King John, England and the Wider World in 1215

My latest article on the website for the Magna Carta Canada 2015 touring exhibition discusses the connections between King John’s England and the wider world in 1215. King John was the father-in-law of Llewellyn the Great, Prince of Wales and King Alexander II of Scotland, and his sisters married the rulers of Saxony (now part of Germany), Sicily and Castile (now part of Spain). John’s elder brother, King Richard I, traveled extensively in Europe, the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Land as a leader of the Third Crusade. English knowledge of the world beyond these regions was more uncertain in 1215 but gradually increased during the reign of John’s son, Henry III when contact was made with the growing Mongol Empire ruled by Genghis Khan.

Click here to read the full article about King John, England and the Wider World on the Magna Carta 2015 Canada website