King John [1167-1216] Project by G.E. Nordell

The popular legends surrounding King John & King Richard Lionheart & Robin Hood
don't really reflect the historical facts. What if King John wasn't such a bad guy after all?

When my Aunt Zelda agreed to get married, her prospective mother-in-law displayed a snooty attitude about her family being members of the Daughters of The American Revolution, and had it that the future bride's family was somehow lesser people. Zelda took on that challenge and dove into the world of genealogy, and traced my grandmother's family back to a Captain Harris, who emigrated to Virginia in 1611 – before the Mayflower expedition. So Zelda and my mother joined the D.A.R. – ha, ha, ha, thank you very much.
This Capt. Harris is what is called a 'headright' – the ancestor who first arrived in America – and so, given the distance in time, others have already researched the headright's lineage, and it is simply a matter of xerox-copying backward from that point. Years later, Zelda gave everyone in the family a booklet of her then-results, very proud that this Capt. Harris is in our lineage twice, and that he is a direct descendent of the Plantagenet kings of Anglo-Saxon England and of Anjou in France.

But I had to laugh, as my family is not descended from the heroic King Richard Lionheart, but from 'Bad' King John. As I ran across new articles & movies & books over the years since then – "Lion In Winter", each new Robin Hood epic – I realized that the Richard of the Robin Hood myth was hardly realistic, that Richard was a jerk who slept with any woman that he could seduce (including various hosts' wives & daughters). That notion also brought the question of whether King John was as evil as he was painted, and from that arose the concept of a play or movie or book from John's point-of-view, explaining a version of historical and mythical events putting him in a better light.
Such a project still sounds kinda fun, though much work has been and will be required. A possible title for such an effort might be "I, King John". This page is the staging area for the information that such a project requires.

       The Normans conquered England in 1066 A.D., when Saxon King Harold II was killed at the Battle of Hastings. The Treaty of Wallingford in 1153 settled the civil war of 1135-1154, keeping the Norman King Stephen [1096-1154] as ruler until his death, at which time the throne would pass to the Plantagenets of Anjou in France.
       Henry II [1133-1189] married Eleanor (or Aliénor), Duchess of Aquitaine [1122-1204] in May 1152, and ruled as King of England from 1154 to 1189. Their sons were William [1153-1156], Henry [1155-1183], Richard [1157-1199], Geoffrey [1158-1186], and John [1167-1216]; they also produced three daughters.
       Henry was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey on 19 December 1154. He ruled for almost 35 years, while expanding his territories, improving the court system, and attempting to diminish the power of the Roman Church over England. Based on an angry outburst by Henry against his friend and opponent Archbishop Thomas à Becket [1118-1170], four knights loyal to Henry entered Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 and killed Becket by smashing his skull with several blows. An international furor followed.
       Henry took Ireland from King Diarmant in 1172. Eleanor encouraged her children to rebel against their father in 1173, but the coup failed; Henry had Eleanor placed under house arrest, where she remained for sixteen years. Henry defeated a rebellion in Scotland in 1174 by capturing King William the Lion at Alnwick. By 1182, Henry's children were fighting over the lands in France; but the conflict collapsed on the death of young Prince Henry. In 1184, Geoffrey and John invaded Richard's stronghold in the Aquitaine, but were repulsed by the better tactician; that matter became moot when Geoffrey died in 1186. In 1185, Prince John was given the title Lord of Ireland, but the people despised him and he left after only eight months.
       Henry died 6 July 1189, and his third son Richard became King of England.

Richard I was crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey on 3 September 1189; he was 32 years old. Known as Richard the Lionheart, or Cœur de Lion, he ruled as King of England for ten years, but spent only 6 months in England and didn't even bother to learn the language. One of his first efforts as king was the Third Crusade (1189-92), an attempt to wrest control of the Holy Land from the Muslim military leader Saladin, who had recaptured Jerusalem in 1187. In September 1192, Richard signed a treaty with Saladin leaving Jerusalem under Muslim control, but allowing unarmed Christian pilgrims to visit the city.

The main land route between Europe and the Middle East was at the time along the Danube River, thru the Holy Roman Empire. Richard took this route to the Third Crusade in late 1189, and being the inveterate womanizer, supposedly seduced & bedded the wives and-or daughters of royal hosts along the way. Duke Leopold of Austria arrived at the Crusade in 1191, helped conquer Acre, but then left for home after an insult by Richard. Richard traveled homeward incognito, but was arrested in Vienna in December 1192, supposedly discovered because he was wearing his signet ring. Richard was accused of the murder of Conrad of Monferrat in April 1192, which had taken place just days after Conrad's election as King of Jerusalem; other accounts have Leopold taking vengeance for Richard's wenchery among Leopold's family on the east-bound journey.
Richard was held for ransom and imprisoned in the Dürnstein Castle on the Danube in Austria, and then moved in March 1193 to Trifels Castle in Germany, under control of Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI. Legend has it that a traveling minstrel recognized Richard and helped him escape; further legend describes Richard's relationship with the minstrel as homosexual. In any case, the ransom of 65,000 pounds of silver was paid to Emperor Henry and shared with Leopold, and Richard was officially released in February 1194.

Richard returned to the battles and intrigues in France and England. In 1194, Richard took back Nottingham Castle, a favorite, from his brother John, using siege tactics. He waged war against Philip of France (paid for by taxes on England), and won a series of victories. On the evening of 25 March 1199, Richard was inspecting his men surrounding the Château de Chalus-Chabrol in Limoges, and not wearing his chainmail; an arrow from a crossbow pierced his left shoulder; a surgeon attempted removal, but the wound soon became gangrenous. Richard had his attacker brought to him, but it was a boy, very proud at having avenged his father and two brothers; Richard forgave the child and had him sent away with a gift of 100 schillings. Richard appointed Prince John his successor, and died in the arms of his mother Eleanor on 6 April 1199.

