Richard I the Lionheart. The heart of a lion and the head of a donkey? What is King Richard the Lionheart famous for?

Richard the Lionheart

Richard I.

Typical knight adventurer

Richard I the Lionheart (French Coeur de Lion, English Lion-Hearted) (8.IX.1157 - 6.IV.1199) - king (1189-1199) from the Plantagenet dynasty. He spent his childhood, youth and most of his reign outside England, the management of which he transferred to the governor. A typical medieval knight-adventurer, Richard I waged continuous wars that were alien to the interests of England and cost her enormous amounts of money. Participated in the 3rd Crusade (1189-1192), during which he captured the island of Cyprus and the fortress of Acre (in Palestine), on the way back he was captured by the Austrian Duke Leopold V (who handed him over to the emperor Henry VI) and was released only in 1194 for a huge ransom. From 1194 - in France, he waged war with Philip II Augustus, who sought to reconquer the lands owned by the Plantagenets in France. During this war he was killed.

Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 12. Reparations - SLAVS. 1969.

Literature: Chronicles and memorials of the reign of Richard I, ed. by W. Stubbs, v. 1-2, L., 1864-65; Landon L., The itinerary of King Richard I, L., 1935.

Preserved in the image of a noble knight and a just king

Richard I
Richard the Lionheart
Richard the Lionheart
Years of life: September 8, 1157 - April 6, 1199
Years of reign: 1189 - 1199
Father: Henry II
Mother: Eleanor of Aquitaine
Wife: Berengaria of Navarre

Richard was the third son Henry II and was not considered as the main heir to the English throne. When distributing possessions between his sons in 1172, Henry allocated the Duchy of Aquitaine to Richard. Until his coronation, the future king visited England only twice, spending all the time in his lot. In 1183, Henry the Younger demanded an oath of allegiance from Richard, and when he refused, he invaded Aquitaine with an army of mercenaries, but that same year he unexpectedly fell ill with a fever and died. This led to discord between Richard and his father. Henry demanded that Aquitaine be given to his youngest son, John. Richard asked the French king for help Philip II and swore allegiance to him in 1188. Richard, Philip and allies opposed Henry and defeated him. Henry II accepted peace on humiliating terms and soon died, leaving the English throne to Richard.

On September 3, 1189, Richard was crowned in Westminster Abbey and lived in England for 4 months, and later came for another 2 months in 1194 - that’s all.

Richard took an active part in preparing the Third Crusade , a vow to participate in which he made in 1187. Taking into account the problems of the first campaigns, he insisted on reaching the Holy Land by sea. The campaign began in the spring of 1190, when crowds of crusaders moved across France to the Mediterranean Sea. In Marseilles, Richard's army boarded ships and was already in Sicily in September. There, the crusaders had friction with the local residents. It came to an armed conflict with the citizens of Messina, which ended with the victory of Richard and the plunder of the city. Richard spent the winter of 1190/1191 in Sicily. During this time, he quarreled with his associate, the French king Philip II, and then they moved separately. In the spring of 1191, Richard arrived in Cyprus. Some of his ships were thrown ashore during a storm, and the emperor Isaac Komnenos, who ruled the island, refused to give them back in an amicable way. Richard had to use force, and as a result of a 25-day war, he captured the entire island. He left half of the captured property to the residents, and distributed the other half to his knights, who were supposed to settle on the island to protect it. There in Cyprus, Richard had a magnificent wedding with the Navarrese princess Berengaria. On June 5, Richard sailed to Syria and three days later joined the participants in the siege of Acre, which had already lasted two years. With the arrival of the British, work began with renewed vigor on the construction of rams and catapults, on digging tunnels, and within a month Acre was taken. The crusaders kept hostages from among the most noble townspeople with the possibility of ransoming them for 200 thousand chervonets. However, after this success, discord began in the Christian camp, caused by the discussion of the candidacy of the King of Jerusalem. The quarrels ended with Philip II and many of the French deciding to return, and Richard becoming the sole leader of the crusaders. Meanwhile, the weakened Christian army faced the most important thing - to take Jerusalem. However, they did not reach Jerusalem, frightened by rumors about powerful fortifications around the city, and turned to Ascalon. Just recently, the pilgrims found the flourishing city in ruins. It was Saladdin who ordered the destruction of Ascalon, since he did not hope to hold it. The crusaders restored the fortifications in the shortest possible time, and Richard himself set an example, carrying stones on his shoulders for construction. A few weeks later, a second campaign was launched against Jerusalem, but again the crusaders did not reach the city. On the way, news was received of Saladdin's attack on Jaffa, and Richard rushed to the rescue. During the defense of Jaffa, Richard showed himself to be a strong, brave and reasonable commander.

Meanwhile, news began to arrive from England about the atrocities of John, who ruled the country in the absence of the king. Richard, in a hurry to return home, abandoned the idea of ​​​​taking Jerusalem, and signed a peace treaty with Saladdin on unfavorable terms. On the way home, Richard ran into trouble. He did not want to sail around Europe by sea, and the route by land lay through the lands of Leopold of Austria, with whom Richard also quarreled during the Crusade and Emperor Henry VI, the fierce enemy of the Normans. Nevertheless, Richard decided to climb north along the Adriatic Sea, and then through southern Germany to get to France, but near Venice his ship ran aground, and Richard and a few companions, in disguise, began to secretly make their way through Leopold’s possessions. Nevertheless, near Vienna he was recognized, captured and imprisoned in Castle Dürenstein. Leopold handed over the prisoner to Emperor Henry for a ransom of 50 thousand marks of silver, and Henry released Richard for a promise to send a ransom of 150 thousand marks. Finally, in the spring of 1194, Richard landed in England. John did not dare to engage in armed confrontation with his brother and submitted to him. Despite his unseemly deeds, John received forgiveness, and Richard left England two months later, never to return there again.

In France, Richard successfully fought against Philip II, who, in Richard's absence, seized some of his possessions, and managed to return part of the lands in Normandy.

On March 26, 1199, returning home at dusk, without armor, Richard was deeply wounded by an arrow in the shoulder. The wound was not very dangerous, but after an unsuccessful operation, blood poisoning began, and Richard died 11 days later. The royal title was inherited by his brother John.

The image of Richard the Lionheart as a noble knight and a just king has been preserved in people's memory. This is due to the fact that only rumors about the king’s heroics in the Holy Land reached England, and the lawlessness that was happening in the country at that time was associated with the name of John. The plot, on the theme of the sudden return of the rightful king, restoring justice and punishing the guilty, was reflected in literature, for example, in the ballads about Robin Hood and W. Scott’s novel “Ivanhoe.”

Material used from the site http://monarchy.nm.ru/

Richard I the Lionheart - English king from the family Plantagenets, reigned 1189-1199. Son of Henry II and Eleanor of Guyenne.

