Richard the Lionheart Search TheMiddleAges.net Richard the Lionheart Richard I (September 8, 1157 – April 6, 1199) was King of England from 1189 to 1199. He was often referred to as Richard the Lionheart, Coeur de Lion. He was considered a hero in his day and has often been portrayed as one in works of literature. Early life The third of King Henry II's legitimate sons, Richard was never expected to accede to the throne. He was, however, the favourite son of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Although born in Oxford, England, he soon came to know France as his home. When his parents effectively separated, he remained in Eleanor's care, and was invested with her duchy of Aquitaine in 1168, and of Poitiers in 1172. This was his consolation prize for the fact that his eldest brother, Henry the Young King, was simultaneously crowned as his father's successor. Richard and his other brother, Geoffrey, duke of Brittany, thus learned how to defend their property while still teenagers.

As well as being an educated man, able to compose poetry in French and Provençal, Richard was also a magnificent physical specimen, his height is estimated at six feet four inches (1.93 m) tall, and gloried in military activity. From an early age he appeared to have significant political and military abilities, became noted for his chivalry and courage, and soon was able to control the unruly nobles of his territory. As with all the true-born sons of Henry II, Richard had limited respect for his father and lacked foresight and a sense of responsibility. In 1170, his elder brother Henry the Young King was crowned king of England as Henry III. Historians know him as Henry "the Young King" so as not to confuse him with the later king of this name who was his nephew. In 1173, Richard joined his brothers, Henry and Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany, in a revolt against their father. They were planning to dethrone their father and leave the Young King as the only king of England. Henry II invaded Aquitaine twice.

At the age of seventeen, Richard was the last of the brothers to hold out against Henry; though, in the end, he refused to fight him face to face and humbly begged his pardon. In 1174, after the end of the failed revolt, Richard gave a new oath of subservience to his father. After his failure Richard concentrated on putting down internal revolts by the dissatisfied nobles of Aquitaine, especially the territory of Gascony. The increasing cruelty of his reign led to a major revolt of Gascony in 1183. Richard had a terrible reputation, including reports of various rapes and murders. The rebels hoped to dethrone Richard and asked his brothers Henry and Geoffrey to help them succeed. Their father feared that the war between his three sons could lead to the destruction of his kingdom. He led the part of his army that served in his French territories in support of Richard. The Young King's death on June 11, 1183, ended the revolt, and Richard remained on his throne. Young Henry's death left Richard as the eldest surviving son and the natural heir when the old King died. However, there was some uncertainty over King Henry's intentions.

When Geoffrey also died, Richard was the only realistic possibility, his youngest brother, John, being too weak and inexperienced to be considered as an alternative. From the Young King's death Richard was considered -- though not officially proclaimed -- heir to the joint thrones of England, Normandy and Anjou. In 1188 Henry II planned to concede Aquitaine to his youngest son John Lackland, later King John of England. In opposition to his father's plans, Richard allied himself with King Philip II of France, the son of Eleanor's ex-husband Louis VII by his third wife, Adela of Blois. In exchange for Philip's help against his father, Richard promised to concede his rights to both Normandy and Anjou to Philip. Richard gave an oath of subservience to Philip in November of the same year. In 1189 Richard attempted to take the throne of England for himself by joining Philip's expedition against his father. They were victorious. Henry, with John's consent, agreed to name Richard his heir. On July 6, 1189 Henry died in Chinon, and Richard succeeded him as King of England, Duke of Normandy, and Count of Anjou.

He was officially crowned duke on July 20 and king in Westminster on September 3, 1189. Reign As a result of an incident during Richard's coronation celebrations, religious and political persecution of the Jews took place throughout the country. Richard has been criticised for doing little for England, siphoning the kingdom's resources by appointing Jewish moneylenders to support his tirades away on Crusade in the Holy Land, indeed, he spent only six months of his ten year reign in England, claiming it was "cold and always raining." See image of Effigy on tomb in Fontevrault Abbey -> Richard had one major reason for discontent with his father. Henry had appropriated Princess Alice (not the same Alice as Richard's half-sister), the daughter of the French king and Richard's betrothed, as his mistress. This made a marriage between Richard and Alice technically impossible - at least in the eyes of the church, but Henry, not wishing to cause a diplomatic incident, prevaricated and did not confess to his misdeed. As for Richard, he was discouraged from renouncing Alice because she was Philip's sister.

