The British nation a history / by George MWrong . orse, Johnsregret for his crimes never rises abovethe level of guilty and superstitiousfear. The boy Arthur, son of Johns elderbrother Geoffrey, was, in the line ofhereditary descent, heir to the throne. But when Johnwas crowned Hubert Walter asserted in strong termsthat the nation might choose its own king, and thatThe murder of John was such by no hereditary right, butArthur, 1203, becausc lic was the fittest of the royal succeeded also to Richards continentaldominions. Philip Augustus of France sup-ported Arthur, in the hope of ult
The British nation a history / by George MWrong . orse, Johnsregret for his crimes never rises abovethe level of guilty and superstitiousfear. The boy Arthur, son of Johns elderbrother Geoffrey, was, in the line ofhereditary descent, heir to the throne. But when Johnwas crowned Hubert Walter asserted in strong termsthat the nation might choose its own king, and thatThe murder of John was such by no hereditary right, butArthur, 1203, becausc lic was the fittest of the royal succeeded also to Richards continentaldominions. Philip Augustus of France sup-ported Arthur, in the hope of ultimately securing Xor-mandy, into wliicli he could easily throw a large I had seen tliis, and to check France, builtChateau Gaillard, the great Saucy Castle,* barring theway from Paris to the Xorman capital, Rouen. Theyoung Arthur fell into Jolms hands, disappeared, and,without doubt, was murdered, and the belief was generalthat John was guilty of tlie crime. Pliilij) appealed tothe Normans against a murderer, attacked Chateau Gail-. liis toiiil and the loss of Normandy, 1204. THE STRUGGLE AGAINST ROYAL DESPOTISM 111 lard, which fell after a terrible siege, and then the waywas open from Paris to Kouen. John seemed dazed bythis disaster, and struck scarcely a blow; in 1204:, Xor-mandy, Maine, Anjon, and Touraiue passed under thedirect sovereignty of France. Johns evil course wrought a good for England, sincehe was now thrown back wholly upon that kingdom. HeJohns oppres- summoned the English baronage to meet himsionsofthe upon the coast to go to recover Normandy,baronage. ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^j^^y gathered he did nothing de- cisive, finally sent them home, and then made them payfor the non-performance of military service. Later, hedid lead the baronsto France, but soonagreed to a truce,leaving Philip in pos-session of his tenants - in -chief suffered at hishands every extortionand indignity that atyrannous feudal lordcould inllict. He soldso-called
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