Wife: from 1191 Beranger, daughter of Sancho VI, King of Navarre (+ 1230). Genus. September 8, 1157

Richard was the second son of Henry Plantagenet. He was not considered as the direct heir of his father, and this left a certain imprint on his character and on the events of his youth. While his elder brother Henry was crowned by the English crown in 1170 and declared co-regent of Henry II, Richard was proclaimed Duke of Aquitaine in 1172 and was considered the heir of his mother Eleanor. After this, until his coronation, the future king visited England only twice - at Easter in 1176 and at Christmas in 1184. His reign in Aquitaine took place in constant clashes with local barons, accustomed to independence. Soon clashes with his father were added to the internal wars. At the very beginning of 1183, he ordered Richard to take the feal oath to his elder brother Henry. Richard flatly refused to do this, citing the fact that it was an unheard of innovation. Henry the Younger invaded Aquitaine at the head of a mercenary army, began to ravage the country, but in the summer of that year he suddenly fell ill with a fever and died. The death of the older brother did not put an end to the quarrels between father and son. In September, Henry ordered Richard to give Aquitaine to his younger brother John.

Richard refused and the war continued. The younger brothers Gottfried and John attacked Poitou. Richard responded by invading Brittany. Seeing that nothing could be achieved by force, the king ordered the disputed duchy to be transferred to his mother. This time Richard complied. But although father and son made peace, there was no trust between them. Particularly suspicious was the closeness established between the king and his youngest son John. There were rumors that Henry, contrary to all customs, wanted to make him his heir, removing his rebellious older sons from the throne. This made the relationship between his father and Richard even more tense. Henry was a tough and despotic man, Richard could expect any dirty trick from him. The French king was not slow to take advantage of the discord in the English royal house. In 1187, he showed Richard a secret letter from the English king, in which Henry asked Philip to marry his sister Alice (already betrothed to Richard) to John and to transfer the duchies of Aquitaine and Anjou to the same John. Richard felt threatened by all this. A new rift began to brew in the Plantagenet family. But Richard openly opposed his father only in the fall of 1188. Against his will, he made peace with the French king in Bonmoulin and took him the feudal oath. The following year, the two of them captured Maine and... Touraine. Henry waged war against Richard and Philip, but without much success. In a few months, all continental possessions fell from him, except

Normandy. At Lehman, Henry almost was captured by his son. In July 1189, he had to agree to humiliating conditions dictated to him by his enemies, and died soon after. In August, Richard arrived in England and was crowned in Westminster Abbey on September 3. Like his father, who spent most of his time not on the island, but in his continental possessions, he did not intend to stay in England for long. After his coronation, he lived in his country for only four months, and then came here again for two months in 1194.

Having assumed power, Richard began to work on organizing the Third Crusade, which he vowed to participate in back in 1187. He took into account the sad experience of the Second Crusade and insisted that the sea route be chosen to reach the Holy Land. This saved the crusaders from many hardships and unpleasant clashes with the Byzantine emperor. The campaign began in the spring of 1190, when masses of pilgrims moved through France and Burgundy to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In early July, Richard met Philip Augustus in Wesel. Kings and troops greeted each other and continued their march to the south together with joyful songs. From Lyon the French turned to Genoa, and Richard moved to Marseilles. Having boarded ships here, the British sailed east and on September 23 were already in Messina. Here: the king was detained by enemy actions local population. The Sicilians were very unfriendly towards the English crusaders, among whom there were many Normans. They not only showered them with ridicule and abuse, but at every opportunity tried to kill unarmed pilgrims. On October 3, due to an insignificant clash in the city market, a real war began. The townspeople hastily armed themselves, locked the gates and took up positions on the towers and walls. In response, the British, without hesitation, launched an assault. Richard, as much as he could, tried to keep his fellow tribesmen from ruining the Christian city. But the next day, during peace negotiations, the townspeople suddenly made a bold foray. Then the king stood at the head of his army, drove the enemies back into the city, captured the gates and carried out harsh judgment on the vanquished. Until the evening, robberies, murders and violence against women were rampant in the city. Finally, Richard managed to restore order.

Due to the late time, the continuation of the campaign was postponed until next year. This multi-month delay had a very bad effect on the relationship between the two monarchs: Every now and then minor clashes occurred between them, and if in the fall of 1190 they arrived in Sicily as intimate friends, then in the spring of the next year they left it as almost outright enemies. Philip went straight to Syria, and Richard made a forced stop in Cyprus. It so happened that due to a storm, some of the English ships were washed ashore on this island. Emperor Isaac Comnenus, who ruled Cyprus, took possession of them on the basis of coastal law. But on May 6, the entire crusader fleet entered the harbor of Limassol. The king demanded satisfaction from Isaac, and when he refused, he immediately attacked him. The galleys of the crusaders approached the shore, and the knights immediately began the battle. Richard, along with others, boldly jumped into the water, and then was the first to enter the enemy shore. The battle, however, did not last long - the Greeks could not withstand the blow and retreated. The next day the battle resumed outside Limassol, but was just as unsuccessful for the Greeks. As the day before, Richard was ahead of the attackers and most distinguished himself by his valor. They write that he captured the banner of Isaac and even knocked the emperor himself off his horse with a blow of a spear. On May 12, the king’s wedding to Berengaria was celebrated with great pomp in the conquered city. Isaac, meanwhile, realized his mistakes and began negotiations with Richard. The conditions of reconciliation were very difficult for him: in addition to a large ransom, Isaac had to open all his fortresses to the crusaders and send auxiliary troops to participate in the crusade. With all this, Richard has not yet encroached on his power - the emperor himself gave the reason for events to take a worse turn for him. After all matters seemed settled, Isaac suddenly fled to Famagusta and accused Richard of encroaching on his life. The angry king declared Komnenos an oathbreaker, a violator of the peace, and instructed his fleet to guard the shores so that he would not escape. He himself first of all captured Famagusta, and then moved to Nicosia. On the way to Tremifussia, another battle took place. Having won his third victory, Richard solemnly entered the capital. Here he was detained for some time by illness. Meanwhile, the crusaders, led by King Guido of Jerusalem, took the strongest castles in the mountains of Cyprus. Among other captives, Isaac's only daughter was captured. Broken by all these failures, the emperor surrendered to the victors on May 31. The only condition of the deposed monarch was the request not to burden him with iron chains. But this did not make his fate any easier, because Richard ordered him to be shackled in silver and exiled to one of the Syrian castles. Thus, as a result of a successful 25-day war, Richard became the owner of a rich and prosperous island. He left half of their property to the inhabitants, and used the other half for the formation of fiefs to the knighthood, which was supposed to take upon itself the defense of the country. Having placed his garrisons in all cities and castles, he sailed to Syria on June 5. Three days later he was already in the Christian camp under the walls of besieged Akkon.

