John Lackland

"John Lackland" by Kate Norgate is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The book explores the life and reign of King John of England, providing insight into his tumultuous relationships with his brothers and his challenges as a ruler. The primary focus is on John himself, detailing his struggles for power and territory amidst the backdrop of medieval politics. At the start of the book, the author sets the stage by presenting background information about John's birth within the powerful Angevin dynasty. Readers are introduced to his family's complex dynamics and the distribution of lands among his brothers, which ultimately left John with little to inherit. The narrative traces the early years of John's life, emphasizing his roles and titles as he grew up within the shadow of his more prominent siblings. The opening establishes a foundation for understanding how John's ambitions and failings shaped his historical reputation, setting the stage for the exploration of his eventual rise to power as well as the numerous conflicts that characterized his reign. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Kate Norgate was a British historian. She was one of the first women to achieve academic success in this sphere, and is best known for her history of England under the Angevin kings and for coining the name Angevin Empire to describe their domains. She was self-educated in the Victorian era when higher education was generally denied to women. Her obituary in The Times described her as "the most learned woman historian of the pre-academic period."