Changes

He led a busy life: both in England where he was to become the elder statesman during his father’s declining years, and as head of the regency council advising the young [[Richard II]], his nephew; and abroad in France and Spain supporting his brother, [[Edward the Black Prince]] in the family’s on-again off-again pursuit of the [[Hundred Years War]], and his own dynastic ambitions in [[Castile]].

He led a busy life: both in England where he was to become the elder statesman during his father’s declining years, and as head of the regency council advising the young [[Richard II]], his nephew; and abroad in France and Spain supporting his brother, [[Edward the Black Prince]] in the family’s on-again off-again pursuit of the [[Hundred Years War]], and his own dynastic ambitions in [[Castile]].

John was a capable, but not brilliant commander; he was however a more than capable administrator, and an adept politician who, whilst alienating the populace with his perceived autocratic manner - his Savoy Palace in [[London]] was a particular focus of the mob during the [[Peasants’ Revolt]] and was completely destroyed - he managed to steer the kingdom through a particularly turbulent time with a minimum of bloodshed.

John was a capable, but not brilliant commander; he was however a more than capable administrator, and an adept politician who, whilst alienating the populace with his perceived autocratic manner - his Savoy Palace in [[London]] was a particular focus of the mob during the [[Peasants' Revolt]] and was completely destroyed - he managed to steer the kingdom through a particularly turbulent time with a minimum of bloodshed.

He married three times. The issue from his marriage to Blanche included Henry “Bolingbroke”, (the future [[Henry IV]]), and Philippa, who became Queen of [[Portugal]] and the mother of [[Henry the Navigator]]. Blanche died in a recurrence of the plague in 1368, and John made a political union with Constance of Castille. Their daughter, Katherine, became Queen of Castille.

He married three times. The issue from his marriage to Blanche included Henry “Bolingbroke”, (the future [[Henry IV]]), and Philippa, who became Queen of [[Portugal]] and the mother of [[Henry the Navigator]]. Blanche died in a recurrence of the plague in 1368, and John made a political union with Constance of Castille. Their daughter, Katherine, became Queen of Castille.