Leaving the country in the hands of various officials he designated (including his mother, at times), Richard spent only a small fraction of his reign in England, being far more concerned with his possessions in what is now France and his battles in Palestine. He had grown up on the Continent, and had never seen any need to learn the English language. Soon after his accession to the throne, he decided to join the Third Crusade, inspired by the loss of Jerusalem to the "infidels" under the command of Saladin. Afraid that, during his absence, the French might usurp his territories, Richard tried to persuade Philip to join the Crusade as well. Philip agreed and both gave their crusader oaths on the same date. Richard did not concern himself with the future of England. He wanted to engage in an adventure that would cause the troubadours to immortalise his name, as well as guaranteeing him a place in heaven. The evidence suggests that he had deep spiritual needs, and he swore an oath to renounce his past wickedness in order to show himself worthy to take the cross. He started to raise a new English crusader army, though most of his warriors were Normans, and supplied it with weapons.

He spent most of his father's treasury (filled with money raised by the Saladin tithe), raised taxes, and even agreed to free King William I of Scotland from his oath of subservience to Richard in exchange for 10,000 marks. To raise even more money he sold official positions, rights, and lands to those interested in them. He finally succeeded in raising a huge army and navy. After repositioning the part of his army he left behind so that it would guard his French possessions, Richard finally started his expedition to the Holy Land in 1190. Richard appointed as regents Hugh, Bishop of Durham, and William de Mandeville, who soon died and was replaced by Richard's chancellor William Longchamp. Richard's brother John was not satisfied by this decision and started scheming against William. The struggle for Sicily In September 1190 both Richard and Philip arrived in Sicily. In 1189 King William II of Sicily had died. His heir was his aunt Constance, later Queen Constance of Sicily, who was married to Emperor Henry VI.

But immediately after William's death, William's cousin, Tancred, rebelled, seized control of the island and was crowned early in 1190 as King Tancred I of Sicily. He was favored by the people and the pope but had problems with the island's nobles. Richard's arrival caused even more problems. Tancred had imprisoned William's widow, Queen Joan Plantagenet, who was Richard's sister, and did not give her the money she had inherited according to William's will. Richard demanded that his sister be released and given her inheritance. Meanwhile the presence of two foreign armies caused unrest among the people. In October, the people of Messina revolted, demanding that the foreigners leave the island. Richard attacked Messina and captured it on October 4, 1190. After looting and burning the city Richard established his base in it. He remained there until March 1191 when Tancred finally agreed to sign a treaty. The treaty was signed during the same month by Richard, Philip and Tancred. According to the treaty's main terms: Joan was to be released, receiving her inheritance along with the dowry her father had given to the deceased William.

Richard and Philip recognized Tancred as legal King of Sicily and vowed to keep the peace between all three of their kingdoms. Richard officially proclaimed his nephew, the son of Geoffrey, Arthur of Brittany, as his heir, and Tancred promised to later marry one of his daughters to Arthur when he came of age (Arthur was only four years old at the time). After signing the treaty Richard and Philip left Sicily. The treaty undermined England's relationships with the Holy Roman Empire and caused the revolt of Richard's brother John, who hoped to be proclaimed heir instead of their nephew. Although his revolt failed, John continued to scheme against his brother after this point. Richard on the Third Crusade During April Richard stopped on the Byzantine island of Rhodes to avoid the stormy weather. He left in May but a new storm drove Richard's fleet to Cyprus. On May 6, 1191, Richard's fleet arrived in the port of Lemesos (now Limassol). Richard captured the city. When the island's despot Isaac Dukas Comnenus arrived to stop the Crusaders he discovered he was too late, and retired to Kolossi. Richard called Isaac to negotiations but Isaac broke his oath of hospitality and started demanding Richard's departure.

Richard ordered his cavalry to follow him in a battle against Isaac's army in Tremetusia. The few Roman Catholics of the island joined Richard's army and so did the island's nobles who were dissatisfied with Isaac's seven years of tyrannical rule. Though Isaac and his men fought bravely, Richard's army was bigger and better equipped, assuring his victory. Isaac continued to resist from the castles of Pentadactylos but after the siege of his castle of Kantaras he finally surrendered. Richard became the new ruler of Cyprus. Richard looted the island and massacred those trying to resist him. Meanwhile, Richard was finally able to marry the woman to whom he was engaged, who had been brought by his mother to join him on the crusade route. His marriage to Princess Berengaria of Navarre, first-born daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre, was held in Limassol on May 12, 1191. It was attended by his sister Joan, whom Richard had brought from Sicily. There were no children from the marriage; opinions vary as to whether it was ever a love match.

