Audrey Stanley
France threatens England with war, claiming that King John has usurped the throne from its rightful claimant, his nephew Arthur. Armies from both France and England seek support from the town of Angers which proposes that John’s niece marry the dauphin of France to solve the issue. The parties agree, but the wedding and proposed peace are interrupted by the arrival of an emissary of the Pope who, angry at John for his treatment of the church in France, rekindles the war. France invades England and John plots to have Arthur murdered. When Arthur falls from a wall and dies, the English lords, convinced that John is responsible, abandon his cause and join France. John tries to reconcile with the Church to forestall his defeat by the French, but the Dauphin refuses to back down. The English lords, however, learning that the French mean to kill them after the victory, change sides again. France sues for peace, but the news comes too late to John, who dies, poisoned by a monk.
King John received Chatillion, the emissary of King Philip of France, who claimed the throne of England for Arthur of Brittany, the young son of John’s late elder brother Geoffrey. With the support of Queen Elinor, his mother, John rejected the French claim and planned to invade France. John, Elinor, and the newly knighted bastard son of Richard I went with the king’s army to France.
In France, King Philip and the Duke of Austria besieged the town of Angiers on behalf of Arthur. When King John appeared, both kings ordered the citizens to admit the true King of England. The citizens, however, resisted naming either John or Arthur, and in consequence the two kings planned a joint assault on Angiers.
The citizens of Angiers then proposed a marriage between the French Dauphin Louis and John’s niece, Blanch of Castile. John gave up his provinces in France as dowry for Blanch and King Philip abandoned his support of Arthur’s claim to the throne of England.
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Ariane Helou
Will Block