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Richard "The Lionheart"
December 24, 2006 --
Early Years
Richard was born at Oxford in 1157. His father was Henry II (Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Duke of Aquitaine), and his mother was Eleanor of Aquitaine. At the age of fourteen Richard was given the title Duke of Aquitaine. He was well taught, could write in French and speak in Latin. He even cracked a joke in Latin at the expense of a lesser learned Archbishop of Canterbury and often fought in knight's tournaments. Eleanor decided that her duchy should go Richard and Richard became betrothed to Alice the second daughter of King Louis VII's second wife Constance.
Conflicts with his father
Problems arose between Richard and his father Henry as Henry did not want to give any kind of power him or his other sons. In 1173 Richard's brothers Henry (the Young King) and Geoffrey went to join Richard in Paris in an effort to rise up against their father. Their mother, Eleanor was captured by her husband's troops as she tried to join her sons in Paris and was held a prisoner until Henry's death. In May 1174, Richard seized the town of Saintes from his father but quickly lost it again to Henry II's superior forces and tactics. Henry (the Young King) and Geoffrey both returned to their father's side but Richard held out until he and Henry II met in Paris to settle their differences. Henry II then used Richard's new found military skills of siege warfare to put down rebellious barons in the Aquitaine area. In 1179 Richard took the supposedly impenetrable fortress town of Taillebourg within two weeks and his skills became famous.
The Young King became jealous of Richard's new found fame and fled the French court. Henry II tried to force Richard and Geoffrey to pay homage to their elder brother the Young King, but Richard refused to do so. Richard was being compelled to swear on some holy relic so stormed out. It was then the turn of the Young King and Geoffrey to try a subdue Richard. To achieve this, the Young King and Geoffrey sided with the barons but the barons were more interested in attacking Henry II not Richard. Again the tables were turned and Richard joined Henry II to subdue the Henry the Young King, Geoffrey and the barons.
Heir to the throne
In June 1183 Henry the Young King died of dysentery and Richard became heir to the throne. As Richard was now heir to the English throne Henry II hoped Richard would hand Aquitaine over to his youngest son John, but Richard refused. John joined Geoffrey against Richard but Richard won, leaving John the title 'John of Lackland'. In 1180 King Louis VII of France died and his son Philippe became king of France as Philippe II. Philippe was determined to make France great again and in 1187 Richard joined forces with him. Geoffrey died in a tournament in 1186 and in 1189 Henry II died at Chinon and was buried in the choir church of Fontevrault leaving Richard the new King of England. William Marshal, who served under Henry II and was favoured by Richard was sent to England to prepare for Richard's arrival. Queen Eleanor was freed from prison and was to reign until Richard arrived.
As King of England
On the 20th of July 1189 Richard was girded with the Ducal Sword, and in August Richard returned to England. Henry II's fortune was calculated at 100,000 marks. 24,000 marks were used instantly to buy peace with France. On the 3rd of September 1189 Richard was crowned in Westminster and on the 11th of December Richard began planning his Crusade by selling mansions and castles for funding. Richard had no children and in the event of his death, John his youngest brother or Geoffrey, Henry's illegitimate son could have become king. So Richard gave Geoffrey the title of Archbishop of York thus making it impossible for him to become king. He gave John land including Derbyshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Norman county of Mortain. He also made John the Earl of Gloucester and banished him for three years to try and prevent him trying to take the throne. Richard nominated his nephew Aurhur of Brittany as his successor eventhough Arthur was only four.
Crusade
On the 4th of July 1190 Richard's Crusade began (...).
Death
In March of 1199 Richard besieged the castle at Chalus where some treasure had been unearthed. Believing the treasure to be his own, Richard tried to take the castle but riding too close to the walls was shot in the shoulder. The castle then fell and the archer who shot Richard was brought before him. Richard forgave the archer but Richard's second in command had the archer executed. Richard died of his wounds due to the lack of proper medical attention. He had arranged that after his death his brain was to be buried in the abbey of Charroux (Poitou) and his heart in Rouen (Normandy) while the rest was to lie at the feet of his father in the abbey church of Fontevrault (Anjou). On his deathbed, Richard nominated his younger brother John as the heir to the throne.