The unfortunate Berengaria had almost as much difficulty in making the journey home as her husband did, and did not see England until after his death. Richard and most of his army left Cyprus for the Holy Land early in June. In his absence Cyprus would be governed by Richard Kamvill. King Richard arrived at Acre in June 1191, in time to relieve the siege of the city by Saladin. Deserted by Philip and having fallen out with Duke Leopold V of Austria, he suddenly found himself without allies. Richard's tactics ensured success at the siege of Acre and on the subsequent march south, Saladin's men being unable to harass the Crusader army into an impulsive action which might not have gone their way. However, the desertion of the French king had been a major blow, from which they could not hope to recover. Realising that he had no hope of holding Jerusalem even if he took it, Richard sadly ordered a retreat. Despite being only a few miles from the city, he refused, thereafter, to set eyes on it, since God had ordained that he should not be the one to conquer it.

He had finally realised that his return home could be postponed no longer, since both Philip and John were taking advantage of his absence to make themselves more powerful. Having planned to leave Conrad of Montferrat as "King" of Jerusalem and Cyprus in the hands of his own protégé, Guy of Lusignan, Richard was dealt another blow when Conrad was assassinated before he could be crowned. His replacement was Richard's own nephew, Henry I of Champagne. Captivity and return On his return to Europe in the autumn of 1192, Richard was captured by Duke Leopold — whom he had publicly insulted in the course of the crusade — and was handed over as a prisoner to the Emperor Henry VI after being held captive at Dürnstein. Although the circumstances of his captivity were not severe, he was frustrated by his inability to travel freely. Nevertheless, he spent the remainder of his reign attempting to regain the territory he had lost in France. After his departure in May 1194, he never returned to England. Overall assessment There is no doubt that Richard had many admirable qualities, as well as many bad ones.

He was a military mastermind, and politically astute in many ways; yet incredibly foolish in others, and unwilling to give way to public opinion. He was capable of great humility as well as great arrogance. He loved his family, but behaved ruthlessly to his enemies. He was revered by his most worthy rival, Saladin, and respected by the Emperor Henry, but hated by many who had been his friends, especially King Philip. He was often careless of his own safety: the wound which killed him need not have been inflicted at all if he had been properly armoured. Almost the same thing had happened, ten years earlier when, while feuding with his father, he had encountered William Marshal while unarmed and had to beg for his life. Richard's existence had been one whole series of contradictions. Although he had neglected his wife and had to be commanded by priests to be faithful to her, she was distraught at the news of his death. During his absence, his brother John had come close to seizing the throne; Richard forgave him, and even named him as his heir in place of Arthur, who was growing into an unpleasant youth.

With his 77 year-old mother at his side, Richard died on 6 April 1199 from the after-effects of an arrow wound received during the siege of Chalus in France and was buried next to his father at Fontevraud Abbey near Chinon and Saumur, France. It is said that he summoned Pierre Basile, the crossbowman who had delivered the fatal wound to his bedside, and was so impressed with the man's refusal to be cowed that he pardoned him. Richard was succeeded by his brother John as king of England. However, his French territories initially rejected John as a successor, preferring his nephew Arthur of Brittany, the son of their late brother Geoffrey, whose claim was technically better than John's. Folklore Over the years the figures of Robin Hood and Richard I have become closely linked. However, the in the earliest Robin Hood ballads the only king mentioned is "Edward our comely king", presumably Edward I, II, or III. It was not until much later that a connection came to be made between the two men. The typical usage of the link is that the major political goal of Robin's war is to restore Richard to the throne after Prince John usurped it.

King Richard I The Lion Heart | Britroyals Name: King Richard I The Lion Heart Born: September 6, 1157 at Beaumont Place, Oxford Parents: Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine Relation to Elizabeth II: 21st great-granduncle House of: Angevin Ascended to the throne: July 6, 1189 aged 31 years Crowned: 2/3 September, 1189 at Westminster Abbey Married: Berengaria, Daughter of Sancho V of Navarre Children: Two illegitimate sons Died: April 6, 1199 at Limousin, France, aged 41 years, 6 months, and 29 days Buried at: Fontevraud, France Reigned for: 9 years, 8 months, and 30 days Succeeded by: his brother John Richard was the third son of Henry II. He twice rebelled against his father before he became King of England in 1189, but based himself in his Duchy in Aquitaine inherited from his mother Eleanor. He spent only six months of his reign in England and spoke only French.

