House of Plantagenet - Coronation of Richard II of England

Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199.  He was the third of five sons of King Henry II of England and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine.  He was known as Richard Cœur de Lion or Richard the Lionheart because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior. 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.

Ruins of Dürnstein Castle

Richard was born in England, where he spent his childhood; before becoming king, however, he lived most of his adult life in the Duchy of Aquitaine, in the southwest of France. Following his accession, he spent very little time, perhaps as little as six months, in England. Most of his life as king was spent on Crusade, in captivity, or actively defending his lands in France. He remains one of the few kings of England remembered by his epithet, rather than regnal number, and is an enduring iconic figure both in England and in France.

19th-century portrait of Richard the Lionheart by Merry-Joseph Blondel

According to Ralph of Coggeshall, Henry the Young King instigated rebellion against Henry II; he wanted to reign independently over at least part of the territory his father had promised him, and to break away from his dependence on Henry II, who controlled the purse strings. He abandoned his father and left for the French court, seeking the protection of Louis VII; his younger brothers, Richard and Geoffrey, soon followed him, while the five-year-old John remained in England.

Henry the Young King, Junior King of England

When Henry II and Louis VII made a truce on 8 September 1174, its terms specifically excluded Richard. Abandoned by Louis and wary of facing his father's army in battle, Richard went to Henry II's court at Poitiers on 23 September and begged for forgiveness, weeping and falling at the feet of Henry, who gave Richard the kiss of peace. Richard was given control of two castles in Poitou and half the income of Aquitaine. Being an accomplice in the rebellion, Eleanor remained Henry II's prisoner until his death, partly as insurance for Richard's good behaviour.

A silver denier of Richard, as count of Poitou

After the conclusion of the war, the process of pacifying the provinces that had rebelled against Henry II began. In January 1175 Richard was dispatched to Aquitaine to punish the barons who had fought for him. Richard concentrated on putting down internal revolts by the nobles of Aquitaine, especially in the territory of Gascony. The increasing cruelty of his rule led to a major revolt there in 1179. Hoping to dethrone Richard, the rebels sought the help of his brothers Henry and Geoffrey. 

Henry II of England

In 1181–1182 Richard faced a revolt over the succession to the county of Angoulême. His opponents turned to Philip II of France for support, and the fighting spread through the Limousin and Périgord. The excessive cruelty of Richard's punitive campaigns aroused even more hostility. However, with support from his father and from the Young King, Richard the Lionheart eventually succeeded in bringing the Viscount Aimar V of Limoges and Count Elie of Périgord to terms.

A 19th-century portrait of Philip II of France by Louis-Félix Amiel

In exchange for Philip's help against his father, Richard promised to concede to him his rights to both Normandy and Anjou. Richard paid homage to Philip in November 1187. With news arriving of the Battle of Hattin, a crusader battle, he took the cross at Tours in the company of other French nobles. In 1188 Henry II planned to concede Aquitaine to his youngest son John. But Richard objected. Henry II bring Queen Eleanor out of prison. He sent her to Aquitaine and demanded that Richard give up his lands to his mother who would once again rule over those lands.

Battle of Hattin

In 1189, Richard attempted to take the throne of England for himself by joining Philip' of France expedition against his father. On 4 July 1189, the forces of Richard and Philip defeated Henry's army at Ballans. Henry, with John's consent, agreed to name Richard his heir apparent. Two days later Henry II died in Chinon, and Richard the Lionheart succeeded him as King of England, Duke of Normandy, and Count of Anjou. Richard I was officially invested as Duke of Normandy on 20 July 1189 and crowned king in Westminster Abbey on 3 September 1189.

Richard I being anointed during his coronation in Westminster Abbey