Robin Hood and the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest
The King John page grew quite large, and it seems that twice the books and movies exist about Robin Hood than about the whole Plantagenet dynasty, so most of the Robin stuff was cut
to its own page in late 2015. {Where King Richard or King John are featured in a book or movie, that item will show both here and on the Robin Hood Page.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood
The Sheriff of Nottingham
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_of_Nottingham

"King John" [1899 silent]
Surviving two-minute fragment of the death scene from Shakespeare's "King John" play, acted by British stage actor
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree; available as part of the "Silent Shakespeare" compilation [2000]: DVD or VHS
credits at IMDb • watch clip [1:06] free online at YouTube

"Ivanhoe" [I.M.P/Universal Sept 1913 silent]
Adapted & directed by Herbert Brenon, based on a stage play by Frederick & Walter Melville; starring King Baggot;
a print exists at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City • video/DVD not available • full credits from IMDb

"Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood"
[United Artists Oct 1922 silent feature]

Robin Hood 1922 silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks

Robin Hood 1922 silent film poster - in the forest

The first movie to have a gala premiere, conceived by Sid Grauman for the opening of his new Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. When England's King Richard leaves for a Crusade to the Holy Land, he appoints his brother Prince John as regent. But John is a tyrant, and when the Earl of Huntingdon learns from Maid Marian of England's peril, he returns to oppose John's schemes. Prince John outlaws Huntingdon and his followers, so they hide out in Sherwood Forest . . . Produced & written by & starring Douglas Fairbanks; directed by Allan Dwan; also starring Wallace Beery, Sam De Grasse, Enid Bennett, Paul Dickey, William Lowery, Willard Louis, Alan Hale, Bud Geary & Lloyd Talman
Kino Video b&w DVD [2/2004] for $26.99
Kino Video b&w VHS [6/2000] out of prodn/used
full credits at IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"The Crusades" [1935] produced & directed by Cecil B. DeMille
starring Loretta Young, Henry Wilcoxon {as King Richard}, Ian Keith & Ramsay Hill {as Prince John}

"Welcome To Sherwood! The Story of The Adventures of Robin Hood"
[Warner/T.C.M. video release 2003]
hour-long documentary co-produced, written & directed by Jeff Kurtti; available on DVD above; full credits at IMDb

"The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men"
live action feature film [Disney/R.K.O. June 1952]

Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men 1952 movie poster

Filmed in Technicolor; after an archery contest at the king's palace, young Robin's father is attacked and killed by henchmen of Prince John. Robin turns outlaw to avenge his father and to redress John's oppression of the people of England. Directed by Ken Annakin; script by Lawrence Edward Watkin; starring Richard Todd, Joan Rice, Peter Finch, James Hayter, James Robertson Justice, Martita Hunt, Hubert Gregg, Elton Hayes, Anthony Eustrel, Patrick Barr, Anthony Forwood, Michael Hordern & Hal Osmond
Walt Disney Video color DVD [4/2009] for $9.99
Walt Disney Video color VHS [4/94] out of prodn/used
full credits at IMDb

"Ivanhoe" [Loew's/M.G.M. July 1952]

Ivanhoe 1952 movie poster starring Robert Taylor

Filmed in Technicolor; based on the 1819 novel by Sir Walter Scott. A disowned Saxon knight returning from a Crusade to the Holy Land learns that England's King Richard is imprisoned in Austria for ransom. Prince John and his Norman cronies have no interest in paying the ransom and ending their power, so Ivanhoe teams with outlaw Robin Locksley to raise the money by taking tax monies back from Prince John's tax collectors • Directed by Richard Thorpe; starring Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Finlay Currie, Felix Aylmer, Norman Wooland, Harold Warrender & Guy Rolfe; Oscar noms for Best Picture, Best Color Cinematography & Best Music Score
Warner Home Video color DVD [1/2005] for $14.99
M.G.M./Warner color VHS [9/99] out of prodn/many used
27"x40" poster from Amazon for $19.99
full credits at IMDb

"Ivanhoe" TV series [Screen Gems Jan 1958-Jan 1959]

Ivanhoe 1958-59 TV series starring Roger Moore

39 half-hour episodes in black & white; filmed in U.K.
starring Roger Moore, Robert Brown & Andrew Keir
video/DVD not available; series credits at IMDb

"Becket" [Paramount March 1964]

Becket 1964 movie starring Richard Burton & Peter O'Toole

Becket 1964 movie poster (blue) starring Richard Burton & Peter O'Toole

Told in flashback as King Henry II is being flogged by Saxon monks as penance for years of opposition to the Pope in Rome. When the Archbishop of Canterbury died in 1161, Henry decided not to appoint a pious cleric in his stead, but to appoint longtime drinking buddy Thomas à Becket, who was already Archdeacon. Henry expected a friendly occupant of the office, but Becket took his new position seriously and stood in the way of Henry's attempts to rule over the Church in England. An angry outburst by Henry led four loyal knights to travel to Canterbury and assassinate Becket, giving Henry years and years of trouble afterward. (The martyred Becket was made a saint in 1173.) Directed by Peter Glenville; script by Edward Anhalt from the play by Jean Anouilh; starring Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, John Gielgud, Martita Hunt, Pamela Brown, Siân Phillips & Felix Aylmer; won Oscar for Best Script/Adaptation; won W.G.A. Award for Best Drama; Oscar noms for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (both Burton & O'Toole), Best Supporting Actor (Gielgud), Best Cinematography, Best Music Score, 4 others; won 3 BAFTA Awards (of 7 noms)
M.P.I. Home Video widescreen color DVD [5/2007] for $14.49
M.P.I. Home Video letterboxed color VHS [10/94] out of prodn/many used
27"x40" red poster from Amazon for $19.99
11"x17" blue poster from Amazon for $14.99
full credits at IMDb • official movie site

