How far was the personality of King John responsible for the loss of Normandy in 1204?

How far was the personality of King John responsible for the loss of Normandy in 1204?

1. Summer 1204: John lost control of Normandy, Phillip II of France invaded the duchy and took control of it

2. March 1204: After a seven month siege Chateau Gaillard was taken by Phillip II and his army

3. June 1204: Rouen, capital of Normandy, surrendered to Phillip despite having held out against him in 1193

4. December 1203: John had fled to England, and so missed all of this action inf France and did little to remedy it

5. John lacked military, political and diplomatic skills (compare with Richard)

6. John was perceived as devious and untrustworthy, not good qualities in an age of PERSONAL KINGSHIP

   • PERSONAL KINGSHIP: Where personality and characteristics are an important part of being a king

7. His marriage to Isabella of Angouleme offended some of his most important Barons: The Poitiven Lusignans

8. After John's victory at Mirebeau in 1202 he lost suppport of Aimeri of Thouars and William des Roaches

9. Rumour's of John's murder of his nephew Arthur of Brittany led many of John's Barons to renounce their fealty to him

10. By 1202 John's personality led to the collapse of his network of alleigences forged by Richard

11. John's disputed succession in 1199 provided opportunities for Phillip II who exploited the John-Arthur relationship and extort the terms in the treaty of Le Goulet

12. Phillip was an able opponent he transformed the finances of the Capetian domain

13. John inherited lads drained of cash (Richard used it all), he couldn't retain the allegiance of his Barons

14. William the Marshall "Sire, you have not enough friends"