King John was the fourth and youngest legitimate son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was born on Christmas Eve 1166 at Beaumont Palace in Oxford, and was soon moved to the Abbey of Fontevrault in Anjou, to lead a life in the church. Even at this young age, John was petulant, unstable, spoilt and cruel. His red hair matched his red-faced fury, when he flew into a classic Plantagenet rage.

King Richard I was the third son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the most successful. Favoured by his mother, King Richard I became an outstanding warrior and something of a national hero. A far cry from his tyrannical younger brother, John. Richard became known as the Lionheart, or Coeur de Lion for his bravery and courage in battle. Particularly so with his victories against Saladin and the Saracens, during the Third Crusade.

King Henry II was the first in a long line of Plantagenet kings of England. Also known as Henry Plantagenet, Curtmantle or FitzEmpress, Henry was the son of Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou, and grandson of King Henry I. He grew to be a charismatic, intelligent man, who could speak many languages, which proved useful when communicating across his multi-lingual territories as king.