"Becket, or The Honor of God" [1959] playscript by Jean Anouilh [1910-87]
Opened on Broadway in October 1960 and ran for 193 performances; won the 1961 Tony Award for Best Play; began with Laurence Olivier as Becket and Anthony Quinn as King Henry; when Quinn left to make a film, Olivier took over the role of Henry and Arthur Kennedy was brought in to play Becket.
Broadway credits at IBDb
Translation by Lucienne Hill: Signet/NAL mass pb [1960] out of print/many used
Translation by F & S Raphael: Methuen Drama 7¾x5 pb [1969] out of print/used

"When Things Were Rotten" [1975 TV series]
Co-produced & co-written by Mel Brooks /tt0072585/

"Robin of Sherwood" British tv series
[Goldcrest/I.T.V. 1984-86]

Robin of Sherwood 1984-86 tv series DVD box set

24 hour-long episodes; location filming outside Bristol in England; standard story, with addition of black magic & paganism elements; 'Complete' DVD extras include commentary, outtakes, and 4 document- aries, including behind-the-scenes "The Electric Theatre Show" & "Clannad: Scoring Robin of Sher- wood"; starring Michael Praed & Jason Connery {as Robin}, Judi Trott, John Abineri, Robert Addie, Peter Llewellyn Williams, Phil Rose, Ray Winstone, Clive Mantle & Philip Davis {as Prince John}
Acorn Media color DVD set [7/2008] 10 disks for $89.99
Seasons 1 & 2 (11 episodes plus feature): Acorn Media color DVD [10/2007] 5 disks for $49.99
Season 3 (13 episodes): Acorn Media color DVD [10/2007] 5 disks for $49.99
series credits at IMDb

"Robin Hood and The Sorcerer" [Goldcrest/Harlech Jan 1983]
This is episode 1 & 2 of the above series edited to 100 minutes for feature & video release;
available on DVD on the 'Complete' set and on Season 1 & 2
Fox color VHS [12/93] out of prodn/used • full credits at IMDb

"Robin Hood: The Movie" [1991 TV]
starring Patrick Bergin & Uma Thurman /tt0102797/

	"Young Ivanhoe" TV movie [Filmline / Screen Partners Ltd. 1995] Filmed in Czech Republic; co-written & directed by Ralph L. Thomas; starring Kristen Holden-Ried, Stacy Keach, Margot Kidder, Nick Mancuso, Rachel Blanchard, Matthew Daniels, James Bradford, Marek Vasut & Ian Falconer {as Prince John} Platinum Disc color DVD [2/2005] out of prodn/used Hallmark color VHS [10/2000] out of prodn/used full credits at IMDb
	"Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe" 5-hour TV mini-series [B.B.C./A&E 1997] Directed by Stuart Orme; starring Steven Waddington, Susan Lynch, Victoria Smurfit, Christopher Lee, Ciarán Hinds, Siân Phillips, Ralph Brown {as Prince John}, Trevor Cooper, James Cosmo, Ron Donachie, Rory Edwards & Aden Gillett A&E Home Video color DVD [3/2002] 2 disks for $29.99 A&E Home Video color VHS [4/2002] 6 tapes - out of prodn/used full credits at IMDb
	"The New Adventures of Robin Hood" 52-episode TV series [Warner Bros. Intl. TV 1997-1999] Robin Hood and his band of outlaws – helped by followers of Merlin in the battle with black magic – rob from the rich and give to the poor as they fight against Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Starring Matthew Porretta & John Bradley {as Robin}, Barbara Griffin & Anna Galvin {as Marion}, Martyn Ellis, Richard Ashton & Andrew Bicknell {as Prince John} video/DVD not available; full credits at IMDb
	The Legend of Ivanhoe" [video release 1999] Starring John Haverson, Rita Shaver, Clifton Brady, Sarah Parker & Robert O'Toole TriStar Intl. color DVD [1/2001] for $19.99 TriStar Intl. color VHS [1/2001] for $11.95 credits at IMDb

new "Lion In Winter" [2003 TV] http://www.IMDb.com/title/tt0319754/
http://www.amazon.com/Lion-Winter-Glenn-Close/dp/B000255LIY/

"Who Killed Thomas Becket?" [Channel 4, U.K. Aug 2004]

A 50-minute look at the battle between Church and State in the XIIth Century, thru dramatizations and interviews with eminent scholars. Co-produced & directed by Andrew Chater; narrated by Robert Glenister, starring Guy Henry, Rupert Wickham, Alastair Cording & Roger Monk; video/DVD not available;
full credits from IMDb • official movie site

"Ironclad" [Warner Bros. U.K. March 2011, USA July 2011]

Soon after signing the Magna Carta, King John gathers an army in the south of England to wrest control of his kingdom back from the nobles; in order to reach London, he must capture Rochester Castle, which is defended by Knights Templar. Co-produced, co-written & directed by Jonathan English; starring James Purefoy, Jason Flemyng, Brian Cox, Kate Mara, Derek Jacobi & Paul Giamatti {as King John}
Arc Ent. widescreen color Blu-ray [7/2011] for $11.66
Arc Ent. widescreen color DVD [7/2011] for $8.12
full credits at IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia

