Lionheart is the latest historical adventure novel from stewart binns, covering the extraordinary life of king richard the lionheart richard of aquitaine, the third son of king henry ii, is developing a fearsome reputation for being a ruthless warrior. This reassessment looks at his deeds and achievements in a new light. Lionheart by sharon kay penman, a kings ransom by sharon kay penman, devils brood by sharon kay penman, lionhea. Despite the image of richard as a good king and a mighty warrior, the actual account of his life might surprise many readers. Lionheart by sharon kay penman, a kings ransom by sharon kay penman, the troubadours song. Richard the lionheart was the third son of king henry ii and eleanor of aquitaine, and although his eldest brother died young, the next in line, henry, was named heir. Its an excellent biography and the first biography of richard the lionheart in over 40 years. Buy lionheart richard the lionheart by kane, ben from amazons fiction books store. This is a highly readable and interesting biography of richard the lionheart, king of england and much of modern day france.
The siege signaled the return of richard i to england, secured his realm from his brother john, and set in play the mechanisms to allow richard to carry out campaigns to drive the french from his continental lands. It covers his rapid conquest of cyprus, the battle of acre, jaffa, arsuf and his failed attempt to take jerusalem. The plantagenet chronicles 11541485 richard the lionheart. A contemporary illustration of the meeting shows richard lying on the ground, kissing the emperors feet in a ceremony of submission. It was a very incisive work that offered a different view of medieval england. Richard i of england 8 september 1157 6 april 1199 was the king of england from 1189 to 1199. Among the costars of this tale are the very real king richard lionheart, sir robinyes that robin, allanyes that allan, little johnyes oh you get it by now however, robin and his two mates are given here with a slightly different slantthere is no taint of an outlaw to robin and his companions are younger in this story and play. The king of england, richard i, returning from crusade, had been seized by the duke of austria near vienna in december 1192 and then handed over to emperor henry vi.
At this time a case for richards homosexuality was made based on these three points. Have not read the book yet but i am fasenated by richard the lionheart and his participation in the crusades. The illnesses of king richard and king philippe on the third crusade. Arrogant and conceited he earns the name richard lionheart for his bravery and brutality on the battlefield. The siege of nottingham in 1194 lasted only three days, but its significance should not be downplayed. Richard i 8 september 1157 6 april 1199 was king of england from 1189 until his death. Why had none of the history books i had read during my teenage years mentioned it. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read richard the lionheart. Richard i, also known as richard the lionheart, was the king of england from 1189 to 1199. See the complete richard the lionheart series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. Berengaria, daughter of sancho v of navarre children. In todays lesson we are joined by author wayne bartlett to discuss richard the lionheart. Henry ii and eleanor of aquitaine relation to elizabeth ii. The plantagenet chronicles richard the lionheart, richard ii, henry v, richard iii.
After the death of his father, henry ii, and the early demise of two of his brothers, richard is crowned king of england and immediately sets off for the holy land. The familiar epithet conveys all the principal features of his indomitable character. Historical novels about the angevins and their time. He analyzes richard the lionhearts life as it really was, presenting readers with a straightforward biography, but also examining that life as the king himself evidently wanted it portrayed and as it has been mythologized ever since. When the english monarch, nicknamed richard the lionheart, died in 1199 his. Flori cites contemporaneous accounts of richard taking women by force and concludes that richard probably had sexual relations with both men and women at different stages. The crusade of king richard i of england and philippe augustus ii of france was illfated. This is a great book by david miller and it takes the reader to the very heart of richard the lionheart s brilliant military campaign during the third crusade. He was the inspiration for many of the soldiers to continue to fight and press on. He has variously been considered a great warrior but a poor king, a man driven by the quest for fame and glory but also lacking in selfdiscipline.
Richard the lionheart was born september 8, 1158 in england, son of henry ii and eleanor of aquitaine. Flori is a french historian, who first published this biography of richard the lionheart in paris in 1999. Flori has undertaken an ambitious task, examining one of the most famous medieval kings from multiple perspectives. Thus, richard grew up with little realistic expectations of achieving the english throne. The great crusader king richard the lionheart comes alive in all his complex splendor in this masterpiece of medieval tapestry. I started my research by getting an overview looking at the articles about richard the lionheart and saladin in my old encyclopaedia britannica, 1979 edition. In 1168 he became duke of aquitaine richard was one of the leaders of the third crusade against.
