Question 1
Using these four sources in their historical context, assess how far they support the view that, in the early months of his reign, King John made more friends than enemies in France and
Normandy.
Source A: A French author explains how John was recognised as Duke of Normandy on the death of Richard I.
Count John came to meet the Archbishop of Canterbury and William Marshal and, as soon as they could, they made him duke [of Normandy]. The Normans recognised him as such, but the lords of Gascony and the Limousin, of Poitou and Anjou and Brittany did not. They had no wish to be ruled by him. Duke John, realising how opposed they were, made his way to those parts and made all manner of generous concessions to win them round, granting their every demand. How he came to regret this! They respected him all the less. It won him neither their love nor their esteem and they showed him no obedience, but opposed him time and again.
History of William the Marshal, written before 1219
Source B: The dean of St Paul’s Cathedral outlines events early in John’s reign.
The King’s divorce from the daughter of the Earl of Gloucester was pronounced by the Norman bishops. King John had married her with the permission of the pope, receiving many lands throughout England as a result. However, seized by the hope of a more elevated marriage, he rejected his wife, thereby incurring the great wrath of the pope, Innocent III. Arthur, the son of John’s brother, Count Geoffrey of Brittany, came to the King and obeyed his every wish, but John, somewhat incautiously, dismissed him. Arthur then went to the King of France who brought him up with his own son.
Ralph Diceto, Images of History, written before 1202
Source C: A monk of St Alban’s gives an account of John’s activities in Normandy.
After his coronation in England, King John crossed the sea to Normandy. On his arrival at Rouen a number of soldiers, both horse and foot, flocked together to him and he gladly retained them in his service. Afterwards he met the French king and a truce was agreed. In the meantime, the Count of Flanders and many other French nobles came to King John at Rouen and made a treaty of alliance with him as they had done with King Richard, against the French King.
Roger of Wendover, History of England, written before 1236
Source D: A former royal official, writing in his retirement, outlines events in July 1199.
The King of France came to the city of Le Mans. However the King of England pursued him, so the French King left. In the meantime, William des Roches, by means of extreme cunning, recovered Arthur from the hands of the King of France and made peace between Arthur and John. He delivered Le Mans to John, which the French King had left in his charge. The viscount of Thouars surrendered the castle of Chinon to the King of England. However, Arthur and his mother and the Viscount of Thouars, her brother-in-law, and many others left the King of England and withdrew to the city of Angers.
Roger of Howden, Chronicle, written before 1201
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