He appointed William Longchamp as Chancellor of England during his absence but he was overthrown by Richard�s brother John. Richard acquired a reputation as a leader and warrior becoming known as Richard �The Lion Heart� or �Coeur de Lion�. His experience in warfare came from controlling rebellions in Poitou in the 1170s and against his father, Henry II, in 1183. He took up Henry's plans to recover Jerusalem on his accession in 1189 and set out to establish bases for crusades in Sicily in 1190 and Cyprus, which he took in 1191. Engaging in the siege of Acre, which he brought to a swift conclusion, he set off down the coast to Jaffa, conducting a fighting march against Saladin. In the third Crusade 1191�92 he won victories at Cyprus, Acre, and Arsuf (against Saladin), but failed to recover Jerusalem. While returning overland he was captured by the Duke of Austria, who handed him over to the emperor Henry VI. He was held prisoner until a large ransom was raised.

On his release he returned briefly to England, where his brother John had been ruling in his stead. His later years were spent in warfare in France, where he was killed by a crossbow bolt while besieging Ch�lus-Chabrol in 1199. He left no heir. Timeline for King Richard I The Lion Heart Year Biography of Richard the Lionheart Richard the Lionheart from a 12th-Century Codex. Public Domain Updated October 20, 2015. Richard the Lionheart was born on September 8, 1157, in Oxford, England. He was generally considered to be his mother's favorite son, and has been described as spoiled and vain because of it. Richard was also known to let his temper get the better of him. Nevertheless, he could be shrewd in matters of politics and was famously skilled on the battlefield. He was also highly cultured and well-educated, and wrote poems and songs. Through most of his life he enjoyed the support and affection of his people, and for centuries after his death, Richard the Lionheart was one of the most popular kings in English history.

Richard the Lionheart's Younger Years Richard the Lionheart was the third son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine , and although his eldest brother died young, the next in line, Henry, was named heir. continue reading below our video What are the Seven Wonders of the World Thus, Richard grew up with little realistic expectations of achieving the English throne. In any case, he was more interested in the family's French holdings than he was in England; he spoke little English, and he was made duke of the lands his mother had brought to her marriage when he was quite young: Aquitaine in 1168, and Poitiers three years later. In 1169, King Henry and King Louis VII of France agreed that Richard should be wed to Louis's daughter Alice. This engagement was to last for some time, although Richard never showed any interest in her; Alice was sent from her home to live with the court in England, while Richard stayed with his holdings in France. Brought up among the people he was to govern, Richard soon learned how to deal with the aristocracy. But his relationship with his father had some serious problems.

In 1173, encouraged by his mother, Richard joined his brothers Henry and Geoffrey in rebelling against the king. The rebellion ultimately failied, Eleanor was imprisoned, and Richard found it necessary to submit to his father and receive a pardon for his transgressions. Duke Richard In the early 1180s, Richard faced baronial revolts in his own lands. He displayed considerable military skill and earned a reputation for courage (the quality that led to his nickname of Richard the Lionheart), but he dealt so harshly with the rebels that they called on his brothers to help drive him from Aquitaine. Now his father interceded on his behalf, fearing the fragmentation of the empire he had built (the "Angevin" Empire, after Henry's lands of Anjou). However, no sooner had King Henry gathered his continental armies together than the younger Henry unexpectedly died, and the rebellion crumpled. As the oldest surviving son, Richard the Lionheart was now heir to England, Normandy, and Anjou.

In light of his extensive holdings, his father wanted him to cede Aquitaine to his brother John , who had never had any territory to govern and was known as "Lackland." But Richard had a deep attachment to the duchy. Rather than give it up, he turned to the king of France, Louis's son Philip II, with whom Richard had developed a firm political and personal friendship. In November of 1188 Richard paid homage to Philip for all his holdings in France, then joined forces with him to drive his father into submission. They forced Henry -- who had indicated a willingness to name John his heir -- to acknowledge Richard as heir to the English throne before hounding him to his death in July, 1189. Richard the Lionheart: Crusader King Richard the Lionheart had become King of England; but his heart wasn't in the sceptred isle. Ever since Saladin had captured Jerusalem in 1187, Richard's greatest ambition was to go to the Holy Land and take it back. His father had agreed to engage in Crusade along with Philip, and a "Saladin Tithe" had been levied in England and France to raise funds for the endeavor.

Now Richard took full advantage of the Saladin Tithe and the military apparatus that had been formed; he drew heavily from the royal treasury and sold anything that might bring him funds -- offices, castles, lands, towns, lordships. In less than a year after his accession to the throne, Richard the Lionheart raised a substantial fleet and an impressive army to take on Crusade. Philip and Richard agreed to go to the Holy Land together, but not all was well between them. The French king wanted some of the lands that Henry had held, and that were now in Richard's hands, which he believed rightfully belonged to France. Richard was not about to relinquish any of his holdings; in fact, he shored up the defenses of these lands and prepared for conflict. But neither king really wanted war with each other, especially with a Crusade awaiting their attention. In fact, the Crusading spirit was strong in Europe at this time. Although there were always nobles who wouldn't put up a farthing for the effort, the vast majority of the European nobility were devout believers of the virtue and necessity of Crusade. Most of those who didn't take up arms themselves still supported the Crusading movement any way that they could.

