"John is my favorite medieval ruler. John was famed for his piety and his remarkably mild and just reign. How many rulers, ancient medieval, or modern, have possessed the simple decency of beautiful John? Faithful to his wife and to his people, sincerely dedicated to their welfare, building hospitals and such for the vulnerable. He is considered an exceptional example of a moral ruler, at a time when cruelty was the norm. For this reason, he has been called the Byzantine Marcus Aurelius. John was an unusually admirable person to rule any state."