| a.k.a.: Richard the Lion Hearted; Reign: 1189-99; When he was an infant, Richard was betrothed to a daughter of the French king Louis VII and in 1172 he was given the duchy of Aquitaine in France (his mother's inheritance). When he became king of England, he set out on the Third Crusade with Philip II, king of France (son of Louis VII). The Crusade was a failure. As king, Richard had chosen able ministers to whom he left most matters of administration. Under his rule, however, England suffered heavy taxation, levied to support his expeditions. Sometimes cruel, sometimes magnanimous, and always courageous, Richard was well versed in the knightly accomplishments of his age and was also a poet. He was to become the hero of many legendary tales. |