Richard the Lionheart: The Crusader King

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“He was a bad son, a bad husband, and a bad king, but a gallant and splendid soldier.” This was the description that historian Sir Steven Runciman thought best fitted Richard I. This aligns with the criticism brought against Richard by Victorian scholar William Stubbs, who considered him a “mere warrior” with little care for his kingdom or sympathy for its people. Indeed, Richard I was an absentee ruler, spending only a combined six months out of his ten-year reign in England. The rest of the time, the king was either involved in wars, in captivity, or residing in his French territories such as Anjou and Aquitaine. Today, scholars debate whether the king even knew how to speak English, as he preferred his mother’s language of Occitan. And yet, English history remembers him quite fondly. He was, after all, Richard the Lionheart, but was he truly deserving of this moniker? We will let you decide as we explore the life of King Richard I.

**Early Years**
Richard was born on September 8, 1157, in Oxford, England. He was the son of Henry II, King of England, and Eleanor of Aquitaine, a powerful and influential woman who had previously served as Queen of the Franks. Richard was part of the House of Plantagenet, a royal dynasty that ruled over England for approximately 330 years. His grandfather, Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, founded the house, while his father became the first Plantagenet to claim the English throne. It was generally not expected that Richard would become king, as he was the third son of Henry and Eleanor. The eldest son, William, died young, and his other older sibling, Henry, was the one expected to follow in their father’s footsteps. In 1170, the family made an unusual move for English royalty and crowned the 15-year-old Henry as titular King of England while his father was still alive. This coronation was in name only, and the elder Henry retained authority. This became a point of contention between father and son as the Young Henry grew frustrated with his father giving away possessions he considered rightfully his. He was supported by other noblemen, both English and foreign, who wanted to remove the elder king, and even his own mother, who had a falling out with her husband. This led to the Revolt of 1173-1174. Young King Henry had powerful allies, including King Louis VII and William the Lion, King of Scots. He almost secured victory, but in the end, Henry II was triumphant.

What role did Richard play in all of this? By the time of the uprising, he had already been made Duke of Aquitaine, a region of modern France that became an English possession when Eleanor married Henry. It was also the place where Richard spent a lot of his time both as a child and as an adult, and he seemed to cherish it far more than England. Richard sided with his sibling during the revolt, as did their younger brother, Geoffrey. He was still a young man at that point and was likely influenced by others, most likely his mother and King Louis of France. After the rebellion was put down, Henry II imprisoned Eleanor of Aquitaine to keep the boys in line and minimize her influence on them. She would remain imprisoned for the next 16 years.

**Richard the Duke**
As for his rebellious sons, Henry was merciful and forgave them after they submitted to him. Richard retained the title of Duke of Aquitaine, and his father tasked him with punishing the nobles who rebelled against the English king. Henry’s orders were for most castles in the duchy to be reduced to their state 15 days before the uprising, but he specified that some should be completely destroyed. This did not sit well with some local noblemen who refused to back down and continued their rebellion against Richard. Henry placed a lot of trust in his 18-year-old son and his military prowess, giving Richard full command over the duchy’s armies and control over local revenues. Richard developed a reputation as a great fighter and military leader, in contrast to his older brother Henry, who was described as lacking political acumen and military skill.

Richard spent the next few years as his father’s regent in Aquitaine, putting down rebellions. We know of his efforts thanks to 12th-century chronicler Roger of Hoveden. The young duke made special mention of his successful siege of Castillon-sur-Agen, which required the use of artillery. After two months, Richard managed to break the garrison, marking his first significant military triumph. These successes established his reputation as an adept commander, but also revealed his tendency for cruelty, as he showed little mercy to those who opposed him.

Some nobles proved to be bigger challenges than others. The Rancon family, for instance, were a major thorn in Richard’s side. They were lords in Taillebourg, led by Geoffrey de Rancon, and their castle was considered impregnable. Richard’s strategy was to make himself an irresistible target, prompting his enemies to leave the fortress and confront him. He destroyed the village beneath the citadel, burned surrounding fields, and camped close enough to the castle walls to encourage a surprise attack. He deployed artillery to make it look like a standard siege and then waited. When his enemies launched a counterattack, they were defeated by Richard’s forces. Richard’s men were then able to force their way into the castle, and after three days of looting and destruction, Rancon surrendered. This victory was significant enough that other rebellious noblemen decided the fight was not worth it and laid down their arms before the Duke of Aquitaine.

