RICHARD I. (1157-1199), king of England, nicknamed "Coeur de Lion" and "Yea and Nay," was the third son of Henry II. by Eleanor of Aquitaine. Born in Sept. 1157, he received at the age of I I the duchy of Aquitaine, and was formally installed in 1172. In his new position he was allowed, probably from re gard to Aquitanian susceptibilities, to govern with an independ ence which was studiously denied to his brothers in their shares of the Angevin inheritance. Yet in 1i73 Richard joined with the young Henry and Geoffrey of Brittany in their rebellion; Aqui taine was twice invaded by the old king before the unruly youth would make submission. Richard was soon pardoned and re instated in his duchy, where he distinguished himself by crushing a formidable revolt (1175) and exacting homage from the count of Toulouse. In a short time he was so powerful that his elder brother Henry became alarmed and demanded, as heir-apparent, that Richard should do him homage for Aquitaine. Richard hav ing scornfully rejected the demand, a fratricidal war ensued; the young Henry invaded Aquitaine and attracted to his standard many of Richard's vassals, who were exasperated by the iron rule of the duke. Henry II. marched to Richard's aid ; but the war ended abruptly with the death of the elder prince (1183).
Richard, being now the heir to England and Normandy, was invited to renounce Aquitaine in favour of Prince John. The proposal led to a new civil war ; and, although a temporary com promise was arranged, Richard soon sought the help of Philip Augustus, to whom he did homage for all the continental posses sions in the actual presence of his father (Conference of Bon moulins, Nov. 18, 1188). In the struggle which ensued the old king was overpowered, chased ignominiously from Le Mans to Angers, and forced to buy peace by conceding all that was de manded of him ; in particular the immediate recognition of Richard as his successor.
But the tieath of Henry II. (1189) at once dissolved the friend ship between Richard and Philip. Not only did Richard continue the continental policy of his father, but he also refused to fulfil his contract with Philip's sister, Alais, to whom he had been betrothed at the age of three. An open breach was only delayed by the desire of both kings to fulfil the crusading vows which they had recently taken. Richard, in particular, sacrificed all other interests to this scheme, and raised the necessary funds by the most reckless methods. He put up for auction the highest
offices and honours; even remitting to William the Lion of Scot land, for a sum of is,000 marks, the humiliating obligations which Henry II. had imposed at the Treaty of Falaise. By such ex pedients he raised and equipped a force which may be estimated at 4,000 men-at-arms and as many foot-soldiers, with a fleet of i oo transports (1191).
Richard did not return to his dominions until 1194. But his stay in Palestine was limited to 16 months. On the outward jour ney he wintered in Sicily, where he employed himself in quar relling with Philip and in exacting satisfaction from the usurper Tancred for the dower of his widowed sister, Queen Joanna, and for his own share in the inheritance of William the Good. Leaving Messina in March 1191, he interrupted his voyage to conquer Cyprus, and only joined the Christian besiegers of Acre in June. The reduction of that stronghold was largely due to his energy and skill. But his arrogance gave much offence. After the fall of Acre he inflicted a gross insult upon Leopold of Austria ; and his relations with Philip were so strained that the latter seized the first pretext for returning to France, and entered into negotiations with Prince John (see JofiN, king of England) for the partition of Richard's realm.
Richard also threw himself into the disputes respecting the crown of Jerusalem, and supported Guy of Lusignan against Con rad of Montferrat with so much heat that he incurred grave, though unfounded, suspicions of complicity when Conrad was assassinated by emissaries of the Old Man of the Mountain. None the less Richard, whom even the French crusaders accepted as their leader, upheld the failing cause of the Frankish Christians with valour and tenacity. He won a brilliant victory over the forces of Saladin at Arsuf (I i9i ), and twice led the Christian host within a few miles of Jerusalem. But the dissensions of the native Franks and the crusaders made it hopeless to continue the struggle ; and Richard was alarmed by the news which reached him of John's intrigues in England and Normandy. Hastily patch ing up a truce with Saladin, under which the Christians kept the coast-towns and received free access to the Holy Sepulchre, Richard started on his return (Oct. 9, 1192).