"Ivanhoe" [2013?]
Announced 7/2012: British actor Sam Riley and music video director Iain Softley are teaming to film an adaptation of
Sir Walter Scott’s classic historical novel, set in XIIth Century England; the story follows the exploits of Wilfred of Ivanhoe
{Riley} and his struggles in a country where the Saxon population are ruled by the French-speaking Normans; the novel
also features notable characters such as King Richard the Lionhearted, Prince John, and Robin Hood (of Locksley)
and his merry outlaw band • confusing listings on IMDb: "Ivanhoe I" =OR= "Ivanhoe II"

Eleanor of Aquitaine
Henry II [1133-1189] married Eleanor (or Aliénor), Duchess of Aquitaine [1122-1204] in May 1152, and ruled as King of England from 1154 to 1189. Their sons
were William [1153-1156], Henry [1155-1183], Richard [1157-1199], Geoffrey [1158-1186], and John [1167-1216]; they also produced three daughters.

	"Beloved Enemy: The Passions of Eleanor of Aquitaine - A Novel" [1994] by Ellen Jones Set between 1130 and 1162, the novel follows Eleanor's marriage to the king of France, her travels to the Holy Land on a Crusade, her pursuit of the younger Henry of Anjou, civil war in England, and perpetual intrigues at court. S&S 9½x6¾ hardcover [6/94] out of print/many used
	"Eleanor of Aquitane: A Life" [2000] by Alison Weir Ballantine Books 8x5½ pb [4/2001] for $11.56 Ballantine Books 9½x6¼ hardcover [1/2000] out of print/used
	"The Book of Eleanor: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine" [2002] by Pamela Kaufman The frame is that Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of England, writes her memoirs while imprisoned after an attempt to seize the throne for her sons, looking back on the people and events in her life, including her husbands Louis VI of France and Henry II of England, Thomas á Becket, Baron Rancon, Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot Suger of Saint Denis, and others. Three Rivers Press pb [3/2003] for $10.17 Crown Publrs. hardcover [3/2002] out of print/many used
	"Eleanor of Aquitaine: Lord and Lady" [2002] Edited by Bonnie Wheeler & John C. Parsons Palgrave Macmillan 8¼x5½ pb [6/2008] for $27.01 Palgrave Macmillan 8¾x6¾ hardcover [9/2002] for $95.95
	"Duchess of Aquitaine: A Novel of Eleanor" [2006] by Margaret Ball After her father's unexpected death in 1137, 15-year-old beauty Eleanor became the richest heiress in France. She arranged marriage to Louis Capet, heir to the King of France, but after years with the pious dolt, decided to divorce him. She then met the bold Henry Plantagenet of Anjou, soon to become King of England. St. Martin's Griffin 9x6 pb [5/2007] for $11.66 St. Martin's Press 9x6 hardcover [6/2006] out of print/many used
	"Power of A Woman: Memoirs of A Turbulent Life - Eleanor of Aquitaine" [2008] {fiction} by Robert Fripp Shillingstone Press 8¼x6 pb [2/2008] for $20.99
	"Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen and Rebel" [2008] by Jean Flori, translated by Olive Classe The first part covers the settled historical life of Eleanor and her role in history; the second covers the many legends, hypotheses & controversies being debated by scholars today. Edinburgh Univ Press 9¼x6¼ hardcover [2/2008] for $195.00 {sic}

ELEANOR OF AQUITANE & THE FOUR KINGS by Amy R. Kelly (Vintage #V50,
listed in 1972; 1950 ref by Ency.Amer.)

http://www.amazon.com/Canterbury-Papers-Novel-Suspense/dp/0060525355/
http://www.amazon.com/Courts-Love-Story-Eleanor-Aquitaine/dp/1400082501/
http://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Aquitaine-Biography-Marion-Meade/dp/0140153381/
http://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Aquitaine-Kings-Harvard-paperbacks/dp/0674242548/
http://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Aquitaine-Troubadours-Jean-Markale/dp/1594771952/
http://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Crown-Aquitaine-Kristiana-Gregory/dp/0439164842/
http://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Queen-Norah-Lofts/dp/0752439448/
http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Eleanor-Independent-Spirit-Medieval/dp/0395981395/
http://www.amazon.com/World-History-Biographies-Aquitaine-Geographic/dp/0792258959/

"A History of The Plantagenets"
Canadian author Thomas B. Costain [1885-1965] wrote bestseller historical novels, but is today largely forgotten

Other books of Penman's Plantagenet novels do not include Prince/King John or King Richard

"Falls The Shadow" [1988]
Volume 2 of the Welsh Trilogy, taking place from 1231 to 1267.

"The Reckoning" [1991]
Volume 3 of the Welsh Trilogy, taking place from 1271 to 1283.

"The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III" [1982]
The life & death of the last of the Plantagenet dynasty, taking place from 1459 to 1492.

"A Pride of Kings" [#1 = 1978]
The battle for the English throne is relentless, and when Henry II's own son John rises against him, the knight William Marshall
must decide if he can remain loyal to the crown. {This is the only novel of the six that involves John.}

"The Royal Griffin" [#2 = 1978]
Eleanor, the younger sister of King Henry III, is given in marriage to Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, who acts on his great ambition
by leading a rebellion of peasants and barons, forcing Eleanor to decide between love and loyalty.

"The Lion of Mortimer" [#3 = 1979]
Edward II is a feckless king, and his wife Isabella conspires with ambitious nobleman Roger Mortimer to murder Edward and take the throne.
Young William de Montacute joins battle to bring down the treacherous Mortimer and restore the Plantagenet crown to Edward's son and heir.