And right now, both Richard and Philip were being shown up by the septuagenarian German emperor, Frederick Barbarossa , who had already pulled together an army and set off for the Holy Land. In the face of public opinion, continuing their quarrel was not really feasible for either of the kings, but especially not for Philip, since Richard the Lionheart had worked so hard to fund his part in the Crusade. The French king chose to accept the promises that Richard made, probably against his better judgment. Among these pledges was Richard's agreement to marry Philip's sister Alice, who still languished in England, even though it appeared he had been negotiating for the hand of Berengaria of Navarre. Prev BBC - History - King Richard I z Richard I © Richard was a king of England, later known as the 'Lion Heart', and famous for his exploits in the Third Crusade, although during his 10-year reign he spent only six months in England. Richard was born on 8 September 1157 in Oxford, son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He possessed considerable political and military ability.

However, like his brothers, he fought with his family, joining them in the great rebellion against their father in 1173. In 1183 his brother Henry died, leaving Richard heir to the throne. Henry II wanted to give Aquitaine to his youngest son, John. Richard refused and, in 1189, joined forces with Philip II of France against his father, hounding him to a premature death in July 1189. As king, Richard's chief ambition was to join the Third Crusade, prompted by Saladin's capture of Jerusalem in 1187. To finance this, he sold sheriffdoms and other offices and in 1190 he departed for the Holy Land. In May, he reached Cyprus where he married Berengaria, daughter of the king of Navarre. Richard arrived in the Holy Land in June 1191 and Acre fell the following month. In September, his victory at Arsuf gave the crusaders possession of Joppa. Although he came close, Jerusalem, the crusade's main objective, eluded him. Moreover, fierce quarrels among the French, German and English contingents provided further troubles.

After a year's stalemate, Richard made a truce with Saladin and started his journey home. Bad weather drove him ashore near Venice and he was imprisoned by Duke Leopold of Austria before being handed over to the German emperor Henry VI, who ransomed him for the huge sum of 150,000 marks. The raising of the ransom was a remarkable achievement. In February 1194, Richard was released. He returned at once to England and was crowned for a second time, fearing that the ransom payment had compromised his independence. Yet a month later he went to Normandy, never to return. His last five years were spent in intermittent warfare against Philip II. While besieging the castle of Châlus in central France he was fatally wounded and died on 6 April 1199. He was succeeded by his younger brother John, who had spent the years of Richard's absence scheming against him.

Richard I - Military Leader, King, Folk Hero - Biography.com Famous People Who Died in France Synopsis Born on September 8, 1157, in Oxford, England, Richard I, better known as "Richard the Lionheart," served as king of England from 1189 to 1199. By age 16, Richard was commanding his own army in a revolt against his father, and became a central Christian commander during the Third Crusade. He was seen as a hero by his subjects and remains an enduring iconic figure in England today. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information Templarhistory.com » Blog Archive » King Richard I – The Lionheart King Richard I – The Lionheart 31 March 2010 26 Comments A King Is Born While Richard Plantagenet is revered as one of the great warrior kings of England, he is perhaps best known as “the absent king.” This is due to the fact that during his reign from 1189-1199, he spent a total of six months in England.

This aside Richard I was well known for his bravery which earned him the nickname “The Lionheart”. A name that has reached epic and mythological proportions, best seen in literary works such as Robin Hood and Sir Walter Scott’s novel Ivanhoe. Richard Plantagenet came into the world September 8th in the year 1157 AD Although born in Oxfordshire England, Richard was a child of Aquitaine a part of Southern France. His native language was not English and throughout his life he spoke little of it. He had four brothers and three sisters, the first of which died at a young age. Of the remainder; Henry was named heir to the English throne, Richard was to succeed his mother’s Aquitaine and Geoffrey was to inherit Brittany. John was the poorest to fair out receiving nothing from his father. It is this action that gave him the name John Lackland. At a young age of twelve, Richard pledged homage to the king of France for lands of his. At the age of fourteen, Richard was named the Duke of Aquitane in the church of St. Hillaire at Poitiers which was one of the lands made homage to the French King.

