Page 36 - All About History 55 - 2017 UK

Richard I: Rise of the Lion

Along with Henry II, they became its joint rulers, angered the French king by essentially holding attacks against his possessions were met with
Richard’s pride was saved and he begrudgingly Alice, Philip’s sister, hostage. Henry had dragged success after success. The final straw was when
shared its power for a time. his feet about formally arranging her union Henry, already weak, heard that his beloved John
Geoffrey’s death in 1186 set the scene for with Richard, and by keeping her at court, he had gone over to his brother’s camp as soon as it
his father’s downfall. Geoffrey had secured a prevented Philip from using her to secure further became clear that Richard had the upper hand in
friendship with King Philip II of France, and alliances against him. There were also whispers the fighting. This betrayal proved too much,
Richard followed suit. Some modern scholars that Henry had taken Alice as his mistress — if and in the summer of 1189 Henry II passed away
have questioned Richard’s sexuality due to his true, this would have been another source just after offering an almost unconditional
friendship with Philip, which is said to have of contention between Henry and surrender to Richard.
involved the pair sharing the same dish at dinner Richard, as the latter, humiliated, “Richard The reason for John’s sudden
and the same bed at night. But sharing a bed with would never consent to marry change of heart is unknown but,
a member of the same sex was fairly common his father’s paramour. and Philip’s as the Angevins had shown
diplomatic gesture in the 12th century. Henry Richard’s last quarrel with time and time again, the
II and William Marshal, the greatest knight in his father would prove too attacks against chance for personal gain and
Europe during his lifetime, had also done so, and it much for the ageing king. his possessions power overruled any familial
showed trust and status between two people. The capture of Jerusalem by loyalty. Stories circulated
A new alliance cemented, Richard and Philip the Muslim leader Saladin were met with that when Richard visited
squared up against Henry, who had further sent shock waves throughout his father’s body, a trickle of
the Christian world. Richard success” blood ran from the corpse’s nose,
immediately ‘took the cross’, a possibly indicating that Richard
promise that he would embark on was responsible for Henry’s demise or
a crusade to win the city back for God. that even in death, the Lionheart could still
He was the first noble north of the Alps to do so, cause his father distress.
and the fact that he didn’t confer with his father Richard now stood to inherit his father’s
beforehand enraged Henry. kingdom. Succession was rarely a smooth process
The king was also worried by Richard’s close under the Norman and Angevin monarchs, with
alliance with Philip, and Henry’s refusal to see William the Conqueror only taking the throne
Richard’s barons pay homage to him was seen after a bloody battle at Hastings and Henry II
as a step to disinherit the Lionheart and raise himself coming to power after the prolonged
John to become the heir apparent. Henry further chaos of the Anarchy in 1163. The fact that
demanded that Alice marry John instead of Richard’s coronation was unopposed and
Richard as promised, although he knew that this seemingly a time of celebration implies his nobles
would be unacceptable to both Richard and Philip. were suitably pacified.
The former could have sensed the danger to his Now king of England, Richard the Lionheart was
claim to the throne and countered that he would free to pursue his crusading ambitions. His early
only go on a crusade if John would accompany life had transformed him into a powerful military
him. The brothers’ history of conflict and family figure, well versed in warfare and celebrated
strife left little love and trust between them — throughout Europe for his courage and bravery. His
Richard wanted to keep John close. father, while ruthless and lacking affection, had
As negotiations broke down, warfare between given Richard the tools necessary for maintaining
father and son became inevitable. Henry, and ruling a vast empire. But his conflicts with
Richard’s reputation as a just warrior would be taken to exhausted from a life spent in the saddle, became his brothers and their soured relationships would
new heights in the 19th century, solidifying his legend increasingly ill and, as a result, Richard and Philip’s come back to haunt him.

Only one man, William Marshal,
was ever said to have been able
to unhorse Richard in a joust

36