"Lady of The Garter" [#4 = 1979]
Very young Joan of Kent is under pressure to marry the influential William de Montacute, and instead weds in secret to another man,
who then leaves for the Crusades.

"The Lord of Greenwich" [#5 = 1980]
Humfrey of Gloucester, youngest son of Henry IV, is adored by the citizens of London, where he is free to indulge his twin loves of women and books.
But when his father dies and his eldest brother becomes King Henry V, Humfrey is forced to face up to his responsibilities as a Plantagenet.

"The Sun In Splendour" [#6 = 1980]
The Wars of the Roses bring King Edward IV to the battlefield, but his Plantagenet dynasty is also under threat at court,
where his new wife and her ambitious family are undermining his power and advancing their own positions.

"Ivanhoe" novel [1820] by Sir Walter Scott
Set in 1194, after the Third Crusade; the young Saxon noble Willfred of Ivanhoe is out of favor
with his father Cedric for his allegiance to the Norman King Richard I • book entry at Wikipedia

Robin Hood
The splitting off of the Robin Hood Page at Spirit of America Bookstore included a pruning
of the several books coded in this section: a few classics now appear in both places.

That new Robin Hood Page grew very large very rapidly, so the Robin Hood Film Festival Page was split off in December 2015.

Stageplays, Poetry & Other Media
The Plantagenet family ruled England for more than three centuries, and William Shakespeare [1564-1616] immortalized six Plantagenet kings in his history plays.

"The Life and Death of King John" [BBC-TV Nov 1984]

A performance of the 1598 stageplay by Wm. Shakespeare; directed by David Giles; starring Leonard Rossiter, Mary Morris, George Costigan, Charles Kay, Jonathan Coy, Luc Owen, Gorden Kaye & Claire Bloom
not available on DVD; full credits from IMDb

"Ivanhoe" stage play [1913] by Frederick & Walter Melville of U.K.
http://www.its-behind-you.com/melvilles.html
basis for the 1913 4-reeler silent film starring King Baggott

The Last Crusade poem by Brother Antoninus (William Everson)

"The Last Crusade" [1969]
by beat poet Brother Antoninus aka William Everson [1912-94]
20-page poem, with an essay by the poet about the poem; limited edition of 165 numbered copies, printed by Graham Mackintosh
Oyez Berkeley hardcover [1969] out of print/rare

Non-Fiction Books & Video
The splitting off of the Robin Hood Page at Spirit of America Bookstore included a pruning
of the many books coded in this section: a few classics now appear in both places.

Visiting this webpage from outside the U.S.A.? It is possible to make purchases from these coded Amazon (USA) links
via other Amazon sites: just follow these instructions.

	"The Magna Charta" [ages 9-12; 1956] by James Henry Daugherty A mix of fact and fiction, with 2-color illustrations by the author Beautiful Feet Books pb [3/98] for $13.07 Random House hardcover [1956] out of print/used
	"1215: The Year of Magna Carta" [2003] by Danny Danziger & John Gillingham Touchstone 7x5 pb [6/2005] for $14.81 Hodder Paperback 7¾x5¼ pb [5/2004] out of print/60+ used Hodder & Stoughton, U.K. 7x5¼ hardcover [12/2003] out of print/50+ used Hodder & Stoughton, U.K. 8¾x5¾ hardcover [6/2003] out of print/used
	"Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of The Great Charter" [2015] by Dan Jones 144-page Head of Zeus Intl. Edition 7½x7½ hardcover [4/2015] for $24.95
	"Magna Carta: The Medieval Roots of Modern Politics" [2015] by David Starkey Kindle Edition from Quercus/Hachette [9/2015] for $12.99 Quercus pb [DUE Aug 2016] for $14.99 Quercus 9½x6½ hardcover [9/2015] for $18.38
	"Magna Carta: The Birth of Liberty" [2015] by Dan Jones 285-page Kindle Edition from Viking/Penguin [10/2015] for $13.99 288-page Viking 9¼x6¼ hardcover [10/2015] for $17.58

	"Mistress of The Art of Death" [#1 = 2007] King Henry II secretly hires short-tempered medieval coroner Dr. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar from Salerno to find out who's behind the horrific murders of Christian children in Cambridge, England. Kindle Edition from Berkley/Penguin [2007 edition] for $12.99 Berkley Trade 7¾x5¾ pb [1/2008] for $10.88 Putnam Adult 9x6 hardcover [2/2007] out of print/200+ used
	"The Serpent's Tale: A Novel" (UK title "The Death Maze") [#2 = 2008] When Henry II's mistress is found poisoned, suspicion falls on Queen Eleanor; hoping to stave off a civil war, King Henry orders Adelia Aguilar to investigate. Kindle Edition from Berkley/Penguin [2008 edition] for $12.99 Berkley Trade 8¼x5 pb [2/2009] for $10.88 Putnam Adult 9x6¼ hardcover [1/2008] out of print/200+ used
	"Grave Goods" (UK title "Relics of The Dead") [#3 = 2009] Set in 1176 England: the abbey at Glastonbury has burnt down revealing bones that may be of King Arthur & Guinevere; hoping to quell resistance in Wales, King Henry II sends Adelia Aguilar to investigate. Kindle Edition from Berkley/Penguin [3/2009] for $12.99 Berkley Trade 8¼x5 pb [3/2010] for $11.70 Penguin Canada mass pb [2010] out of print/used Putnam Adult 9¼x6¼ hardcover [3/2009] out of print/100+ used
	"A Murderous Procession" (UK title "The Assassin's Prayer") [#4 = 2010] Set in 1176 England & Italy: King Henry decides to marry his daughter Joanna to his cousin, the king of Sicily, and orders Adelia Aguilar to act as chaperone & bodyguard on the journey. Kindle Edition from Berkley/Penguin [4/2010] for $12.99 Berkley Trade 8¼x5 pb [3/2011] for $13.98 Putnam Adult 9x6½ hardcover [4/2010] out of print/100+ used

