Richard I

Richard I was, well, the first Richard to rule England (as the monarchy tended to favor Henrys, Edwards, Williams, and later on Georges). Known as Richard the Lionheart, he was famed for his feats in battle as an active warrior and directly commanding his armies. His reign was particularly marked by the Crusades, with the result that he only spent a matter of months in England itself (either fighting or in captivity in the Holy Land, or in France).
In historical fact, Richard returned from the Crusades after finalizing a peace treaty, although he'd go on to wage war against France. Richard is a key figure in the legends and dramatic retellings of Robin Hood, where his long absence allows for the ascension of Prince John.
==References==
* King Richard the Chicken-Hearted from the Sesame Street story "The King Who Ate Only Chicken" is named after Richard, inverting his sobriquet with an animal normally associated with cowardice.
* Pepe the King Prawn lives up to his species by playing King Richard in Muppet Robin Hood. In this case, "The Crusades" is his band and he's been living the life of a profligate rock star.
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Category:Historical References