When i first decided to write about the third crusade, the novel was called richard and saladin, and was to be focused around these two characters. He is the author of many history books for amberley including titles on the titanic. Frank mclynn is a highly regarded historian, who specializes in biographies and military history. But the word which best describes the effect of the exhibition and indeed, the word which it exhibition opens and closes is held. He has variously been considered a great warrior but a poor king, a man driven by the quest for fame and glory but also lacking in selfdiscipline and prone to throwing away the shortterm advantages that his military successes brought him. Richard was far more interested in his holdings in france and in his crusading endeavors than he was in governing england, where he spent about six months of his tenyear reign. Then richard would have to come back three lions emblazoned on his tunic and put everything right again. Richard has always been portrayed as englands heroking, but during his 10year reign, he spent only six months in england, a mighty but disorganized empire england and english property in france. Although richard earned a reputation for being a formidable military commander and warrior hence his epithet, the lionheart, he may be said to have been less successful as a ruler. The mummified heart of king richard i has been analysed by forensic experts.
The exhibition and its impressive catalogue propose three identities for richard. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. He has written over 20 books, including critically acclaimed biographies of napoleon and richard the lionheart. This is a new interpretation of richard for 21st century readers. Richard the lionheart and saladin in the third crusade james reston, jr. Whilst richard i is one of medieval englands most famous kings he is also the most controversial. As the third son and not expected to inherit the throne, he was a replacement child. The result is a compelling new portrait of the lionheart which shows that the king is every bit. King henry ii and eleanor of aquitaine, richard the lionheart, and king john and henry iii. He is arguably bestknown for the role he played in the third crusade. He was the third of five sons of king henry ii of england and duchess eleanor of aquitaine and seemed unlikely to. Richard was the son of henry ii of england and eleanor of aquitaine. Richard the lionheart royalty biography book 8 goodreads. The illnesses of king richard and king philippe on the.
Richard the lionhearts mummified heart analysed bbc news. The 12th century english king whose coat of arms adorns the national. Richard the lionheart was the son of king henry ii of england and eleanor of aquitaine and the second king in the plantagenet line. The mission was to reclaim the holy land for the christians. It was this fact that attracted me to the book, as i felt a french historian would bring a different perspective as well as a consummate grasp of french sources to the work.
Other books include 1066, stanley, 1759, and marcus aurelius. He was reputed to be a great military leader and warrior and was just 16 when he took command of his own army while joining his brothers in a rebellion against his. The name lionheart stands for bravery, loyalty, gallantry, and chivalry all of those qualities most admired in men of the middle ages. Doing a little research, i discovered that no one had seriously mooted the idea that richard the lionheart was a homosexual up until the middle of the twentieth century. He also ruled as duke of normandy, aquitaine and gascony, lord of cyprus, count of poitiers, anjou, maine, and nantes, and was overlord of brittany at various times during the same period. King richard, also known as the lionheart, led the knights templar on the third crusade. Richard i, the lionheart, remains forever and perhaps wrongly the mythical king of england who preferred to wage war than to rule over his empire. The angevin empire richard inherited from his father was a large one, with territories that included england, normandy, bittany, anjou, the county of. The truth behind richard the lionheart and bad king john brilliantly readable, scrupulously researched and full of powerful storytelling.
While richard i is one of medieval englands most famous kings he is also the most controversial. The crusader king of england is available through amberley publishing. September 8, 1157 at beaumont place, oxford parents. Richard the lionheart and the siege of nottingham, 1194. Richard the lionheart richard i, the lionheart, remains forever and perhaps wrongly the mythical king of england who preferred to wage war than to rule over his empire. The richard the lionheart book series by sharon kay penman includes books lionheart and a kings ransom. In this book, jean flori examines both richards role as prince and king in. Richard the lionhearted, a life from beginning to end was written and published by hourly histories.
436 260 758 166 551 1465 29 129 949 817 676 1403 1183 1541 1223 576 378 1594 1010 1616 696 617 1148 306 18 139 233 710 162 1005