	"When Christ and His Saints Slept: A Novel" [1995] Volume 1 of the Henry & Eleanor Trilogy, taking place from 1101-1154. The narrator is Ranulf, a young squire pledged to the cause of Maude, daughter of Henry I, against her cousin Stephen for the throne of England; youthful Henry II and Eleanor make appearances. Ballantine 8¼x5¼ pb [2/96] for $12.24 Penguin 7½x5 pb [8/95] out of print/used San Val library 8¼x5½ hardcover [2/96] for $26.00 Henry Holt & Co. 9½x6½ hardcover [4/95] out of print/used
	"Time and Chance: A Novel" [2002] Volume 2 of the Henry & Eleanor Trilogy, taking place from 1156 to 1171. Eleanor bears five sons and three daughters; Henry battles with the Welsh and with the king of France (Eleanor's first husband), appoints Thomas á Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury, and, by taking Rosamund Clifford as his mistress, makes a bitter enemy of his wife. Ballantine 8¼x5½ pb [2/2003] for $10.85 Penguin 7½x5 pb [4/2003] out of print/used Putnam 9½x6½ hardcover [2/2002] out of print/many used
	"Devil's Brood: The Last Days of The Tempestuous Marriage of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine" [2008] Volume 3 of the Henry & Eleanor Trilogy, taking place from 1172 to 1189. Henry's three eldest sons join with their mother Eleanor in a rebellion against him, aligning themselves with Henry's bitterest enemy, King Louis of France. Ballantine 8¼x5½ pb [7/2009] for $10.88 Putnam 9½x6¼ hardcover [10/2008] for $19.11
	"Lionheart: A Novel" [2011] Action circa 1189: Henry has died and Richard becomes King of England and leaves for a Crusade to the Holy Land; Eleanor is now the widowed dowager queen (at age 67), burdened with keeping the kingdom together. Kindle Edition from Putnam/Penguin [10/2011] for $19.99 Ballantine 8¼x5½ pb [1/2013] for $10.88 Putnam 9½x6 hardcover [10/2011] for $19.11
	"The Queen's Man: A Justin de Quincy Mystery" [1996] England in 1192-1193: King Richard is captive in Austria, Prince John tyrannizes the land, and widowed Queen Eleanor tries to hold the kingdom together. The mystery begins with a courier murdered for a letter sent to the queen, which Quincy delivers. Fawcett mass pb [7/2000] for $7.99 Ballantine 8¼x5½ pb [4/98] out of print/many, many used Henry Holt & Co. 8¾x6 hardcover [11/96] out of print/many, many used
	"Cruel As The Grave: A Justin de Quincy Mystery" [1998] England in April 1193: Prince John seizes Windsor Castle, and Dowager Queen Eleanor summons Quincy to mediate a truce with John, but Quincy cannot turn loose of his investigation into the bloody murder of the beautiful daughter of a Welsh peddler. Fawcett mass pb [10/2001] for $7.99 Penguin Putnam 8¾x5½ hardcover [11/98] out of print/used
	"Dragon's Lair: A Justin de Quincy Mystery" [2003] England & Wales 1193: Queen Eleanor has still not found the ransom to be paid for King Richard, her son held captive in a German dungeon; she asks Quincy to track down stolen royal treasure in northern Wales. Ballantine 8x5¼ pb [11/2004] for $10.94 Fawcett mass pb [11/2005] out of print/used Putnam 8½x5¾ hardcover [10/2003] out of print/many used
	"Prince of Darkness: A Justin de Quincy Mystery" [2005] England & France 1193: Queen Eleanor has gone to Germany to deliver the ranson for her son King Richard. A former lover summons Quincy to Paris, where he is met instead by Prince John, who insists that a letter purporting to prove John mixed up in an attempt to murder Richard is a forgery. John asks Quincy for his help. Berkley 8¼x5½ pb [3/2006] out of print/used Putnam 8½x6 hardcover [3/2005] for $24.95
	"Here Be Dragons" [1985] Volume 1 of the Welsh Trilogy, taking place from 1183 to 1232. Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, marries the beloved illegitimate daughter of the English king, hoping to secure a truce. Joanna slowly grows to love her charismatic & courageous husband, but King John continues his attempts to subdue Wales, and she must decide where her love and loyalties truly lie. St. Martin's Griffin 8¼x5½ pb [5/2008] for $11.53 Fontana Press mass pb [1/87] out of print/used Henry Holt & Co. hardcover [6/85] out of print/used

