As if to confirm the lawlessness and vacuity at the heart of Norman rule, Prince John relies on the military support of mercenaries—soldiers who fight for the highest bidder. Because he leads from a place of weakness rather than strength, Prince John’s attempt to show dominance through his proxy backfires. The crowd disrespects him both because the Saxons among it suffer at his hands and because everyone realizes he has no ability to hold the throne he so desperately wants. And yet again, despite emphasizing the humanity of Isaac, Rebecca, and Jewish people in general, the book continues to fall prey to its own prejudicial blind spots when it plays the Jewish religious prohibition against pork products for laughs.