With the arrival of the British, siege work began to boil with renewed vigor. In a short time, towers, rams and catapults were built. Under protective roofs and through tunnels, the crusaders approached the enemy’s very fortifications. Soon battle broke out everywhere around the breaches. The position of the townspeople became hopeless, and on July 11 they entered into negotiations with the Christian kings for the surrender of the city. Muslims had to promise that the Sultan would release all Christian captives and return the Life-Giving Cross. The garrison had the right to return to Saladin, but part of it, including one hundred noble people, had to remain hostages until the Sultan paid the Christians 200 thousand ducats. The next day, the crusaders solemnly entered the city, which they had been besieging for two years. The joy of victory, however, was overshadowed by strong discord that immediately broke out between the leaders of the crusaders. The dispute arose over the candidacy of the king of Jerusalem. Richard believed that he should remain Guido Lusignan. But many Palestinian Christians could not forgive him for the fall of Jerusalem and preferred the hero of the defense of Tyre, Margrave Conrad of Montferrat. Philip Augustus was also entirely on his side. This discord was superimposed by another loud scandal related to the Austrian banner. As can be inferred from the conflicting reports of this incident, shortly after the fall of the city, Duke Leopold of Austria ordered the Austrian standard to be raised above his house. Seeing this flag, Richard became furious and ordered it to be torn off and thrown into the mud. His anger was apparently caused by the fact that Leopold occupied a house in the English part of the city, while he was an ally of Philip. But be that as it may, this incident outraged all the crusaders, and they could not forget about it for a long time. At the end of July, Philip, as well as many French pilgrims, left the Holy Land and began their return journey.

This weakened the forces of the crusaders, while the most difficult part of the war - for the return of Jerusalem - had not yet begun. True, with the departure of Philip, internal strife among Christians should have subsided, since Richard now remained the only leader of the crusader army. However, it was not clear how up to this difficult role he was. Many considered him a capricious and unbridled man, and he himself, with his first orders, confirmed this unfavorable opinion of himself. The Sultan could not fulfill the conditions imposed on him by Akkon’s capitulation as quickly as he was obliged to: release all captured Christians and pay 200 thousand ducats. Because of this, Richard became immensely angry and immediately, after the deadline agreed upon by Saladin - August 20 - had passed, he ordered more than 2 thousand Muslim hostages to be taken out and slaughtered in front of the gates of Akkon. Of course, after this the money was not paid at all, not a single captured Christian received freedom, and the True Cross remained in the hands of the Muslims: Three days after this massacre, Richard set out from Accon at the head of a large number of crusaders. Ascalon was chosen as the goal of the campaign this time. Saladin tried to block the road. On September 7, a fierce battle took place near Arzuf, ending in a brilliant victory for the Christians. Richard was in the thick of the battle and contributed greatly to the success with his spear. A few days later, the pilgrims arrived in the destroyed Joppe and stopped here to rest. Saladin took advantage of their delay to completely destroy Ascalon, which he now had no hope of holding. The news of this upset all the plans of the crusaders. Some of them began to restore Joppe, others occupied the ruins of Ramle and Lydda. Richard himself participated in many skirmishes and often risked his life unnecessarily. At the same time, lively negotiations began between him and Saladin, which, however, did not lead to any results. In the winter of 1192, the king announced a campaign against Jerusalem. However, the crusaders only reached Beitnub. They had to turn back because of rumors of strong fortifications around the Holy City. In the end, they returned to their original goal and, in severe bad weather - through storm and rain - moved towards Ascalon. This, until recently flourishing and rich city, appeared before the eyes of the pilgrims in the form of a deserted heap of stones. The Crusaders zealously began to restore it. Richard encouraged the workers with monetary gifts and, to set a good example for everyone, he himself carried stones on his shoulders. Ramparts, towers and houses were erected from terrible debris with extraordinary speed. In May, Richard took Daruma, a strong fortress south of Ascalon, by storm. After this, it was decided to move on to Jerusalem again. But, like last time, the crusaders only reached Beitnub. Here the army stopped for several weeks. Heated debates ensued between the leaders of the campaign about whether it was advisable or not to now begin the siege of such a powerful fortress, or whether it was better to move to Damascus or Egypt. Due to disagreements, the campaign had to be postponed. Pilgrims began to leave Palestine. In August, news arrived of Saladin's attack on Joppe. With the speed of lightning, Richard gathered the remaining military forces at hand and sailed to Joppe. In the harbor, ahead of his men, he jumped from the ship into the water in order to reach the shore without delay. This not only saved the citadel, but also recaptured the city from the enemy. A few days later, Saladin tried again with superior forces to capture and crush the king’s small detachment. A battle took place near Joppe and in the city itself, the outcome of which fluctuated for a long time, now in one direction or the other. Richard showed himself not only to be strong, brave and persistent, but also a reasonable commander, so that he not only held his positions, but also inflicted heavy losses on the enemies. The victory allowed negotiations to begin. Bad news came from England about the autocratic actions of the younger brother of King John the Landless. Richard rushed home with restless haste, and this prompted him to make concessions. According to the agreement concluded in September, Jerusalem remained in the power of the Muslims, the Holy Cross was not issued; The captured Christians were left to their bitter fate in the hands of Saladin, Ascalon was to be razed by workers on both sides. This outcome of the campaign filled the hearts of Christians with grief and rage, but there was nothing to be done.

After concluding an agreement with Saladin, Richard lived in Akko for several weeks and sailed home at the beginning of October. This journey presented great difficulty for him. Apart from the sea route around Europe, which he obviously wanted to avoid, almost all other roads were closed to him. The sovereigns and peoples of Germany were for the most part hostile to Richard. His outspoken enemy was Duke Leopold of Austria. The German emperor Henry VI was Richard's opponent because of the close relations of the English king with the Guelphs and Normans, the main enemies of the Hohenstaufen family. However, despite this, Richard decided to sail up the Adriatic Sea, apparently intending to go through southern Germany to Saxony under the protection of the Welfs. Near the coast between Aquileia and Venice, his ship ran aground. Richard left the sea with a few escorts and, in disguise, rode through Friaul and Carinthia. Duke Leopold soon became aware of his movement. Many of Richard's companions were captured, and with one servant he reached the village of Erdberg near Vienna. The elegant appearance of his servant and the foreign money with which he made purchases attracted the attention of the local residents. On December 21, Richard was captured and imprisoned in Dürenstein Castle.