	"The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" [1883 classic] Written & illustrated by Howard Pyle [1853-1911] Young Robin of Locksley is attacked by one of Prince John's men and Robin kills him in self-defense, which makes him an outlaw; Robin is soon surrounded by other outcasts who make sport of the authorities from their hideout in Sherwood Forest. Book Jungle 9x7½ pb [7/2008] for $16.15
	"The Adventures of Robin Hood: An English Legend" [1917] by Paul Creswick [1866-1947], Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth [1882-1945], Afterword by Sir James C. Holt [1922-2014] Kindle Edition from Amazon Digital Services [5/2012] for FREE {sic} Kessinger Publng 9x6 pb [9/2010] for $27.16 Scribner Classics 9x7 hardcover [7/2015] for $17.48 Atheneum BFYR 11½x9¾ hardcover [10/2003] for $18.47 Reader's Digest Assn. 9x6 hardcover [1991] out of print/150+ used
	"Enid Blyton's Robin Hood Book" [1949] by Enid Blyton [1897-1968], Illustrated by Joyce Johnson or by Debbie Ryder Element Books, Ltd. 7¾x5½ pb [9/98] out of print/used Latimer House hardcover [1949] out of print/used The 13 chapter titles are: "How Robin Hood Became An Outlaw"; "How Robin Met Little John"; "How Robin Hood Turned Butcher"; "How Robin Hood Met Will Scarlet"; "The Wedding of Allen-a-Dale"; "Robin Hood and The Bishop"; "How The Bishop Hunted Robin Hood"; "Robin Hood and Maid Marian"; "The Golden Arrow"; "The Shooting-Match"; "Robin Hood and The Tinker of Banbury"; "How King Richard Came To The Greenwood"; and "The Death of Robin Hood"
	"Robin Hood: People's Hero or Lawless Marauder?" [1982] by Prof. Sir James C. Holt [1922-2014] "Who was the 'real' Robin Hood – or was there none? And how did the legends of a violent era become the romantic tales of today?" Thames & Hudson 3rd Edition 9x6 pb [6/2011] for $24.95 Folio Society 9½x6¼ hardcover [2010] out of print/used Thames & Hudson 8¼x5½ hardcover [5/82] out of print/80+ used Thames & Hudson 8¼x5½ hardcover [5/82] out of print/used
	"The Outlaws of Sherwood" [grades 9-12; 1988] by Robin McKinley Firebird 7¾x5 pb [5/2002] for $7.99 Ace Trade 8¼x5¼ pb [10/2005] for $11.20 HarperCollins 9¼x6¼ hardcover [10/88] out of print/used
	"Muppet Robin Hood" graphic novel [ages 9-12; 2009] by Tim Beedle, Illustrated by Armand Villavert, Jr. Robin Hood (Kermit) joins with Sherwood Forest’s infamous Merry Men to take on the stuffy Sheriff of Muppetham (Sam the Eagle) and the wicked Gonzo of Gisbourne BOOM! Studios 9x6¼ pb [11/2009] for $9.99 Magic Lantern's 'The Muppets' Page
	"Robin Hood: 5 Classic Novels" for Kindle [2015] Kindle Edition from Titan Read, Denmark [7/2015] for 99¢ four complete novels and a book of Medieval ballads in Kindle format: "Ivanhoe" [1820] by Sir Walter Scott [1771-1832]; "Maid Marian" [1822] by Thomas Love Peacock [1785-1866]; "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" [1883] by Howard Pyle [1853-1911]; "Young Robin Hood" [1899] by George Manville Fenn [1839-1909]; and "Ballads of Robin Hood and Other Outlaws" [1912] by Frank Sidgwick [1879-1939]

	"The Feudal Kingdom of England, 1042–1216" [orig 1955] by Frank Barlow Longman Publng 9x6 5th edition pb [4/99] out of print/used Longman Publng 8¾x5¾ 4th edition pb [9/88] out of print/used Longmans, Green 4th edition hardcover [6/88] out of print/used
	"Henry II, 1133-1189" [1973] by W.L. Warren Univ CA Press 9x6 pb [11/77] for $23.35 Univ CA Press 9x6½ hardcover [7/73] out of print/many used Methuen Publng Ltd. hardcover [7/73] out of print/used
	"King John, 1167-1216" [1978] by W.L. Warren Univ CA Press 8¼x5¼ pb [10/78] for $23.35 Methuen Publng Ltd. 2nd Edition pb [10/78] out of print/used Yale Univ Press 9½x6¼ hardcover [2/98] out of print/used Methuen Publng Ltd. 2nd Edition hardcover [7/78] out of print/used
	"England and Its Rulers, 1066-1272: With An Epilogue On Edward I" [1983] by M.T. Clanchy Blackwell Publng pb [3/98] out of print/used Blackwell Publng 9x6 hardcover [3/98] for $94.95
	"The Plantagenet Chronicles" [1986] Edited by Elizabeth Hallam Observations by writers of the time, essays by modern historians, many wonderful illustrations Barnes & Noble 11½x9 hardcover [2000] out of print/50+ used Weidenfeld Nicolson 12x9¼ hardcover [10/86] out of print/50+ used Grove Press 12x9¼ hardcover [10/86] out of print/100+ used
	"Thomas Becket, 1118-1170" [1990] by Frank Barlow Univ CA Press 9x6 pb [8/90] for $21.55 Weidenfeld & Nicolson History 9x6 pb [11/2000] out of print/used Univ CA Press hardcover [7/92] out of print/used
	"Plantagenet Encyclopedia: An Alphabetic Guide To 400 Years of English History" [1996] Edited by Elizabeth Hallam over 1,200 short entries, more than 120 illustrations — excellent reference for beginners Crescent 12x9½ hardcover [8/96] out of print/used
	"The Plantagenet Empire, 1154-1224" [2003] by Martin Aurell, translated by David Crouch Longman Publng 9x6 pb [6/2007] for $37.46
	"The Troubadour's Song: The Capture and Ransom of Richard The Lionheart" [2005] by David Boyle Kindle Edition from Walker Books [5/2009] for $9.59 Walker Books 9½x6½ hardcover [12/2005] out of print/100+ used earlier editions entitled "Blondel's Song" Penguin UK pb [5/2006] out of print/used Viking 9½x6½ hardcover [7/2005] out of print/used
	"The Crusades: A Very Short Introduction" [2006] by Christopher Tyerman Oxford Univ Press mass pb [1/2006] for $9.56

