King John of England ordered the construction of King John's Castle. The article's introduction says 1200, while the infobox and history section say it was completed around 1210. It is a 13th-century medieval castle on King's Island, on the bank of the River Shannon. It was meant to guard the city against Gaelic kingdoms to the west and rebellious Norman lords to the east and south. John set up a mint in the north-west corner. The site had been a Viking stronghold from 922.
In 1642, Irish Confederate forces under Garret Barry undermined the walls. The defenders surrendered before the walls collapsed. The article lists further sieges in 1650 to 1651, 1690 and 1691.
Excavations in 1900 uncovered Viking settlement remains. A redevelopment from 2011 added a visitor center and exhibitions.
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