Richard I
(Richard I of England, Richard the Lionhearted)
1157–1199Richard the First is one of the most romantic and popular English kings, although he spent very little time in England, sacrificed the interests of England in favor of his own personal military pursuits, and ruled for less than ten years. This is because his career was a series of mostly successful military exploits, which, although they were of no particular strategic importance to England, greatly entertained the populace, and fired their romantic imagination. A great number of heroic deeds were personally attributed to him, his crusading adventures were perceived as piety, his escapades in France were thought to have advanced English interests, and even his imprisonment and subsequent ransom did not deter his popularity.
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Richard came to the throne in 1189 on the death of his father, and was deterred from warring with Philip Augustus only due to a pledge that both kings had made to join the third crusade. He spent his first year as king raising money for the crusade, by selling government offices to the highest bidder and other like schemes, before embarking, by boat, to the Mediterranean. His adventures began well before he reached the Holy Land however. Stopping in Sicily, he assailed Messina in order to force Tancred I of Sicily to restore the fortunes of his sister Joan. He then conquered the island of Cyprus and set it up as a base for the Crusaders, and married a beautiful princess Berengaria of Navarre. Eventually Richard arrived triumphantly at the siege of Acre, and shortly after the town fell to the Christians.
Philip Augustus arrived in the region shortly after Richard I, and the conflict between them immediately became open, and Philip returned to France after only a short stay. After the fall of Acre, Richard led another important victory at Arsouf, but failed to take Jerusalem. The problem, as he saw it, was not that the city could not be taken, but that it could not be held, given the overwhelming superiority in numbers of the Saracens. Richard was additionally concerned that Philip Augustus would start trouble in France in his absence, so he began to try to figure out how he could return to his dominions without appearing to desert the cause. He formed a friendship of sorts with Saladin, the chivalrous leader of the Saracens, and at one point attempted to contract a marriage between his sister and a Saracen prince, but the idea was shot down by clerics from both camps. At any rate the two agreed to a truce, and Richard left the holy land after only sixteen months.
Richards journey home however, was beset by problems. He was shipwrecked and had to return home by land across his enemies' territories. Although he traveled in disguise, he wad found out an imprisoned by Duke Leopold of Austria before being ransomed. He returned to England only briefly and spent the final four years of his life campaigning in France, where he was killed while besieging a French castle.
Key events during the life of Richard Coeur de Lion:
| Birth of Richard I, as third son of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine. | |
| Installed as Duke of Aquitaine | |
| Joined with his elder brothers in rebellion against his father. | |
| Death of Prince Henry; Richard become heir apparent to the throne of England. | |
| Death of Henry II; Richard ascends to the throne. | |
| Richard raises money for a crusade | |
| Conquered Cyprus en route to the Holy Land | |
| Arrived in Acre and brought siege to a close | |
| Christian victory at Arsouf over the Saracens | |
| Embarked from Palestine on return to his dominions; shipwrecked | |
| Captured and imprisoned by his enemy, Duke Leopold of Austria. | |
| Richard ransomed and returned to England. | |
| Returned to France to fight Philip Augustus for dominions in France | |
| Died in battle, besieging a castle in France. |
Other Resources
| Book Links |
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Image Links | ||
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 Portrait of Richard I in Richard I |
 Richard Coeur de Lion in Thirty More Famous Stories Retold |
 Statue of King Richard I at Westminster in Cambridge Historical Reader—Primary |
 Richard Coeur de Lion assailed by a troop of Turkish horsemen in The Crusaders |
The fleet of Richard Coeur de Lion attacking a great Turkish ship in The Crusaders |
 Richard in Prison; and Richard Wounded in Stories from English History |
 Statue of Richard Coeur de Lion in The Story of the English |
 Richard Coeur de Lion and Saladin, ruler of the faithful, entering Jerusalem in Famous Men of the Middle Ages |
 Wherever the battle was hottest, Richard seemed to spring from the ground in Stories from the Crusades |
 Richard Coeur de Lion in Barbarian and Noble |
 Richard leaves the Holy Land in Barbarian and Noble |
 Richard went away to Palestine. in Our Island Story |
 Statue of Richard Coeur de Lion in Historical Tales: English |
 Richard Coeur de Lion in European Hero Stories |
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| Reclaimed kingdoms in England and Normandy after chaotic reign of Stephen. Founded Plantagenet dynasty. | |
| Wife of Henry II, queen of Aquitaine. Led dramatic, adventurous life. | |
| Wicked king, murdered his nephew and usurped throne. Forced to sign the Magna Carta. | |
| Blondel | Renowned English poet whom legend says helped rescue Richard from imprisonment in Germany. |
| Saladin | Moslem leader who recaptured most Crusader cities including Jerusalem. |
| Philip II Augustus | King of France who expanded his realm by retaking Normandy and Anjou from the Plantagenets. |
| Duke Leopold | Enemy of Richard I, who imprisoned him on his return from the Holy Lands. |
| Tancred I of Sicily | Usurper of the throne of Sicily who siezed lands from Richard I's sister Joan. |