**Rise to the Throne**
Peace did not last long. Many historians of that time described Richard as a cruel man who “oppressed his subjects with unjustified demands and a regime of violence.” All the nobles banded together to try to drive him away from the region and sought the help of Philip II of France. Eventually, King Henry had to intervene and ordered Henry the Younger to join him. He listened to the local noblemen, who complained that Richard took their wives and daughters by force. We don’t know if such accusations were true, but they influenced Henry’s perception of Richard. He subdued the rebellion in 1182 and returned to England.

The nobles saw another opportunity. While Richard and King Henry could not be reasoned with, perhaps they could appeal to Henry the Younger. Almost a decade after his failed revolt, he still had no lands to claim while Geoffrey had Brittany and Richard had Aquitaine. When the French barons promised to recognize him as the new duke, the idea of invading Aquitaine took hold. The excuse came in the form of a castle on the border between Richard’s and King Henry’s lands, which Richard had spent time repairing. Young Henry wanted it, and the king ordered Richard to give it to his brother as homage. Richard refused, and his brother invaded with help from many Aquitaine nobles. Younger brother Geoffrey also joined the invasion against Richard. Initially, the elder King Henry tried to remain neutral but eventually sided with Richard. However, the war was not going in their favor. Henry the Young King was poised to win, but he fell ill suddenly and died on June 11, 1183, marking the end of the rebellion. Richard was now heir to the throne. His other brother Geoffrey also died in 1186, allegedly during a jousting tournament. There was only one brother remaining—John, who had not participated in any of the family’s political and military conflicts. Contemporary chroniclers claimed that John was his father’s favorite, as he was the only legitimate son of King Henry who did not raise his sword against him.

Because Richard was now poised to rule over England and other territories, King Henry wanted him to give the duchy of Aquitaine to John. Richard refused, as Aquitaine was the territory he cared about most. For a while, it seemed there would be war again between the Plantagenets, but Henry had a plan. He finally released his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, from prison. She returned to her homeland, where she was still the rightful ruler, and Richard, who had great affection for his mother, willingly surrendered all power. However, he found a new ally in King Philip II of France. Tensions between Henry and Philip escalated to violence. Richard officially paid homage to Philip and sided with him against his father. The duo was triumphant, and shortly after, the older Henry fell gravely ill. After his defeat, Henry was forced to recognize Richard as sole heir. He died two days later, on July 6, 1189, and Richard became the new King of England.

Richard may have been the new king, but he had no time to concern himself with running his kingdom—he had a crusade to attend to. Ever since 1187, when Sultan Saladin captured Jerusalem, the pope had been calling on European powers to launch a new crusade to reclaim the Holy Land. The major powers involved in the crusade were England and France, led by Richard and Philip, and the Holy Roman Empire, led by Frederick I. King Henry II had pledged his service to the crusade, but he was old and frail, and public opinion pressured him into joining. Richard needed no such persuasion; he was a soldier looking for a fight, and there was no greater challenge than taking down Saladin and recapturing Jerusalem. He did experience a religious moment en route to the Holy Land, feeling a need to confess his sins.

Before all this, Richard needed money to raise and equip an army for his crusade. His father had enacted a new tax called the Saladin tithe, and Richard began selling official positions and privileges while also forcing those who held titles to pay a sum to keep them. This did not sit well with many of his countrymen, both rich and poor. Richard had little concern for them, as it was often said that he viewed England not as a kingdom but as a source of money and soldiers.

**Marriage Troubles**
Richard left for the crusade in the summer of 1190, accompanied by Philip Augustus, who led the French army. His first stop was in Sicily, where Richard sought to resolve an unrelated matter. The previous year, King William the Good of Sicily had died, and his cousin Tancred became the new king. Tancred imprisoned William’s widow and denied her inheritance. Richard demanded that his sister be released and given her inheritance. Tancred refused, so Richard captured and plundered the capital of Messina. Eventually, the two kings signed a treaty, which was notable because it prompted Richard to assign an heir—not his younger brother John, but Arthur of Brittany, the only son of his deceased brother Geoffrey.

