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 Richard I
 Richard the Lionheart was the great crusader king of England
of the 12th Century who, during the third crusade, defeated the Turks
at the Battle of Acre and gained access to the Holy City.
Richard I was born at Beamount Palace in Oxford ,
England, but at an early age was moved to France. Indeed the French
translation of his name Richard ‘Coeur de lion’ is perhaps more
appropriate as Richard was born of French parents, lived most of his
young life in France and spoke French not English and even as the King
of England only spent six months of his life in England.
Still,
Richard the Lionheart is remembered proudly as a man of courage and
chivalry and as one of England’s finest monarchs from the tales of the
Crusades to the legends of Robin Hood, whereas his brother King John,
who ruled England in his absence is widely regarded as a scoundrel.
After
Jerusalem fell to Saladin, Richard who was now crowned King of England,
set about raising funds from his new kingdom to launch a campaign along
with King Philip of France. Richard set out for the Holy Land on 1190
and distinguished himself during the Siege of Acre, the most important
event of the Third Crusade.
However following
political infighting within the Crusaders, Richard was forced to halt
his march to Jerusalem and instead negotiated a peace with Saladin in
1192 which established a three year truce and allowed Christian access
to the Holy City of Jerusalem.
On Richard’s return to
England his ship met with bad weather and he was forced to take a
dangerous land route home through central Europe disguised as a Knight
Templar. But Richard was captured near Vienna by his arch enemy Leopold
of Austria and held to ransom.
Following his
release Richard was killed in France where he is buried. In England
Richard I is commemorated with a bronze statue of the crusader king
upon his horse brandishing his sword, situated outside the Palace of Westminster in London.
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