As soon as news of Richard's arrest reached the emperor, he immediately demanded his extradition. Leopold agreed after they promised to pay him 50 thousand marks of silver. After this, the English king became Henry's prisoner for more than a year. He bought his freedom only after he took the feal oath to the emperor and promised to pay a ransom of 150 thousand marks of silver. In February 1194, Richard was released, and in mid-March he landed on the English coast. John's supporters did not dare to confront him and soon laid down their arms. London greeted its king with magnificent celebrations. But after two months he left England forever and sailed to Normandy. In Lizo, John appeared before him, whose unseemly behavior during the absence of his elder brother bordered on outright treason. Richard, however, forgave him for all his crimes.

In the king's absence, Philip II achieved some dominance over the English on the continent. Richard hastened to correct the situation. He took Loches, one of the main fortresses of Touraine, captured Angoulême and forced the submission of the inveterate rebel Count of Angoulême. The following year Richard marched to Berry and was so successful there that he forced Philip to sign a peace. The French had to give up eastern Normandy, but retained several important castles on the Seine. Therefore, the agreement could not be durable. In 1198, Richard returned the Norman border possessions, and then approached the castle of Chalus-Chabrol in Limousin, the owner of which was exposed in a secret relationship with the French king. On March 26, 1199, after dinner, at dusk, Richard went to the castle without armor, protected only by a helmet. During the battle, a crossbow arrow pierced the king deeply into the shoulder, near the cervical spine. Without showing that he was wounded, Richard galloped to his camp. Not a single important organ was affected, but as a result of the unsuccessful operation, blood poisoning began. After being ill for eleven days, the king died.

All the monarchs of the world. Western Europe. Konstantin Ryzhov. Moscow, 1999.

Richard I (1157–1199), nicknamed Lion's Heart, French Coeur de Lion, king England, third son of Henry II. Born in Oxford on September 8, 1157. In 1170 he became Duke of Aquitaine, in 1175–1179 he brought the rebellious barons to submission and subjugated the duchy to his authority. From 1173 to 1189 he waged continuous wars against his father in alliance with his brothers, then against his brothers and against the king of France. Since by the time of his father's death in 1189 his two older brothers had already died, Richard became king of England. However, already in December 1190 he set off on the 3rd Crusade. After a winter in Sicily, Richard captured Cyprus, where he married Berengaria of Navarre. Largely thanks to the personal courage Richard showed during the siege of Acre, this city was taken. In 1191, Richard defeated Saladin at Arzuf and approached Jerusalem. However, he quarreled with his allies - Duke Leopold V of Austria and King Philip II Augustus of France (who left the Holy Land for France and began active actions against English possessions), and his brother John rebelled in England. As a result of these reasons, Richard concluded a truce with Salah ad-din and went home. In Vienna, Richard was captured by Leopold (he was mortally insulted by Richard, who ordered Leopold’s banner, which he had strengthened on one of the towers of Acre, to be torn down and thrown into the mud), and he handed it over to Emperor Henry VI. As a result, Richard had to spend more than a year in captivity until he paid a large ransom for his release. Arriving in England, he remained here for several weeks, and spent the rest of his reign in France, in the fight against Philip Augustus. Richard died from an accidental arrow shot at him during the siege of the Chalu fortress on April 6, 1199, undertaken for personal reasons (dividing a treasure of gold).

Materials from the encyclopedia "The World Around Us" were used.

Read further:

England in the 12th century(chronological table).

Plantagenet Dynasty(family tree).

Historical figures of England(biographical index).

Literature on British history(lists).

British History Course Syllabus(methodology).

Literature:

England in the era of feudalism. M., 1988

Chronicles and memorials of the reign of Richard I, ed. by W. Stubbs, v. 1-2, L., 1864-65;

Landon L., The itinerary of King Richard I, L., 1935.

How did Richard the Lionheart die?

Richard the Lionheart died relatively young, and the circumstances of his death became one of the mysteries of the Middle Ages.

Richard I Plantagenet remained on the English throne for ten years, from 1189 to 1199. Of course, there were many English kings who ruled even less, but still, a decade is usually considered too insignificant a period of time for a statesman, a ruler, to achieve something grandiose. However, Richard, nicknamed the Lionheart, managed to achieve truly immortal fame as a knight king, and his shortcomings only set off his valor.

UNSUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN

As you know, Richard the Lionheart had a difficult relationship with the French king Philip II. They were already difficult due to the complex dynastic and vassal situation in the relationship between the two kings (Richard was also the Duke of Aquitaine, and this territory was a vassal territory to France). And they were also worsened by the unsuccessful experience of the joint Third Crusade.

Richard and his younger brother John (John)

As a result, Philip II began to actively campaign for Richard's younger brother, John (John), to overthrow him from the English throne, and the Lionheart, after returning from the Holy Land, began a war against France. As a result, the victory remained with Richard, and in January 1199 peace was concluded on terms favorable to him.

GOLDEN TREASURE

But Richard did not have time to return to England: a situation arose on French territory that required the presence of him and his army. His vassal, Viscount Eimard of Limoges, according to some sources, discovered a rich treasure of gold on his lands (presumably an ancient Roman pagan altar with offerings).

According to the laws of that time, Richard as lord should also receive a certain part. However, the Viscount did not want to share the precious find, so Richard and his army had to besiege the castle of his vassal, Chalus-Chabrol.

DEATH IN FRANCE

It was here that Richard’s unexpected death overtook him. According to medieval chronicles, on March 26, 1199, the assault had not yet begun, and the king and his entourage were driving around the surroundings of the castle, choosing the most convenient place from where to attack. They were not afraid of the arrows of the besieged, since they were at a decent distance.

However, among the defenders of the castle there was a crossbowman, and a crossbow bolt fired at random by him wounded Richard (according to various sources, in the arm, shoulder or neck). The king was taken to the camp and the bolt was removed, but Lionheart died from the consequences of his wound on April 6.

POISON OR INFECTION?

Almost all sources telling about the circumstances of the death of the famous knight king focus on the point that Richard’s wound itself was not fatal, but its consequences turned out to be fatal.

In the Middle Ages, a version became widespread that the crossbow bolt fired at the king was smeared with poison - by that time, European knights had already been fighting the Saracens in the Middle East for about a century, from whom they adopted this military trick.

CAUSE OF DEATH

In 2012, a group of French scientists received permission to study the "remains of Richard the Lionheart" to determine the exact cause of his death. More precisely, not all the remains of the king were subjected to comprehensive analysis, but a piece of his heart kept in the Rouen Cathedral.

Since, according to the king’s will, parts of his body were buried in different places: the brain and entrails, the heart, the body. As a result, thanks to chemical tests, which required only one percent of the stored samples of the king’s heart, it was established that no poison had entered Richard’s wound.

The King Knight died from an infection resulting from blood poisoning. In fact, it was blood poisoning that was the main cause of death of wounded soldiers in the Middle Ages, when both the level of medical knowledge and the level of ideas about hygiene in Europe was not high enough.