Henry’s sons, who had been given lands but no real power revolted against their King father aided by their mother. In retaliation King Henry had Eleanor jailed. She remained there for many years. Off To The Crusades In 1183 the younger Henry died leaving Richard as the heir to the English throne. Another family dispute occurred when Richard received the lands of his brother. Henry was expected to give his Aquitaine to his brother John. Richard refused to give up the homeland of his mother. While this dispute over family land raged on, Richard learned of the tragic loss at Hattin, where the Crusaders had lost Jerusalem to the Saracen leader Saladin. Richard soon took up the cross of the crusades, much against his father’s approval. In 1189, upon the death of Henry II, Richard was crowned king of England in Westminster Abbey London. One of his first actions was to free his mother from prison. His second was to begin to raise funds for his crusade known to history as the Third Crusade. He imposed a tax on the English people called a Saladin tithe as a means of aiding his war effort.

A King Imprisoned After the Third Crusade, Richard began his homeward journey to England. Put ashore by bad weather he found himself in Austria home of Leopold, whom Richard had angered by actions during the crusade. Leopold captured King Richard and imprisoned him in his castle. Eager for a piece of the action the Emperor of Germany offered Leopold 75,000 marks for Richard taking him into custody in Germany. Rumors ran rampant throughout England over the missing king. There is a legend that the troubadour Blondel heard his king singing in a castle and responded with a song that the both of them were sure to know. Whether true or not the fact remains that two Abbots were soon dispatched to journey for him through the network of the church. Even Eleanor, Richard’s mother wrote to the Pope for assistance in the matter. Richard was found and soon a ransom was set for his return to England. The sum was 150,000 marks an amount equal to three years of annual income and weighing at three tons in silver. Return Of The King Richard returned to England receiving a hero’s welcome.

He forgave his brother John, by saying he was manipulated by cunning people and vowed to punish them and not his brother. Unfortunately for the King he returned to a land in financial troubles. The cost of the Crusade and his large ransom had tapped out the finances of the land. This monetary trouble was to plague him for his remaining five-year reign. He created a new great seal as a means to raise funds and made void all documents signed with the old. Death Of A King For such a brave and noble man, King Richard’s death came about in a rather strange way. In Chalus, Aquitaine, a peasant plowing his fields came upon a treasure. This treasure consisted of some gold statues and coins. The feudal lord claimed the treasure from his vassal, Richard in turn claimed the treasure from the lord, who refused. This prompted Richard to siege the village. During the siege Richard was riding close to the castle without the protection of full armor. He spotted an archer with bow in hand on the wall aiming a shot at him. It is said Richard paused to applaud the Bowman. He was struck in the shoulder with the arrow and refused treatment for his wound.

Infection set in and Richard the Lionheart died on April the 6th 1199. He was buried in the Fontvraud Abbey in Anjou France. King Richard the Lionheart King Richard the Lionheart The King who Sold Scotland to Go on Crusade Richard the Lionheart spoke no English and he spent just ten months of his ten-year-reign in England. He tried to sell London if he could but find one to take it to raise funds for his crusade to free the Holy Land. When he was imprisoned on his way back home, his mother forced every soul in England to contribute a quarter of their annual income to ransom him from captivity. Returned, he raised taxes yet again to finance the construction of one of the most expensive castles ever built in Europe. Through his exploits on crusade and his association with Robin Hood, England's famous if legendary national hero, King Richard I has to be one of the best-known English kings. But dig deeper and it becomes a little less obvious why he's regarded as an English hero in his own right. Born on 8th September 1157 in Oxford, Richard was Henry and Eleanor's fourth son.

He was his mother's favourite and grew up in her Duchy of Aquitaine in the society of soldiers and troubadours. He was well-educated and reasonably pious, and could split a man's head down to his teeth with a sword as easily as he could compose a song about it. Effigy of King Richard the Lionheart at Fontevrault Abbey © Anton Bishop | Creative Commons Attributation-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Richard was very tall and well-built and had inherited his father's red hair and grey eyes. Allegedly he also had his father's fearsome temper, which may explain why the two never saw eye to eye. As was the custom amongst most titled families, Richard rose in rebellion against his father, sometimes on his own and sometimes supported by his brother or even his mother. When he gained the crown of England on his father's death in summer 1189, he had no intention of moving north to rule his new kingdom. He'd taken the Cross and made a vow to free Jerusalem from the Saracens two years previously and was impatient to honour that vow and go on crusade. But for that he needed money.

