British Kings "Bullet Book", "Bad Old Prince" John, 1199 - 1216

BillJones

NOTE - All of John’s British coins were issued in the name of Henry II.
This “moon face” Irish half penny was issued during John’s early years as Lord of Ireland. It is a very tiny coin that still have quite a bit of mint luster left on it.

This Irish penny of John is an interesting piece. The portrait actually looks like a human being instead of a cartoon character. Could John have looked something like this? It’s possible.

It took me a few years to find this coin, and I probably overpaid for it after I did. The dealers would tell that it is common, but I could never catch up with a decent one at the shows. The few that I did see were damaged.

Finally one cropped in an on-line auction. In the past this company had conducted bid/buy auctions where you could purchase a piece outright if you were willing to pay their price. Unfortunately they dropped that for this sale, and I got outbid by $5 on a $300+ item. I was none too pleased. I am not a fan of auctions. Fortunately this piece is nicer than the one I didn't get although like I said, it was not cheap.

• All of the coins that bear his name were issued while he was the Lord of Ireland. He was not a king of Ireland and he did not get along well with the Irish.

• As the youngest son, John received no lands from his father, Henry II. He was known as John Lackland for years after that. I think that would have been enough to have given him an inferiority complex, which might explain some of his subsequent behavior.

• Even his brother, Richard, disrespected him. He designated a favorite nephew as his heir ahead of John. This left John only with the lordship if Ireland.

• When the news of Richard’s death reached John, he consolidated his hold on both England and Normandy. John fought bravely, but the King of France eventually forced him out of his continental holdings.

• Working to win his back his losses, John raised the taxes until at one point he held half of the coinage in England.

• John’s tax collections were inequitably collected. Favored nobles paid less; those who were on the outs with him paid more.

• The nobles rebelled and forced him to sign the Magna Carta.

• John hired mercenary knights to fight for him. They fought well and routed the nobles who had forced him to sign the Magna Carta.

• The King of France invaded England. John’s forces were able to repel them, but then he lost the royal treasure, including the crown, while trying to cross a stream. Shortly thereafter John died of dysentery.

291fifth

Such a pleasant bunch the royals were!

coinpro76

Great read, and a Great coin. Thanks @BillJones

I would like to add some to that history most probably already know

-The tales of Robin hood center around King John.
-Was forced to sign the Magna Carta

John was not just ambitious but extremely immature, not just Lackland but some would say Lackbrains as well.
It was actually Henry II who dubbed John with the moniker Lackland. Henry II sent him to in an attempt to unite Ireland under loyalty to the king he continuously made many many mistakes including one account of his first landing in Ireland to meet with the Irish Chieftains...

'A group of powerful Irish chieftains came to pay tribute to him as Henry’s representative, greeting him as their lord. John’s response? Well, according to Gerald of Wales, John ‘pulled some of them about by their beards, which were large and flowing according to the native custom.’

Suitably angered and very unimpressed, the Irish made for the court of one of the Irish King of Thomond, Domnall Mór Ua Briain (Donal O'Brien), where they reported back to him and others on the insults and how John was ‘a mere youth…a stripling who only listened to youthful advice.’ Worse, they decided that rather than make peace with John, they would ‘plot to resist [John’s force]…guard the privileges of their ancient freedom’ with their lives, and ‘make pacts’ to resist him. Those ‘who had previously been enemies became friends for the first time.’

A few historical depictions below of John would show he had cartoonish features, but his portrait on the coin reminds me of many kings portraits on hammered coins even depictions of Christ on Byzantine coins were .