WHO KILLED RICHARD?

And if the question of the immediate cause of the death of the Lionheart seems to have been clarified, then the problem of the identity of his killer and the fate of this man remains in the fog. The following is more or less certain: the castle of Chalus-Chabrol was poorly adapted to warfare, so that at the start of the siege there were only two knights in it (the rest of the garrison were simple warriors).

Remains of Chalus-Chabrol Castle

The English knew the two knights well by sight, since they led the defense directly on the fortress walls. The besiegers especially noted one of them, as they mocked the homemade armor of this knight, whose shield was made from a frying pan.

BLOOD REVENGE

However, it was this knight who fired the fatal crossbow shot for Richard, so that the entire English camp knew who exactly wounded the king. The castle was captured even before the death of the Lionheart, who allegedly ordered the knight who wounded him to be brought to him.

Having learned that the knight shot at him because the king had once killed his relatives, Richard ordered not to punish him, but to release him and even give him a monetary reward for marksmanship. But, as most sources report, after the death of the king, the knight was not released, but was executed by a painful death - he was skinned alive and then hanged.

AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY

However, many questions still remain: various versions of the name of this knight are called - Pierre Basil, Bertrand de Gudrun, John Sebroz. But the fact is that the knights Pierre Basil and Bertrand de Gudrun are mentioned years and even decades after the death of Richard: the first appeared in documents on the transfer of property to the heirs, the second participated in the Albigensian Wars. So who exactly became the killer of one of the most famous kings of the Middle Ages and what the fate of this man was is still unclear.

“They come from the devil and will come to him.
There will be a brother in this family
to betray his brother, and the son to betray his father..."

(Bishop of Canterbury on the Plantagenet dynasty)

Statue of Richard I outside the Houses of Parliament

The Early Years of King Richard

Richard Plantagenet, who mixed Norman and Angevin, English and Provençal, Aquitaine and French blood, was a descendant of the great William the Conqueror, who captured England after the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Richard's mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, a woman of "amazing beauty, but of an unknown, apparently demonic, breed," was a patron of the arts, "the queen of the troubadours."
In 1137, she became the wife of Louis VII and over 15 years bore him almost a dozen daughters.
After the divorce, sanctified by the Pope, Eleanor deals a brilliant blow to her ex-husband - she marries King Henry II of England.
The English crown received as a dowry all of Western France with its numerous ports, forts and fortresses.

When Richard was 12 years old, the division of possessions in France took place: Henri the Younger became prince in Anjou and Normandy, Richard in Aquitaine, Geoffroy in Brittany.
The youngest brother, John (in the ballads about Robin Hood he was nicknamed Prince John), did not get anything. He went down in history as John the Landless.

Coronation of Richard I.

In 1186, Richard became the direct heir to the crown of England.
At this time, disturbing news comes from the east. The ruler of Egypt, Saladin, managed to unite Muslims under his rule and attacked the counties and duchies of Christians. The Muslims captured most of Palestine, Acre, Ascalon, and on October 2, 1187, Jerusalem itself.
On January 21, 1188, prompted by papal legates, many European kings, dukes and counts accepted the cross. Richard also made a vow.
After the death of his father Henry II, on September 3 of that year, Richard was crowned in London. Now nothing prevented him from devoting himself to the cause of faith.

On the way to the Holy Land

The Third Crusade (1191 - 1192) began far from Palestine.
Tens of thousands of Christian soldiers from all over Europe marched to the Holy Land.
They joined the ranks of the crusader army that began the siege of Acre. The French king gathered his troops reluctantly, remaining in his thoughts on the banks of the Seine. But the newly-crowned English monarch directed all the resources of England, without a trace, to the altar of victory in the campaign.
Richard converted everything into money. He either leased out his possessions, or mortgaged and sold them, and ordered the rights to senior government positions to be auctioned off.
He would not have hesitated, as contemporaries said, to sell London, if only he had found a buyer for it. Thus, the king really collected enormous funds.
His army was well armed, but the national composition of the army was varied: there were far fewer Englishmen than Angevins and Bretons.

Handmade oil painting reproduction of Richard, Coeur De Lion, On His Way To Jerusalem (Richard, the Lion Heart, On His Way To Jerusalem), a painting by James William Glass.

This time the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, the French King Philip II Augustus, Duke Leopold of Austria and the King of England Richard I went on a campaign.
The combined forces of the Crusaders represented a significant force, but things did not go well from the very beginning. In June 1190, while crossing a small river in Asia Minor, Frederick Barbarossa, no longer a young man, drowned.
Richard, distinguished by extreme ambition, tried to take command himself. He was indeed a talented and experienced military leader, but he quickly quarreled with other leaders of the united army.

The crusaders stood under the walls of the fortress of Acre in Palestine for two whole years, but could not take it. Finally, the French king agreed with the commandant of the fortress that he would surrender Acre, and for this its defenders would remain alive and receive freedom.
Upon learning of this agreement, which had not been agreed upon with him, Richard became furious. And then Leopold of Austria was the first to climb the fortress wall and strengthen his banner on it. Seeing this, the English king tore the banner from the wall, thereby insulting the Austrians. Leopold has since become the blood enemy of the English king. This episode later found a continuation...
When Acre was finally taken, Richard ordered the killing of all its surviving defenders.

Philip-Augustus, under the pretext of his “ill health,” hastened to sail home to France.
He decided to seize some of the English possessions on the continent while Richard and his army were in Palestine. Philip Augustus was followed by the Duke of Austria with many noble knights, who also suddenly had a lot to do at home.

Thus the Third Crusade failed. The restless Richard remained in the Middle East for another whole year, preparing for the final push on Jerusalem, performing, as recorded in the chronicles, many feats of chivalry. Richard set out for Jerusalem a second time, and again did not reach the city.
Richard accomplished his last feat on the streets of Jaffa, when the knights he led, sweeping away everything in their path, defeated the superior forces of Saladin. When the success of the Crusaders' enterprise seemed to be close, news came from Europe that the younger brother John, who remained in London for the king, had decided to seize the English throne. Richard should have urgently returned to England. Peace had to be made with Saladin.

Sculptural composition of Saladin in Damascus.

In October 1192, Richard boarded a ship at Jaffa and left the Holy Land.
The Third Crusade is associated primarily with the names of Richard and Saladin, who “are heroes of the great epic... The first was bolder and more courageous, the second was distinguished by prudence, sedateness and ability to conduct business. Richard had more imagination, Saladin had more prudence."

