Richard I of England

Richard I (September 8, 1157 – April 6, 1199) was King of England from 1189 to 1199. He was often referred to as Richard the Lionheart, C?ur de Lion.

Legacy

As Richard produced no heirs, he was succeeded by his brother John as king of England. However, his French territories initially rejected John as a successor, preferring his nephew Arthur of Brittany, the son of their late brother Geoffrey, whose claim was technically better than John's. Significantly, the lack of any direct heirs from Richard was the first step in the disolution of the Angevin Empire. While England continued to press claims to properties on the continent, it would never again command the territories Richard I inherited. In the long term Richard's legacy has to be viewed through the lens of his personality and personal accomplishments.

Related Topics:
John - Arthur of Brittany - Geoffrey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There is no doubt that Richard had many admirable qualities, as well as many bad ones. The most succinct summation of his character is from Winston Churchill:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:"Although a man of blood and violence, Richard was too impetuous to be either treacherous or habitually cruel. He was as ready to forgive as he was hasty to offend; he was open-handed and munificent to profusion; in war circumspect in design and skillful in execution; in politics a child, lacking in subtlety and experience. His political alliances were formed upon his likes and dislikes; his political schemes had neither unity nor clearness of purpose. The advantages gained for him by military genius were flung away through diplomatic ineptitude."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Richard was a pure military man and while politically astute in some ways, he was incredibly foolish in others. He combined moments of great largesse and humility with great arrogance and ruthlessness. He was revered by his most worthy rival, Saladin, and respected by the Emperor Henry, but hated by many who had been his friends, especially King Philip. He was often careless of his own safety: the wound which killed him need not have been inflicted at all if he had been properly armoured. Almost the same thing had happened, ten years earlier when, while feuding with his father, he had encountered William Marshal while unarmed and had to beg for his life. These contradictions of his character fascinated his contemporaries, many of whom held him up as an exemplar of chivalry.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the long run Richard's legacy comprised several parts. First, he captured Cyprus, which proved immensely valuable in keeping the Frankish kingdoms in the Holy Land viable for another century. Secondly, his absence from the English political landscape meant that the highly efficient government created by his father was allowed to entrench itself, though King John would later abuse it to the breaking point. As Sir Winston Churchill pointed out, this was the embryo beginning of the English Civil Service and "proved that the King, to whom all allegiance had been rendered, was no longer the sole guarantee for law and order." The last part of Richard's legacy was romantic and literary. No matter the facts of his reign, he left an indelible imprint on the imagination extending to the present, in large part because of his military exploits. This is reflected in Steven Runciman's final verdict of Richard I: "he was a bad son, a bad husband and a bad king, but a gallant and splendid soldier."

Related Topics:
Sir Winston Churchill - Steven Runciman

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~