young days

John, the youngest of five
sons of King Henry II of
England and Eleanor of
Aquitaine, was at first not
expected to inherit
significant lands. Following
the failed rebellion of his
elder brothers between
1173 and 1174, however,
John became Henry's
favourite child. He was
appointed the Lord of
Ireland in 1177 and given
lands in England and on
the continent. John's elder
brothers William, Henry
and Geoffrey died young;
by the time Richard I
became king in 1189, John
was a potential heir to the
throne. John unsuccessfully
attempted a rebellion
against Richard's royal
administrators whilst his
brother was participating in
the Third Crusade. Despite
this, after Richard died in
1199, John was proclaimed
king of England, and came
to an agreement with
Philip II of France to
recognise John's possession
of the continental Angevin
lands at the peace treaty of
Le Goulet in 1200.