King John

The merits, or otherwise, of King John's reign (1199-1216) have been hotly debated for years. Traditionally historians have focused on two major events in his reign, the loss of his continental inheritance and the ending of his reign in civil war. These fifteen papaers, from a conference held at the University of East Anglia in 1997, have a broader range and include discussions of John's early life and career, the events and people that helped to shape and direct his reign and other social, political and economic issues. An important and comprehensive study.