Richard I (1157 - 1199)


Also called Richard the Lion-Heart and famous for his exploits in the Third Crusade (1189-92), during his ten-year reign he spent only some six months in England.

The third son of Henry II, Richard possessed considerable political and military ability. However, like his brothers, he cared nothing for 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. With other lands in Normandy and Anjou, Henry II wanted him to give Aquitaine to his youngest brother, 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 wanted only to lead the crusade prompted by Saladin's capture of Jerusalem in 1187. To finance this, he sold sheriffdoms and other offices. In 1190 he departed for the Holy Land.

Richard arrived in June 1191; the city 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.

Sailing home, bad weather drove him ashore near Venice. He was captured and imprisoned by Duke Leopold 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 warfare against Philip II, interspersed with occasional truces. While besieging the castle of Châlus he was fatally wounded in 1199.