The Last Journey of the Magna Carta King
Dr Ben Robinson retraces the dramatic last days of King John, famous for accepting Magna Carta, and uncovers the legend of his lost treasure.
Ben Robinson retraces the dramatic last days of King John, England's most disastrous monarch, and uncovers the legend of his lost treasure.
John is famous for accepting Magna Carta, which inspired our modern democracy. But ten days him from ruler of an empire to sudden death and left the kingdom in ruins.
Ben follows in the footsteps of the king's epic last journey, from the treacherous marshes of East Anglia, through Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, to his final resting place in Worcester. He is joined by medieval historian professor Stephen Church.
Together they examine the truth behind the legend that has lived on for 800 years. Did the crown jewels really end up in the mud of the Wash? Was the king poisoned? Does he deserve his reputation as our most disastrous monarch?
Thanks to unique documents, we can tell this epic tale in the king's own words. Not only can we get into the mind of the Magna Carta king, we can reveal in fantastic detail how and where he travelled.
Ben reveals what happened when treasure seekers attempted to find the king's lost jewels with the help of a diviner. And using the latest technology reveals how we can actually see back in time to reveal the landscape as it would have looked when King John made his last journey 800 years ago.
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Clips
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Looking for King John's lost treasure
Duration: 03:19
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Discovering King John's will
Duration: 01:50
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Preview: The Last Journey of the Magna Carta King
Duration: 01:34
Music Played
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Karl Jenkins
Palladio
King John's lost treasure
Legend has it that King John’s crown jewels, gold and money were lost in the medieval mud of the fens in 1216.
It was the year after the Magna Carta was sealed, the country was in revolt and King John was having to quell rebellion uprisings. He had been travelling from the port of King's Lynn to Lincoln when, according to historical chronicles, the treasure was lost.
It has since become one of the most sought after troves in the country.
Fresh clues to King John's treasure
Historian Dr Ben Robinson retraces the dramatic last days of King John and attempts to uncover the legend of his lost treasure.
For 800 years, King John's treasure hoard was thought to have been 'lost' in the Fens during his journey from King's Lynn to Lincoln in 1216.
New evidence which provides clues about the mysterious disappearance of the king's treasure has been unearthed using laser technology and LIDAR survey images.
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Ben Robinson |
| Executive Producer | Diana Hare |
Broadcasts
- Mon 9 Feb 2015 20:00
- Thu 12 Feb 2015 01:55
- Mon 1 Jun 2015 21:00
- Wed 3 Jun 2015 23:35
- Sun 27 Sep 2015 20:00
- Tue 29 Sep 2015 23:00
- Thu 26 May 2016 20:00
- Sun 29 May 2016 23:30
- Sat 17 Dec 2016 20:00
- Mon 20 Nov 2017 23:30
- Wed 15 Aug 2018 23:00
- Mon 21 Jan 2019 00:45