While in Sicily, Richard also needed a queen, and his betrothed, Berengaria, daughter of King Sancho of Navarre, arrived. This caused problems with his French ally. Richard had been arranged to marry Philip’s half-sister, Alys, but both Henry and Richard kept delaying the wedding. According to rumors, Henry had taken Alys as a mistress, and Richard did not want to marry her anymore. Philip and Richard managed to reach a settlement to break off the marriage, but they left Sicily at different times. Richard set off with his fleet across the Mediterranean in April 1191. However, he encountered a storm that destroyed some of his ships. The vessel carrying his sister and his wife-to-be shipwrecked on Cyprus, where they were taken prisoner by Isaac Komnenos, the ruler of the island. Richard successfully secured the release of Joan and Berengaria, but Komnenos refused to return the treasure that had also been aboard the ship. Richard invaded Cyprus and conquered it, reclaiming his treasure and looting additional wealth. He later sold Cyprus to Guy of Lusignan, the former King of Jerusalem. While on Cyprus, Richard married Berengaria, who became known as “the only English queen never to set foot in the country” because it is believed she never visited England.

**The War for Jerusalem**
After all the detours, Richard finally arrived in the Holy Land in the summer of 1191. The port city of Acre was the first target of the crusaders and fell easily. Richard’s main problem during this crusade was not the enemies, but rather his allies. He and Philip were already at odds, not only over previous events but also because the French king wanted half of Cyprus. As Philip fell ill, he decided to return home after the fall of Acre. The Holy Roman Empire and its vassals faced their own challenges, as King Frederick Barbarossa had died in an unfortunate manner while crossing a river. His death caused many German soldiers to return home, leaving Duke Leopold of Austria in charge. Richard and Leopold did not get along, and Richard insulted Leopold after the duke hung his banner in triumph alongside the English and French ones after the battle at Acre. Richard felt that Leopold was being arrogant, so he had the Austrian banner torn down. In response, Leopold took his men and went home.

The crusade lasted for another year. Richard had other successes, particularly at the Battle of Arsuf, where he scored a decisive victory despite being outnumbered. This was perhaps Richard’s greatest triumph, allowing him to retake the city of Jaffa. Richard now had the upper hand against Saladin, but he faced troubles from his own camp. Many of the men grew tired of the fight, and the French soldiers left behind by Philip refused to obey him. Additionally, disturbing reports from home indicated that his brother John was making a play for the throne. To top it off, Richard fell ill with scurvy. For the first time, the war-obsessed king acted practically. He concluded that he would not be able to keep Jerusalem, even if he managed to capture it, so he opened peace talks. On September 2, 1192, Richard and Saladin signed the Treaty at Jaffa. The Christian crusaders didn’t gain much, but it was the best they could hope for under the circumstances. Their main objective of reclaiming Jerusalem had failed, but the treaty guaranteed a three-year truce, allowed the crusaders to keep Acre and a small part of the coastline, and promised safe passage for Christian pilgrims.

**The Lion Slain by an Ant**
Richard needed to return to England but was wary of traveling through Philip’s territories, as they were openly hostile. He sailed on the Adriatic, but his ship washed ashore in Venice. While passing through Vienna, his retinue was discovered and captured by Duke Leopold, who turned him over to the new Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI. Richard was imprisoned, and a large ransom was demanded for his release. John had no interest in securing his brother’s release, but their mother Eleanor started raising the money by taxing everyone heavily and confiscating treasures. After over a year in prison, Richard was released in 1194. He returned to England, where he was crowned again to further establish his kingship. In a surprising move, Richard forgave John for revolting and named him as his new heir, perhaps to calm tensions in England so he could refocus his attention.

Richard left England less than a month after his second coronation, never to return. He reigned for another five years, spending all that time warring with Philip, only interrupted by occasional truces. Richard’s crowning achievement during this time was the construction of Château Gaillard, a castle considered a masterpiece ahead of its time. Tragically, King Richard’s demise did not come against a mighty foe but rather while suppressing a minor revolt in the Limousin region. He was besieging a small castle named Châlus-Chabrol when he was struck by a crossbow bolt in the shoulder. Richard was taken to his tent, where he collapsed. The wound was poorly treated and developed gangrene. According to chronicler Roger of Hoveden, the shooter was a boy named Bertrand, whose family had been harmed by Richard. The king allegedly showed mercy and ordered that the boy be set free and compensated. It is unclear if this order was followed, as some sources claim the king’s officers executed Bertrand alongside others in the castle.

King Richard died two weeks later on April 6, 1199, by his mother’s side. As mentioned in his epitaph, “the lion was slain by the ant.”

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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while ensuring it is appropriate for a wider audience.