			Christmas at the castle of England's King Henry II in France, in 1183. Years of humiliation by Henry of his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and her long-running vengeful intrigues, have set up their sons for tragedy upon Henry's death. The sons quarrel among themselves, they failed to seize power from Henry some years ago (and are still trying), and now King Philip of France has called a meeting • Directed by Anthony Harvey; script by James Goldman, based on his play; original music by John Barry; starring Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, John Castle, Nigel Terry & Timothy Dalton; won Oscars for Best Script/- Adaptation, Best Actress (Hepburn, tied) & Best Original Music Score, Oscar noms for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (O'Toole) & Best Costume Design; also won 2 BAFTA Awards (of 8 noms), David di Donatello Award, D.G.A. Award, W.G.A. Award & Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award M.G.M. Home Video widescreen color DVD [6/2001] for $9.99 Polygram Video color VHS [11/98] out of prodn/used S.B.M.E. Special Markets soundtrack CD [3/2008] 12 tracks for $6.99 11"x17" gold poster from Amazon for $14.99 27"x40" white poster from Amazon for $19.99 full credits at IMDb • movie entry at Wikipedia
			"The Lion In Winter: A Comedy In Two Acts" [1966] by James Goldman [1927-98] 92 performances on Broadway in 1966; Rosemary Harris won the Tony Award for Best Actress Random House Trade 7¾x5 pb [12/2004] for $9.95 Penguin Plays 7¾x5 pb [3/83] out of print/many used Random House hardcover [6/66] out of print/used full-cast recording [2002] starring Kathleen Chaflant & Alfred Molina L.A. Theatre Works audio CD [2002] out of prodn/used play entry at Wikipedia

	"The Time Traveller's Guide To Medieval England: A Handbook For Visitors To The Fourteenth Century" [2008] by Ian Mortimer The legend of Robin Hood takes place in the late XIIth Century, but neither the public nor stage & movie costume designers much care for accuracy. This book is about life in the later XIVth Century, but the images will be familiar to Robin Hood & King John fans. Kindle Edition from Touchstone/Simon & Schuster Digital Sales [12/2009] for $13.99 Touchstone 9¼x6 pb [10/2011] for $13.23 Bodley Head 9½x6½ hardcover [10/2008] out of print/used
	"The Plantagenet Chronicles, 1154-1485" Richard The Lionheart, Richard II, Henry V, Richard III" [2011] by Derek Wilson Kindle Edition from Quercus/Hachette [12/2014] for $12.99 Quercus Publng 7¾x5 pb [7/2016] for $14.99 Quercus Publng 11x9 hardcover [9/2011] out of print/used Metro Books 11½x9½ hardcover [2011] out of print/used
	"History In An Hour: 1066" for Kindle [2011] by Kaye Jones Kindle Edition from HarperPress [12/2011] for $1.99
	"The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England" [New York Times bestseller 2012] by Dan Jones Kindle Edition from Penguin Books [4/2013] for $11.99 Penguin Books 8½x5½ pb [3/2014] for $15.35 Viking 9½x6½ hardcover [4/2013] for $24.47
	"The Demon's Brood: A History of The Plantagenet Dynasty" [2014] by Desmond Seward "The Plantagenet family ruled England for more than three centuries, and its historical legacy continues to mark English history, literature, and the popular imagination." Kindle Edition from Pegasus Books [9/2014] for $14.49 Pegasus Books 9x6 hardcover [9/2014] for $20.80
	"Richard The Lionheart: Crusader (Very Short History)" for Kindle [2015] by Tristan Clark 37-page Kindle Edition from Amazon Digital Services [6/2015] for $1.99
	"King John: And The Road To Magna Carta" [2015] by Stephen Church Kindle Edition from Basic Books [4/2015] for $16.19 Basic Books 9¼x6 hardcover [4/2015] for $20.25
	"King John: Treachery and Tyranny In Medieval England - The Road to Magna Carta" [2015] by Marc Morris Kindle Edition from Pegasus [10/2015] for $14.99 Pegasus 9¼x6½ hardcover [10/2015] for $20.23

	"The Crusades: Crescent & The Cross" [History Channel Nov 2005] Two-part, three-hour TV program; plus over an hour of bonus material, including "History In The Making: The Crusades" and documentary "The Knights Templar" A&E Home Video widescreen color DVD [12/2005] 2 disks for $14.99 full credits at IMDb
	"King John's Lost Palace" episode [Channel 4 April 2012] of the "Time Team" archeology series [1994-2014] The team has three days to prove or disprove lore about each site; ruins atop a hill near the Village of Clipstone, Nottinghamshire are purported to be King John's Castle. 47-minute Season 19 episode 11; co-produced & hosted by Tony Robinson episode credits at IMDb • official series site • watch full episode [46:43] online at YouTube "Time Team Guide To The Archaeological Sites of Britain & Ireland" [2005] Transworld Publrs 9½x7½ pb [5/2011] for $26.54 Channel 4 Books 10x8 hardcover [2005] out of print/used
	"Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets" TV mini-series [Channel 5 U.K. Nov-Dec 2014] Four 40-minute episodes, covering: Henry II & Richard I & John "Betrayal"; Henry III "Hatred"; Edward II "Revenge"; and boy King Richard II "Tyranny" Directed by James Tovell; based on a book by Dan Jones; hosted by Dan Jones AthenaLearning/Acorn Media widescreen color DVD [5/2015] 2 disks for $20.49 credits at IMDb • Channel 5 official movie site watch these elements for free online at YouTube: 4/2015 official trailer [1:34] • 4/2015 full Episode 2 [41:17] • 9/2015 truncated Episode 3 [33:11]

G.E. Nordell'sKing John Project

G.E. Nordell's
King John Project