Lionheart returns home

Almost two months later, a terrible storm broke out in the Adriatic Sea and Richard's ship ran aground. He, accompanied by several servants, tried to make his way through Austria and Saxony to his relatives - the German Welfs. Near Vienna, Richard was identified, captured and sent to his blood enemy Leopold of Austria, who put him in Durenstein Castle.

The long battle for ransom was resolved after the urgent demand of the Pope - the “Holy Knight” was released. His return to England was strongly opposed by the French king and his brother John. Returning to London, Richard punishes his brother and brings him into submission.
The crusader king completely ruined England: he extorted from his subjects “gifts on the occasion of the joy of the royal return” and raised taxes several times.

The Lionheart spends his last years in constant victorious wars - in Ireland, Brittany and Normandy, “not leaving alive even a dog that would bark after him.”

At the end of March 1199, the king of England besieged the castle of Chalu, which belonged to the rebel vassal - Viscount Aimard of Limoges. Richard I the Lionheart also suspected him of hiding the treasures of his father, the late Henry II of England. It was on his native land of Aquitaine that death awaited the “knight of centuries.” So many times - in England and France, in Syria and Germany, at sea and on land - he was one step away from the abyss...

The crossbowman fired a poisoned arrow from the castle walls and wounded Richard in the shoulder. The castle was taken by storm three days later, and the king ordered all the defenders to be hanged. He only left the one who wounded him alive. The agony lasted 11 days. Dying, Richard I ordered the brain, blood and entrails to be buried in Sharru, the heart in Rouen, the body in Fontevrault, “at the feet of his beloved father.”

In the 42nd year, the life of a vagabond knight, patron of troubadours and brave adventurer, was cut short...
“The ant killed the lion. Oh woe! The world dies with his burial!” - the Latin chronicler wrote in the epitaph.
The king's closest assistant, Mercadier, ordered the daredevil crossbowman to be recaptured: his skin was torn off.

He was sung by the troubadours of France and England. Arabic tales were written about him.
The chronicles of Byzantium and the Caucasus tell about the knight-king with the heart of a lion. Richard the Lionheart belonged to the era of the Crusades and was one of the most prominent figures in the great confrontation between West and East.

Richard's tombstone. Fontevraud Abbey

Richard the Lionheart (Richard I) is an English king from the Plantagenet dynasty, born on September 8, 1157 at Beaumont Castle (Oxford). Richard was the third son of King Henry II of England and Duchess Alienora of Aquitaine.

Since his older brothers claimed the crown, Richard was not intended to be the heir and received the huge Duchy of Aquitaine from his mother. In his youth he bore the title of Comte de Poitiers.

Richard was handsome - blue eyes and fair hair, and very tall - 193 centimeters, i.e. by the standards of the Middle Ages, a real giant. He knew how to write poetry and was well educated for his time. Since childhood, he adored war and had the opportunity to train in the Duchy of Aquitaine on rebellious and violent barons.

Perhaps it was precisely the fact that he was the youngest and was not intended to be an heir that strengthened Richard’s knightly upbringing - he turned out to be a useless king, but a famous knight.

Richard did not respect his despotic father, clothed with royal power - as did his brothers. All the sons of Henry II were under the influence of their mother, Alienora of Aquitaine, an outstanding and powerful woman.

In 1173, the sons of Henry II rebelled against him. Henry II, however, remained alive, and his eldest son became his co-ruler. After the death of his older brothers, Richard began to suspect that his father wanted to pass the throne to his youngest son, John. Then, uniting with the French king, Richard launched a campaign against his father and “restored justice.” Henry II agreed to Richard's coronation and other conditions, and soon died.

In 1189 Richard was crowned. He spent only six months of the 10 years of his reign in England, and treated the army as a source of income. Managing the country was reduced to extracting taxes, trading in state lands, posts and other “preparations” for the Crusade. Richard even released the Scottish king's vassal from his oath.

In 1190, Richard went on the Third Crusade, where he gained historical fame. That the preparations for the campaign and the return of the king-knight turned into exorbitant taxes for the people - but in the chivalric epic, Richard the Lionheart took one of the central places along with Roland and King Arthur.

During the siege of the castle on March 26, 1199, a crossbow bolt pierced his shoulder near the neck. The operation was unsuccessful and blood poisoning began. Eleven days later, on April 6, Richard died in the arms of his mother and wife - in full accordance with the heroism of his life.

Richard I the Lionheart (September 8, 1157 - April 6, 1199) - English king from the Plantagenet dynasty. Son of King Henry II Plantagenet of England and his wife, Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine. He also had another nickname, Richard Yes-and-No, which meant he was easily swayed one way or the other.
Titles: Duke of Aquitaine (1189-1199), Count of Poitiers (1169-1189), King of England (1189-1199), Duke of Normandy (1189-1199), Count of Anjou, Tours and Maine (1189-1199).
Biography
Richard I the Lionheart- English king from the Plantagenet family, who reigned in 1189-1199. Son of Henry II and Eleanor of Guyenne. Richard was the second son of Henry Plantagenet. He was not considered as a direct heir, and this left a certain imprint on his character and on the events of his youth. While his elder brother Henry was crowned by the English crown in 1170 and declared co-regent with Henry II, Richard was proclaimed Duke of Aquitaine in 1172 and was considered the heir of his mother Eleanor. After this, until his coronation, the future king visited England only twice - at Easter in 1176 and at Christmas in 1184. His reign in Aquitaine took place in constant clashes with local barons, accustomed to independence. Soon to the domestic clashes with his father were added to the wars. At the beginning of 1183, he ordered Richard to take the oath of fief to his elder brother Henry. Richard refused to do this, citing that it was an unheard of innovation. Henry the Younger invaded Aquitaine at the head of a mercenary army, began to ravage the country, but in the summer of that year he suddenly fell ill with a fever and died. The death of the older brother did not put an end to the quarrels between father and son. In September, Henry ordered Richard to give Aquitaine to his younger brother John.
The younger brothers Gottfried and John attacked Poitou. Richard responded by invading Brittany. Seeing that nothing could be achieved by force, the king ordered the disputed duchy to be transferred to his mother. Richard obeyed. There were rumors that Henry, contrary to all customs, wanted to make him his heir, removing his rebellious older sons from the throne. This made the relationship between his father and Richard even more tense. The French king was not slow to take advantage of the discord in the English royal house. In 1187, he showed Richard a secret letter from the English king, in which Henry asked Philip to marry his sister Alice to John and transfer the duchies of Aquitaine and Anjou to the same John. Richard felt threatened by all this. A new rift began to brew in the Plantagenet family. Richard openly opposed his father in the fall of 1188. Against his will, he made peace with the French king in Bonmoulin and took him the oath of feud. The following year, the two of them captured Maine and Touraine. Henry waged war against Richard and Philip, but without success. Within a few months, all continental possessions fell away from him, except Normandy. At Lehman, Henry almost was captured by his son. In August, Richard arrived in England and was crowned in Westminster Abbey on September 3. After his coronation, he lived in his country for only four months, and then visited again for two months in 1194.
Having assumed power, Richard began to work on organizing the Third Crusade, which he vowed to participate in back in 1187. He took into account the experience of the Second Campaign and insisted that the sea route be chosen to reach the Holy Land. This saved the crusaders from many hardships and unpleasant clashes with the Byzantine emperor. The campaign began in the spring of 1190, when masses of pilgrims moved through France and Burgundy to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In early July, Richard met Philip Augustus in Wesel. From Lyon the French turned to Genoa, and Richard moved to Marseille. Having boarded ships here, the British sailed east and on September 23 were already in Messina. Here the king was detained by hostile actions of the local population. The Sicilians were very unfriendly towards the English crusaders, among whom there were many Normans. On October 3, a real war began because of an insignificant clash in the city market. The townspeople armed themselves, locked the gates and took up positions on the towers and walls. In response, the British launched an assault. Richard tried to keep his fellow tribesmen from ruining the Christian city. But the next day, during peace negotiations, the townspeople suddenly made a sortie. Then the king stood at the head of his army, drove the enemies back into the city, captured the gates and carried out harsh judgment on the vanquished. Due to the late time, the continuation of the campaign was postponed until next year. This months-long delay had a very bad effect on the relations between the two monarchs. In the autumn of 1190 they arrived in Sicily as friends, then in the spring of the following year they left it as almost outright enemies. Philip went to Syria, and Richard made a forced stop in Cyprus. Due to the storm, some of the English ships were washed ashore on this island. Emperor Isaac Comnenus, who ruled Cyprus, took possession of them on the basis of coastal law.

