King John and Religion, by Paul Webster

Extract

The matter of King John’s (1199–1216) religiosity (or, rather, lack thereof) has long been taken for granted, a result of the facts of his rule (not least his long quarrel with the pope) as well as oft-quoted anecdotes about this ‘un-Christian’ king—such as his urging of the bishop of Lincoln to hurry up with his sermon so that John could get on with his breakfast. An attempt to delve beyond long-held assumptions about John is therefore welcome. There is ample evidence available to the historian here, for John’s chancery was the first to keep extensive records of its productions, and so many of the thousands of charters issued by John are preserved in their enrolled versions. John’s reign is also well served by monastic chronicles, as well as the lay aristocratic perspectives offered by the Anonymous of Béthune and the History of William Marshal. This is a rich vein to be tapped.