British Monarchy: An Overview

Historians have afforded Richard both great praise and great criticism. He has been portrayed as a great crusader, a poet, and the one of the last romantic heroes of a dying age of chivalry (Smith 71). His place in legend is undisputed and is based on substantially true events. Many historians, however, have taken a hostile view toward the King. They have presented a picture of Richard as a brutal absentee who negligently allowed his kingdom to degenerate toward anarchy while he indulged his passion for war. The 19th century historian Bishop Stubbs went so far as to call him, "A bad son, a bad husband, a selfish ruler, and a vicious man" (Henderson 14). It is one of the great curiosities of history that Richard is regarded simultaneously as a legendary hero of the English tradition and a negligent brute.

Richard was born on September 8, 1157, in Oxford. In spite of this geographical fact of his birth, Ri

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retended to give Richard the ceremonial kiss of peace Henry wispered, "God grant that I may not die until I have my revenge on you" (Gillingham 124). On July 6, 1189, Henry died without having obtained his revenge. Richard went to England to attend his coronation. During the next three months he would pillage the country for funds and then depart as the leader of the third crusade. With his future enemy, King Philip Augustus of France, he traveled to the Holy Land in order to secure the territory for Christianity. He fought the superior army of Saladin and while he failed to capture Jerusalem, he did manage to win the coastal cities Between Acre and Jaffa. The crusade took its toll on Richard, however. After a lengthy campaign, Richard was ill and exhausted. He sued for peace under the conditions that he be allowed to keep the land he had won. Out of respect for his worthy adversary, Saladin granted sovereignty of the conquered lands to Richard and declared a three year truce. As he was preparing to leave, Richard sent a final message to Saladin, announcing his intent to return after three years and take Jerusalem. Saladin replied that if he must lose his land he would rather lose it to Richard than to any other man ali
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1759
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)