On May 6, the entire crusader fleet entered the harbor of Limassol. The king demanded satisfaction from Isaac, and when he refused, he immediately attacked him. Richard captured Isaac's banner and even knocked the emperor himself off his horse with a spear. On May 12, the king’s wedding to Berengaria was celebrated with great pomp in the conquered city. Isaac, meanwhile, realized his mistakes and began negotiations with Richard. The conditions of reconciliation were very difficult for him: in addition to a large ransom, Isaac had to open all his fortresses to the crusaders and send auxiliary troops to participate in the crusade. With all this, Richard has not yet encroached on his power - the emperor himself gave the reason for events to take a worse turn for him. After everything seemed settled, Isa He suddenly fled to Famagusta and accused Richard of encroaching on his life. The angry king declared Komnenos an oathbreaker, a violator of the peace, and instructed his fleet to guard the shores so that he would not escape. He himself first of all captured Famagusta, and then moved to Nicosia. On the way to Tremifussia, another battle took place. Having won his third victory, Richard solemnly entered the capital. Here he was detained for some time by illness.
With the arrival of the British, siege work began to boil with renewed vigor. In a short time, towers, rams and catapults were built. Under protective roofs and through tunnels, the crusaders approached the enemy’s very fortifications. Soon battle broke out everywhere around the breaches. The position of the townspeople became hopeless, and on July 11 they entered into negotiations with the Christian kings for the surrender of the city. Muslims had to promise that the Sultan would release all Christian captives and return the Life-Giving Cross. The garrison had the right to return to Saladin, but part of it, including one hundred noble people, had to remain hostages until the Sultan paid the Christians 200 thousand ducats. The next day, the crusaders solemnly entered the city, which they had been besieging for two years. The joy of victory, however, was overshadowed by strong discord that immediately broke out between the leaders of the crusaders. The dispute arose over the candidacy of the king of Jerusalem. Richard believed that he should remain Guido Lusignan. But many Palestinian Christians could not forgive him for the fall of Jerusalem and preferred the hero of the defense of Tyre, Margrave Conrad of Montferrat. Philip Augustus was also entirely on his side. This discord was superimposed by another loud scandal related to the Austrian banner. As can be inferred from the conflicting reports of this incident, shortly after the fall of the city, Duke Leopold of Austria ordered the Austrian standard to be raised above his house. Seeing this flag, Richard became furious and ordered it to be torn off and thrown into the mud. His anger was apparently caused by the fact that Leopold occupied a house in the English part of the city, while he was an ally of Philip. But be that as it may, this incident outraged everyone onossev, and they could not forget about him for a long time. At the end of July, Philip, as well as many French pilgrims, left the Holy Land and began their return journey.
This weakened the crusaders' forces. With Philip's departure, internal strife among Christians should have subsided, since Richard now remained the only leader of the crusader army. Many considered him a capricious and unbridled man, and he himself, with his first orders, confirmed this unfavorable opinion of himself. The Sultan could not fulfill the conditions imposed on him by Akkon’s capitulation as quickly as he was obliged to: release all captured Christians and pay 200 thousand ducats. Because of this, Richard became immensely angry and immediately, after the deadline agreed upon by Saladin - August 20 - had passed, he ordered more than 2 thousand Muslim hostages to be taken out and slaughtered in front of the gates of Akkon.
On September 7, a fierce battle took place near Arzuf, ending in a brilliant victory for the Christians. Richard was in the thick of the battle and contributed greatly to the success with his spear. A few days later, the pilgrims arrived in the destroyed Joppe and stopped here to rest. Saladin took advantage of their delay to completely destroy Ascalon, which he now had no hope of holding. The news of this upset all the plans of the crusaders. Some of them began to restore Joppe, others occupied the ruins of Ramle and Lydda. Richard himself participated in many skirmishes and often risked his life unnecessarily. At the same time, lively negotiations began between him and Saladin, which, however, did not lead to any results.
In the winter of 1192, the king announced a campaign against Jerusalem. However, the crusaders only reached Beitnub. They had to turn back because of rumors of strong fortifications around the Holy City. Returned to the original goal and strong bad weather - through a storm and rain - they moved towards Ascalon. This, until recently flourishing and rich city, appeared before the eyes of the pilgrims in the form of a deserted heap of stones. The Crusaders zealously began to restore it. Richard encouraged the workers with monetary gifts and, to set a good example for everyone, he himself carried stones on his shoulders. Ramparts, towers and houses were erected from terrible debris with extraordinary speed. In May, Richard took Daruma, a strong fortress south of Ascalon, by storm. After this, it was decided to move on to Jerusalem again. But, like last time, the crusaders only reached Beitnub. Here the army stopped for several weeks. Heated debates ensued between the leaders of the campaign about whether it was advisable or not to now begin the siege of such a powerful fortress, or whether it was better to move to Damascus or Egypt. Due to disagreements, the campaign had to be postponed. Pilgrims began to leave Palestine. In August, news arrived of Saladin's attack on Joppe. With the speed of lightning, Richard gathered the remaining military forces at hand and sailed to Joppe. In the harbor, ahead of his men, he jumped from the ship into the water in order to reach the shore without delay. This not only saved the citadel, but also recaptured the city from the enemy. A few days later, Saladin tried again with superior forces to capture and crush the king’s small detachment. A battle took place near Joppe and in the city itself, the outcome of which fluctuated for a long time, now in one direction or the other. Richard proved himself not only strong, courageous and persistent, but also a reasonable commander, so that he not only held his positions, but also inflicted heavy losses on his enemies. The victory allowed negotiations to begin.