He had his mother freed from captivity and installed her as one of his regents before being crowned King Richard I in Westminster Abbey on September 23rd, 1189. Coronations are costly affairs, as are wars, and the new king spent the next months raising as much money as he could. Richard the Lionheart sold lands, offices and positions, he raised taxes and levied fines, and even struck a deal with William the Lion to sell him the feudal authority over Scotland. Then he sailed for France, having declared his nephew Arthur of Brittany as his heir, and having bribed his younger brother John to stay out of England while he was gone. The Third Crusade Statue of King Richard the Lionheart outside the Houses of Parliament © essentially-england.com Richard gained his nickname 'The Lionheart" on the battlefield, where he showed great personal courage. He could inspire men, but he could also make enemies and on the way to the Holy Land he quarrelled bitterly with King Phillip of France. Richard had been betrothed to Phillip's sister Alys for many years, but had so far avoided marrying her because rumours had it that she'd been his father's mistress and had even born him a child.

Now he informed the French king that he would marry Berengaria of Navarre, whom his mother was escorting to Sicily to meet him. Phillip fumed at the insult, but there was little he could do. After excursions through Sicily and Cyprus, the Crusader army eventually reached Acre at Whitsun 1191, managing to relieve the beleaguered city by July 11th. But dissent was rife in the crusader's camp and on August 3rd, King Phillip of France abandoned the crusade and set sail for France, while Richard the Lionheart took on Saladin in a pitched battle, before marching on Jaffa. Forced by illness and supply issues to retreat back to the coast, Richard next sought to end the war by diplomacy, offering to marry his widowed sister Joanna to Saladin's nephew. But this attempt, too, came to nothing. Already in difficulties, the news that his brother John was plotting to take the English crown with the help of the French king pushed Richard into a corner. He had again to retreat from Jerusalem without having fulfilled his vow and now had to contemplate leaving the crusade and returning to England.

While he agonised, Saladin re-took Jaffa. The immediate threat stirred Richard into action. He staged a daring amphibian rescue and - heavily outnumbered - put Saladin's men to flight by - it is said - the sheer force of his personality and courage. And having negotiated a three year truce that guaranteed Christian pilgrims access to the Holy City, Richard the Lionheart set sail for England. Ship-wrecked on the return journey, Richard was taken prisoner by Duke Leopold of Austria - yet another man who he had made an enemy of. Duke Leopold imprisoned Richard in his castle of Durrenstein and demanded a ransom of 150,000 marks to free him. Once Richard's plight was known, Queen Eleanor worked tirelessly to raise the huge sum. Just as Richard's brother John and the King of France worked tirelessly to keep Richard shackled forever. Phillip of France had invaded Normandy and hoped for more time to make it his. But Richard was released and - on his return - rapidly put Phillip's troops to flight. Returned to England, Richard the Lionheart stayed only long enough to settle a few scores and raise more money. His next project had little to do with piety.

His lands were under threat from the French king and Richard spent the following years building strengthening his borders - by building the famous Chateau Gaillard, the "Saucy Castle", high on a rock at Les Andelys. Chateau Gaillard © Lobo Studio Hamburg | pixabay.com The French king, who saw the castle as an affront once boasted that he would take it, "even if its walls were made of steel". Richard the Lionheart didn't think too much of Phillip's military prowess and retorted that he would hold it "even if its walls were made of butter". He can be said to have been right ... Castle Gaillard may be ruined, but it still proudly guards the river at Les Andelys. Richard's last years were spent fighting his barons. He only rarely saw his wife and the couple had no children. When he died from gangrene at the siege of Chalus - a mindless squabble over an alleged hoard of Roman gold - he was only 41 years old. Richard the Lionheart was a celebrated soldier and a courageous battle commander. But as King of England he'd been an abject failure.

That England continued to recover from the devastation caused by 40 years of civil war, that laws were observed and trade grew, that he could spend so little time in the country even - that Richard the Lionheart owed to the efficient administration his father had put in place years earlier. 1000+ images about Richard I on Pinterest | King richard i, King richard and England Forward On this day 8th September the birth of Richard the Lionheart in Oxford 1157. The third surviving chid of Henry II, one of the most astute and formidable of all English kings and the ruler of more of France than the French king himself. Henry was 24 when Richard was born and his mother 35 who was the ravishingly beautiful Eleanor of Aquitaine. Richard was 6ft 5" with red hair and piercing blue eyes, he was an inspiring leader and one of the best generals of his time. He died in 1199 See More A list of all British Kings and Queens | British Kings and Queens British Kings and Queens King William I, the Conqueror King William I, otherwise known as William the Conqueror was born in France on 1028.

