What role did King John play while Richard I was imprisoned in Germany?

When news reached England in January 1193 that Richard I had been imprisoned in Germany while returning from the Third Crusade, his brother John actively sought to usurp the throne. John formed an alliance with King Philip II of France and made an unsuccessful attempt to seize control of England.1

Throughout 1193, John continued to conspire with Philip, agreeing to a division of Richard’s territories and inciting further rebellion within England. Although John was forced to accept a truce in April 1193, his efforts to undermine his brother persisted until Richard’s return in early 1194. Upon Richard's return, John was banished and stripped of his lands, though he was eventually reconciled with the king in 1195.1