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RICHARD THE LIONHEART, (KING OF ENGLAND 1189-1199)
Tall, fair-haired and immensely strong, Richard the Lionheart ('Coeur de Lion') was a typical example of the Norman Kings who were descendants of William the Conqueror. As his nickname suggests he was a fighter, one of the most famous of his day. He was also something of a poet, but as King of England he was too heedless of his duties to be a good ruler. Fortunately for England he only ruled the country for 10 years, and during that period he only visited England twice for a few weeks. The first time to be crowned king after the death of his father Henry in 1189; on the same visit he arranged to raise money to finance the Third Crusade made necessary by the capture of Jerusalem by the Saracens in 1187. This Crusade was to be the most important undertaking of Richard's life and one which very nearly ended his own life in a prison in Europe.
The Third Crusade was a Christian effort strongly supported by the Pope, to reclaim the Holy Land from the Infidels led by the redoubtable and gentlemanly Saladin. Together with King Philip the Second of France, Richard led a mixed force which besieged the large stronghold of Acre which finally surrendered in 1191. But all was not well in the Christian camp. Because of his military skills and courage Richard was soon acknowledged as the chief leader of the Crusade and King Philip, offended by Richard's arrogance, returned to France to plot against his rival. Richard remained in the Holy Land for a further year, but although on two occasions the Crusaders were within a few days march of Jerusalem, the Holy City was never recaptured. Richard fell ill from fever and his chivalrous opponent, Saladin sent him fresh fruit to sped his recovery. An Arab writer of the times recorded 'he was brave, experienced in war and fearless of death. If he had been alone among millions of enemies, he would not have declined battle'.
In October 1192, he left the Holy Land to return home. In the meantime however Philip and Richard's brother, John, had formed a plot to have him captured, and when Richard landed at the head of the Adriatic Sea he found himself a hunted man. In Vienna he was recognised and imprisoned by Leopold, Duke of Austria - his whereabouts unknown for many months until he was found by his minstrel, Blondel, who heard a response to a song composed by Richard as he sang below the windows of castles in Austria. After a massive ransom was paid (150,000 merks) by the people of England Richard was freed, returning to England in February 1194. His first act on arrival was to have himself re-crowned after his long absence.
Richard forgave his brother, John, for his part in the plot, handed over the responsibility of running England to Hubert Walter the Archbishop of Canterbury and returned to France to wage war on Philip. In 1199 Richard died as he had lived, fighting. Whilst besieging the Castle of Chalus in southern France he was hit in the shoulder by a cross-bow bolt and died a few days later. He is buried in the Abbey Church at Fontevrault in France beside the bodies of his father and his mother Henry II and Queen Eleanor. Although he married Queen Berengaria in Cyprus on the way to the Crusade he had no children and on his death the kingdom passed to his brother John.