He became friendly with the current English King, Edward the Confessor. He invaded and attacked England on Edward's death, as he was promised the English crown, but then denied it by the Saxon Harold. King Henry I Henry is the first English king of the Normans. Son of William I and Matilda of Flanders, he was crown on 6th August, 1100 at Westminster Abbey. He married twice, one of his wives was a Scottish princess. King Henry I was king of both England and Normandy. Henry I was brother to Rufus, from whom he inherited the throne. King Stephen King Stephen was king of England (and not Normandy), although he was born in France. He was crowned at Westminster Abbey, like his father before him. Stephen was nephew of Henry I and grandson of William I, and was elected to be king in 1135 - although he presumed Henry I daughter Matilda would take the thrown. This decision was made by a council that threw the country into civil war. King Henry II French Henry II was the first of the Angevins who were the first Plantagenet kings.

A young king who came to the throne at only 21, he ruled for a long 34 years, however Henry II only spent 14 of those years in England, or Britain. King Richard I the Lionheart Richard I was known as Richard the Lionheart. He was given this name as he was known for being a brave warrior king. Richard I (The Lionheart) was the oldest surviving son of Henry II. Another king that spent little time in England, only 10 months in his 10 year reign as king. King Henry III King Henry III is known for being crown when he was just 9 years old, although he did not obtain full control of England until he was 20 years old, in 1227. His reign lasted 56 years making it the longest ever reign of any English monarch (not British). King Edward I King Edward ovtained the thrown by inheritance from Henry III. King Edward I was also known as Longshanks because he was over 6ft tall, which was very tall at the time. Edward I fought against Robert the Bruce and was known as the hammer of the scots.

King Edward III King Edward III was born in Windsor Castle and became king in 1327. Edwards mother was the French Isabella who overthrew his father. His mother ruled while Edward was too young, although Edward was always king. King Edward III fouhgt many battles against the Scots and the French. King Richard II Richard II was born in France and for the first part of his reign could not rule because he was too young. At this time the country was run by his uncle, John of Gaunt, whose son Bolingbroke ended up murdering Richard II and became king himself. King Henry IV King Henry IV is known to have taken the crown and thrown by force. He made his cousin Richard II abdicate and took his reign for his own. This saga lead to a long running dispute between The House of Lancaser and the House of York. King Charles II King Charles II was crowned king of Scotland in 1651. When Richard Cromwell, who was lord protector of England at the time, was abdicated Charles returned to London. King Charles II was only 13 when he returned, but took rule over all of Great Britain.

King James II King James II was king of England and Scotland (as James VII) from 1685 when he was crowned. King James II was only 15 when he escaped to France in 1648 disguised as a young girl. King James II was well known for trying to force people to follow his Roman Catholic faith. Because of this he became very unpopular, especially amoung Protestants, and was generally hated by the people. Queen Anne Queen Anne was the daughter of James II and Anne Hyde. Queen Anne was queen of Great Britain and Ireland between 1702 and 1714. Her nickname was Brandy Nan because of her alleged taste for fine French brandy, she also had the nicknames of Mrs Bull and Mrs Morely. King George I George I is the first German-born king of Britain. George was declard: George by the Grace of God and king of Great Britain, France and Ireland, on 1st August 1714. King George I set the record at the time for being the oldest monarch in British history. King William IV King William IV was king of Great Britain and Ireland from 1830.

The King became known as the Sailor King after joining the navy from just 13 years old. During his reign King William IV saw the passing of the infamous Reform Act of 1832. Queen Victoria Queen Victoria is known for her part in the industrial revolution. The Queen took Britain and turned it into a rich, powerful and confident country. Queen Victoria took the record for the longest reign for a monarch in British history of 64 years. King Edward VII King Edward VII is the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. King Edward VII was given the title of Price of Wales immediately after his birth. He became king at an old age of 60, when most men were looking to retire. King Edward VIII King Edward VIII ruled for only 325 days. He abdicated the thrown so that he could marry his love Wallis Simpson. A king is not able to marry a divorced woman and become king, and Mrs Simpson was an american divorcee. King George VI King George VI did not expect to become king, he was the shy brother of Edward VIII who only took the thrown when Edward abdicated. King George VI ruled during World War two and bravely refused to leave London during the blitz.

The two princesses; Elizabeth and Margaret, spent the war years in Windsor Castle away from harm. Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II is the current queen and monarch of Britain. Taking over at the age of 26, Elizabth took the thrown in 1952. Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch who had their coronation broadcast on national television, making it the most accessible British coronation at the time.

Question: English monarch Richard I is known by what nickname?
Answer: Richard the Lionheart