King John is remembered as a murderer, treacherous, and a loser; ‘a bad king’. On the plus side, he was probably the cleanest medieval king around, carrying a tin bath wherever he went travelling!
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We will look briefly at the events that have earned John such a terrible reputation and consider whether or not he has any redeeming features. How far were the problems he faced unavoidable and how far were they of his own making?
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Identify at least three incidents that reflect badly on John • Think outside the box and consider how John may have had to face problems not of his making • Discuss to what extent was John his own worst enemy?
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an introductory course and does not assume any previous study or reading. However, a good understanding of written and spoken English is essential. An open mind and a willingness to engage respectfully in classroom discussion and debate.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
There will be a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate key points and reading of contemporary extracts (in translation). There will also be whole group discussion. You will be encouraged to share your thoughts and ideas in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No. There are no extra costs apart from your own note-taking materials.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Other courses in British and Irish history. Please see the City Lit website.
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/king-john-the-worst-king-in-english-history314441King John: the worst king in English history?https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/k/i/king-john-hbh111-square.jpg4949GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/British & Irish history22851177117816301228511771178King John is remembered as a murderer, treacherous, and a loser; ‘a bad king’. On the plus side, he was probably the cleanest medieval king around, carrying a tin bath wherever he went travelling!24.53030928King John: the worst king in English history?4949https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/k/i/king-john-hbh111-square_3.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-10-24T00:00:00+00:00Oct 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHBH1114949King John: the worst king in English history?393249Vanessa Kingking-john-the-worst-king-in-english-history/hbh111-2627King John is remembered as a murderer, treacherous, and a loser; ‘a bad king’. On the plus side, he was probably the cleanest medieval king around, carrying a tin bath wherever he went travelling!0000-Available|2026-10-24 00:00:00The life and times of King John (r. 1199-1216).King John is remembered as a murderer, treacherous, and a loser; ‘a bad king’. On the plus side, he was probably the cleanest medieval king around, carrying a tin bath wherever he went travelling!We will look briefly at the events that have earned John such a terrible reputation and consider whether or not he has any redeeming features. How far were the problems he faced unavoidable and how far were they of his own making?• Identify at least three incidents that reflect badly on John<br>• Think outside the box and consider how John may have had to face problems not of his making<br>• Discuss to what extent was John his own worst enemy?This is an introductory course and does not assume any previous study or reading. However, a good understanding of written and spoken English is essential. An open mind and a willingness to engage respectfully in classroom discussion and debate.There will be a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate key points and reading of contemporary extracts (in translation). There will also be whole group discussion. You will be encouraged to share your thoughts and ideas in a relaxed and friendly environment.No. There are no extra costs apart from your own note-taking materials.<p>Other courses in British and Irish history. Please see the City Lit website. </p>HistoryBritish & Irish historyvirtual394932HBH111NONESat24/10/2611:00 - 16:0011:0016:001 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendKSKeeley StreetVanessa KingAvailable courses2026-10-24T00:00:00+00:00Oct 2026Culture, history & humanities4949King John: the worst king in English history?king-john-the-worst-king-in-english-history/hbh111-2627King John is remembered as a murderer, treacherous, and a loser; ‘a bad king’. On the plus side, he was probably the cleanest medieval king around, carrying a tin bath wherever he went travelling!0000-Available|2026-10-24 00:00:00The life and times of King John (r. 1199-1216).King John is remembered as a murderer, treacherous, and a loser; ‘a bad king’. On the plus side, he was probably the cleanest medieval king around, carrying a tin bath wherever he went travelling!We will look briefly at the events that have earned John such a terrible reputation and consider whether or not he has any redeeming features. How far were the problems he faced unavoidable and how far were they of his own making?• Identify at least three incidents that reflect badly on John<br>• Think outside the box and consider how John may have had to face problems not of his making<br>• Discuss to what extent was John his own worst enemy?This is an introductory course and does not assume any previous study or reading. However, a good understanding of written and spoken English is essential. An open mind and a willingness to engage respectfully in classroom discussion and debate.There will be a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate key points and reading of contemporary extracts (in translation). There will also be whole group discussion. You will be encouraged to share your thoughts and ideas in a relaxed and friendly environment.No. There are no extra costs apart from your own note-taking materials.<p>Other courses in British and Irish history.&nbsp; Please see the City Lit website.&nbsp;</p>HistoryBritish & Irish historyconfigurable
16301178British & Irish historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/british-and-irish-studies1/2/285/1177/1178/16301/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/British & Irish history