After concluding an agreement with Saladin, Richard lived in Akko for several weeks and sailed home at the beginning of October. This journey presented great difficulty for him. Apart from the sea route around Europe, which he obviously wanted to avoid, almost all other roads were closed to him. The sovereigns and peoples of Germany were for the most part hostile to Richard. His outspoken enemy was Duke Leopold of Austria. The German emperor Henry VI was Richard's opponent because of the close relations of the English king with the Guelphs and Normans, the main enemies of the Hohenstaufen family. However, despite this, Richard decided to sail up the Adriatic Sea, apparently intending to go through southern Germany to Saxony under the protection of the Welfs. Near the coast between Aquileia and Venice, his ship ran aground. Richard left the sea with a few escorts and, in disguise, rode through Friaul and Carinthia. Duke Leopold soon became aware of his movement. Many of Richard's companions were captured, and with one servant he reached the village of Erdberg near Vienna. The elegant appearance of his servant and the foreign money with which he made purchases attracted the attention of the local residents. On December 21, Richard was captured and imprisoned in Dürenstein Castle.
When news of Richard's arrest reached the emperor, he immediately demanded his extradition. Leopold agreed after they promised to pay him 50 thousand marks of silver. After this, the English king became Henry's prisoner for more than a year. He bought his freedom only after he took the feal oath to the emperor and promised to pay a ransom of 150 thousand marks of silver. In February 1194, Richard was released, and in mid-March he landed on the English coast. John's supporters did not dare to confront him and soon laid down their arms. London greeted its king with magnificent celebrations. But after two months he left England forever and sailed to Normandy.
In Richard's absence, Philip II achieved some dominance over the English on the continent. The English king hastened to correct the situation. He took Loches, one of the main fortresses of Touraine, captured Angoulême and forced the submission of the inveterate rebel Count of Angoulême. The following year Richard marched to Berry and was so successful there that he forced Philip to sign a peace. The French had to give up eastern Normandy, but retained several important castles on the Seine. Therefore, the agreement could not be durable. In 1198, Richard returned the border Norman possessions, and then approached the castle of Chalus-Chabrol in Limousin, the owner of which was exposed in a secret relationship with the French king. On March 26, 1199, after dinner, at dusk, Richard went to the castle without armor, protected only by a helmet. During the battle, a crossbow arrow pierced the king deeply into the shoulder, near the cervical spine. Without showing that he was wounded, Richard galloped to his camp. Not a single important organ was affected, but as a result of the unsuccessful operation, blood poisoning began. After being ill for eleven days, the king died.
Richard's reign
His reign in Aquitaine took place in constant clashes with local barons, accustomed to independence. Soon to clashes with his father added to the internal wars. At the very beginning of 1183, Henry II ordered Richard to take the oath of fief to his elder brother Henry. Richard flatly refused to do this, citing the fact that it was an unheard of innovation. Henry the Younger invaded Aquitaine at the head of a mercenary army, began to ravage the country, but in the summer of that year he suddenly fell ill with a fever and died. The death of the older brother did not put an end to the quarrels between father and son. In September, Henry II ordered Richard to give Aquitaine to his younger brother John (John). Richard refused and the war continued. The younger brothers Geoffrey and John (John) attacked Poitou. Richard responded to this by invading Brittany. Seeing that nothing could be achieved by force, the king ordered the disputed duchy to be transferred to his mother. This time Richard complied. But although father and son made peace. There was no trust between them. Particularly suspicious was the closeness established between the king and his youngest son John (John). There were rumors that Henry II, contrary to all customs, wanted to make him his heir, removing his rebellious older sons from the throne. This made the relationship between his father and Richard even more tense. Henry II was a tough and despotic man, Richard could expect any dirty trick from him.
The French king was not slow to take advantage of the discord in the English royal house. In 1187, he showed Richard a secret letter from the English king, in which Henry II asked Philip to marry his sister Alice (already betrothed to Richard) to John (John) and to transfer the duchies of Aquitaine and Anjou to the same John. Richard felt threatened by all this. A new rift began to brew in the Plantagenet family. But Richard openly opposed his father only in the fall of 1188. Against his will, he made peace with the French king in Bonmoulin and took him the oath of feud. The following year, the two of them captured Maine and Touraine. Henry II waged war against Richard and Philip, but without much success. Within a few months, all continental possessions fell away from him, except Normandy. At Leman, Henry II was almost captured by his son. In July 1189, Henry II had to agree to humiliating terms dictated to him by his enemies, and died soon after. In August, Richard arrived in England and was crowned in Westminster Abbey on September 3, 1189. Like his father, who spent most of his time not on the island, but in his continental possessions, he did not intend to stay in England for long. After his coronation, Richard I lived in his country for only four months, and then visited again for two months in 1194.

Characteristics of Richard I.
His heroic life is known from novels and films - Crusades, conquests and the like. But in reality everything was somewhat different. Born into turbulent times, Richard became a cruel and intolerant man. During his reign, revolts constantly broke out in the country, which he suppressed with incredible cruelty. In legends, he embodies the ideal image of a medieval knight who made many well-documented valiant campaigns.
In the Third Crusade, he established himself as one of literally several brilliant military leaders throughout the Middle Ages. But according to the chronicler, “the king just as often concluded conditions as he took them back, he constantly changed decisions already made or presented new difficulties, as soon as he gave his word, he took it back, and when he demanded that the secret be kept, he himself broke it.” . Saladin's Muslims were under the impression that they were dealing with a sick person. Also, Richard's situation was aggravated by the bloody massacre he carried out after Saladin did not have time to fulfill the conditions set to him. It must be said that Saladin, as a civilized person, refrained from retaliatory massacre and not a single European hostage was killed. Richard was a very mediocre ruler, since he spent almost his entire reign abroad: with the crusaders (1190 - 1191), in captivity in Austria (1192 - 1194), and then for a long time fought with the French king Philip II Augustus (1194 - 1199) , and almost the entire war was reduced exclusively to sieges of fortresses. Richard's only major victory in this war was the capture of Gisors near Paris in 1197. Richard was not at all involved in governing England. In the memory of his descendants, Richard remained a fearless warrior who cared about personal glory more than the well-being of his possessions.