| Notes |
- [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 7, Ed. 1, Tree #4588, Date of Import: Aug 24, 1997]
Richard I, he is known in history as Richard The Lion-Hearted, or Richard Coeur de Lion, King of England, reigned from 1189 to 1199. He was a son of Henry II, the first king of the Plantagenet dynasty. Richard is one of the most famous of medieval knights, but was a very poor ruler. He left his kingdom to take care of itself while he went upon a crusade to the Holy Land. He persuaded Philip Augustus to join him; but Richard was too overbearing and masterful, and Philip too ambitious, to make it possible for them to agree for long. The King of France, who was physically delicate, was taken ill on the way and was glad of the excuse to return home and brew trouble for his powerful vassal. Richard captured the great port of Acre, but could not recapture Jerusalem.
During the crusade, Richard aroused the hatred of Leopold, duke of Austria. In 1192, while Richard was on his journey home, Leopold siezed him. Leopold kept Richard in a castle on the Danube River as a prisoner of the Holy Roman emperor, Henry VI, until a heavy ransom was paid for his release. It is said that while he lay in prison his favorite minstrel, Blondel, made himself known to his master by singing outside the castle.
Richard returned to England in 1194, but did not really rule. Instead, he left the government to the care of a trusted minister and fought in a war with Philip Augustus of France. In 1199, Richard was killed during the siege of a French castle, and his brother John became king.
During his entire reign, Richard spent little more than six months in England, and he performed no real service for the good of his country. He was a brave and vigorous man, sometimes cruel, but often gallant and generous. He was a troubadour (lyric poet), and some of his songs have been preserved.
He was born at Beaumont Palace, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.
|
1157 - 1199 (41 years)
[1] 