John I was born on 24 December 1167 as the youngest son of Henry II and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. For most of John's early life, his brothers, Henry, Richard and Geoffrey, and even his mother were all involved in some sort of rebellion with Henry II. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why, according to several historical documents, John was Henry's favorite son and as such enjoyed numerous advantages. He was the first child married and to none other than an Italian heiress named Isabella. As Henry II's favorite son, John's brothers feared that John would also be given more than his fair share of lands. Henry's possessions and lands were extensive and his titles included that of King of the English, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Count of Anjou, and Count of Maine. Henry II had also been encouraged by the Pope to become Lord of Ireland and take command of that land. He even sent John to Ireland in 1185 to rule. John's rule was so disastrous that he lasted only six months before he was sent home. He ended up earning the embarrassing nickname "John Without Lands" following the debacle. Shortly before Henry II's death, his eldest son, Richard I or Richard the Lionheart, began another rebellion in 1189 to take control of the throne and more importantly, the significant lands that Henry still possessed. Henry II soon died and Richard I inherited the throne. Richard I is remembered as a fierce warrior due to his role in the Crusades, but honestly it was Richard's disinterest in England that helped John I cause so much destruction. When Richard was away on the Third Crusade, John sought to overthrow the advisors that Richard had set up to govern during his absences. John failed in his attempts, but Richard died... in the center of the paper... above it. John had no intention of honoring the agreement and three months after signing it, John returned to his job and his signature. As a result, his barons went to war. However, John did not survive the war and died in 1216, most likely contracting dysentery. John I may not have been quite the evil villain that society knows from the tales of Robin Hood, but he certainly was a terrible king. In conclusion, there are brilliant and capable leaders and there are unscrupulous and unprincipled leaders. There are monarchs who know how to win the love of their people, and there are monarchs who abuse the trust their people place in them. The monarchs of England are no exception to this idea. This is why Elizabeth I went down in history as one of the greatest rulers the country has ever had, while John I went down in history as one of the worst rulers the country has ever had..