Richard the Lionheart

Lore & Background

Richard was born on 8 September 1157, probably at Beaumont Palace in Oxford, England, son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. By age 16, he had taken command of his own army, putting down rebellions in Poitou against his father. In June 1172, at age 14, Richard was formally recognised as Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou. During the revolt against Henry II, Richard went to Poitou and raised the barons loyal to himself and his mother in rebellion. Eleanor was captured, leaving Richard to lead the campaign against Henry II's supporters in Aquitaine on his own. He marched to take La Rochelle but the inhabitants rejected him; he withdrew to the city of Saintes, which he established as a base of operations. Henry II's forces later took Saintes by surprise, though Richard escaped with a small group of soldiers and took refuge in Château de Taillebourg.

In Their Own Story

Richard was an important Christian commander during the Third Crusade, leading the campaign after the departure of Philip II of France. Despite achieving several victories against his Muslim counterpart, Saladin, he was ultimately forced to end his campaign without retaking Jerusalem. Following his accession to the crown of England, he spent very little time, perhaps as little as six months, in England. Most of his reign was spent on Crusade, in captivity, or actively defending the French portions of the Angevin Empire. The Itinerarium peregrinorum et gesta regis Ricardi states: 'He was tall, of elegant build; the colour of his hair was between red and gold; his limbs were supple and straight. He had long arms suited to wielding a sword. His long legs matched the rest of his body.' Richard probably spoke both French and Occitan, and based on the testimony of Roger of Howden, most likely understood Middle English.

Reader's Guide

Richard is a ruler defined by his military reputation and absence from England. He was not expected to become king, being the third of five sons, but his two elder brothers predeceased their father. His reign was marked by crusading, captivity, and defending French territories. He was captured en route home from the Crusade and held for ransom. His death in 1199 came from a crossbow bolt during a siege. In gameplay terms, Richard represents high combat capability and leadership but may lack diplomatic finesse or administrative focus. Players controlling him will find their armies formidable in battle but potentially vulnerable to internal rebellion if left unattended for too long during campaigns abroad. His defining moments include the Third Crusade, where his ability to rally troops is paramount, and his eventual capture, which serves as a dramatic turning point requiring significant resource management to resolve.

Did You Know?

• Richard was 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall according to Clifford Brewer, though this is unverifiable since his remains have been lost since at least the French Revolution.
• His wet nurse was Hodierna of St Albans, to whom he gave a generous pension after he became king.
• Richard composed poetry and wrote in Limousin (lenga d'òc) and also in French.
• During his captivity, his brother John used English prejudice against foreigners to help destroy the authority of Richard's chancellor, William Longchamp.
• Richard's father Henry II had conquered Brittany and taken control of Gisors and the Vexin, which had been part of Margaret's dowry.