Richard I: the crusading Lionheart and negligent king

April 6th, 1199 Richard I, King of England, Duke of Normandy, and Count of Anjou died in the arms of his mother and so ended the life of the Lionheart. Who was Richard Lionheart and why has his legacy endured?

Richard was born in 1157 in Oxford, the child of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine - despite his legacy he was never destined to be king, as he had two elder brothers. Richard and his brothers had a complicated relationship with their father - and in 1173 they revolted against him eager to advance their inheritance. Although Henry II subdued his rebellious sons, it didn't take long for the brothers to turn on each other and their father again.

It was a struggle that would eventually kill Richard's elder brother and make him the heir apparent. After failing to overthrow his father Richard focused his attention on quelling local rebellions and it was during these campaigns that he was first referred to as 'Richard the Lion' - the name would stick and eventually evolve into 'Richard the Lionheart'.

Despite now being the rightful heir, Henry II was reluctant to name Richard as his successor preferring his younger son John. Richard responded to this by joining the army of Henry II's enemy Philip II of France and forced his father to name him as successor - two days later Henry II was dead and Richard was king. Contemporary sources claimed that Henry's corpse bled from the nose in the presence of Richard which led many to believe that Richard had poisoned his father.

Considering his obsession with the securing the English throne he spent less than six months of his ten year reign in England. For most of his reign he was either in France or on the crusades for which he is famous. Historians speculate that he might not have even been able to speak English and he once remarked that England was just a source of revenue, which he would be willing to sell if it meant furthering his military campaigns in the Holy Lands. Nevertheless his legacy has inspired the English for centuries, his banner - the three lions has become a symbol of English culture from royalty to football.

Richard's legacy is one of a warrior rather than a king, perhaps this is why he has been so well remembered, despite his negligent reign - England has had many kings but none who demonstrated such a passion for warfare as Richard. Richard would die doing the thing he loved, fighting, he was shot by a crossbowman during battle.

Before he died he forgave the crossbowman, gave him 100 shillings, which was over a year's salary of a skilled worker, and set him free. This uncharacteristic kindness was perhaps a recognition that the crossbowman granted the battlefield death which Richard wanted. Unfortunately for the crossbowman Richard's wishes were not followed, shortly after his death Richard's court had his killer flayed alive. In death as in life Richard spurned his English realm, his body was buried in Anjou and his famous Lionheart was embalmed, like a religious relic and laid to rest in Normandy.