince Arthur – her son, King John's nephew, claimant to the English throne and eventual Duke of Brittany Sheriff Two Executioners English Herald English Messenger King Philip II – King of France Louis the Dauphin – his son Viscount of Melun Châtillon – French ambassador to England Hubert – citizen of Angiers and later a follower of King John Citizen of Angiers French Herald French Messenger Limoges, Duke of Austria (composite of Widomar, Viscount of Limoges and Leopold V, Duke of Austria) Cardinal Pandolf – legate from Pope Innocent III Lords, soldiers, attendants etc.
Synopsis
King John receives an ambassador from France who demands with a threat of war that he renounce his throne in favour of his nephew, Arthur, whom the French King Philip believes to be the rightful heir to the throne under primogeniture.
John adjudicates an inheritance dispute between Robert Faulconbridge and his older brother Philip, whom Robert accuses of illegitimacy. Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the mother to King John, notes that that Philip looks very similar to her late son King Richard the Lionheart. Queen Eleanor accordingly suggests that Philip renounce his claim to the Faulconbridge estates in exchange for a non-inheriting position within the House of Plantagenet and a knighthood. After mocking Robert Faulconbridge's ugliness at length, Philip enthusiastically agrees and Queen Eleanor praises Philip as possessing, "the very spirit of Plantagenet". King John knights Philip as Sir Richard the Plantagenet. Afterwards, following considerable prodding by Philip, Lady Faulconbridge reluctantly confirms Queen Eleanor's suspicions about her son's secret parentage in private.
As part of his efforts to back regime change in the Angevin Empire, King Philip and his forces besiege the Angevin walled city of Angers, threatening to put them to the sack unless the citizens accept Prince Arthur as their King. Philip is supported by the Duke of Austria, who is alleged to have killed Richard the Lionheart. The English Army arrives. Queen Eleanor then trades insults with Constance, Arthur's mother. Kings Philip and John argue their claims in front of Angers' citizens, but to no avail: their representative says that they will support the rightful king, whoever that turns out to be upon the battlefield.
The French and English armies clash, but no clear victor emerges. Each army dispatches a herald claiming victory, but Angers' citizens continue to refuse to recognize either claimant because neither army has proven victorious.
Philip the Bastard proposes that the armies of England and France unite against Angers. The citizens suggest an alternative proposal: that Philip's son, Louis the Lion, marry John's niece Blanche of Castile. The proposal would give John a stronger claim to the throne while Louis would gain territory for France. Though a furious Constance denounces King Philip for abandoning the claims of Prince Arthur, Louis and Blanche are married offstage.