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History of a Knight
The most significant military figure of the feudal system of the European Middle Ages was the knight. The word knight being derived from the Old English word cniht, the equivalent of the Latin word caballarius, meaning "horseman."
Riding a powerful 1200 lb. war horse, clad in chain mail and shining metal armor with a heavy iron helmet hiding his deadly thoughts, and a shield on his left arm proclaiming his blood ties; a Knight was an ominous sight on the battlefield. A lance and hand pounded sword were his constant companions�Weapons of his time that are all but forgotten except for during Faire.
Knighthood flourished when battles still were won by hand-to-hand conflicts of heavy-armored knights. Even during times of peace, knights looked for conflicts in which to test their deadly skills. Fighting was almost an everyday occurrence, and the common people, who generally could not protect themselves against an invading foe, looked to these Knights for protection. To secure refuge the poorer folk became the serfs or villeins of more powerful neighbors, and those in turn were the vassals of those still more powerful. The institution of knighthood was a noble and integral part of this feudal system.
Training of a Knight The education of a knight usually began at the age of seven, when he was taken from his home and sent to the castle of some famous nobleman, perhaps his father's lord. Here he learned etiquette and manners by serving the lord and lady as a page until he was 14 years old. His duties, which included serving at the Lord�s table, he considered a privilege and accompanied his benefactors at all times. He received religious instruction from the chaplain and training in arms from the squires--He was taught by his mistress and her ladies to honor and protect women--He learned to sing and to play the lute, to hunt and to hawk. But above all else he learned to ride a horse.
At the age of 14, he graduated to the rank of squire where he learned to handle sword and lance and to bear the weight of the heavy armor. In addition to his other duties, he had now to carve at the dinner table and to accompany his knight to war where he assisted him in putting on his armor. He saw to it that the knights sword as well as other arms were polished until they shone. He stood by to give aid in conflict should his lord be overmatched and to lend his horse should the master lose his own. It was the squire who raised his knight when he fell and who bore his body away if he were wounded or killed in battle.
In the Prologue to Geoffrey Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales' is the following description of a squire: "His clothes were embroidered red and white, as it were a meadow of fresh flowers. All the day he was singing or playing upon a lute, he was as fresh as the Month of May. His coat was short, with long wide sleeves. Well could he sit a horse and ride, make songs, joust and dance, draw and write. He loved so ardently that at nighttime he slept no more than a nightingale. He was courteous, modest, and helpful, and carved before his master at table."
The Knighting Ceremony At the age of 21, if he had stood well as page and squire, the young man was made a knight. This was an occasion of elaborate ceremony and solemn vows. After a purification bath, the candidate for knighthood knelt or stood all night in prayer before the altar on which lay the precious armor he would don on the morrow. In the morning there was a religious ritual, with perhaps a sermon on the knight's duty to protect the weak, to right wrongs, and to honor women. Then in the courtyard in the presence of the assembled knights and fair ladies, a knight's armor was buckled on, piece by piece, a sword was girded about his waist, and spurs were attached to the candidate's feet. He then knelt to receive the accolade. This was a blow upon the neck or shoulder, given by the officiating lord or knight with his fist or with the flat of a sword. As he gave it he said, "In the name of God and St. Michael and St. George, I dub thee knight; be brave and loyal." The ceremony was followed by exhibitions of the young knight's skill in arms. Into the Great World of Adventure After the festivities attending the conferring of knighthood, the young knight was free to go where he pleased. Usually he rode forth in quest of adventure, armor on his back, his spurs on his heels, and with sword, shield, and lance ready to hand.
As a knight-errant he sought a fair maiden in need of a champion or a strange knight with whom to joust. Sometimes he stationed himself at a bridge or cross road to challenge to combat any knight who happened by. He was usually sure of hospitality at any castle to which he came. After a time he might return to his father's castle or join the following of some great lord or become one of the multitude of crusaders who journeyed to rescue the Holy Sepulcher. Whenever or however he went he took with him the three watchwords of a knight: Religion, Honor, Courtesy. The ideal knight is thus described by the poet Chaucer: "And though he was valorous, he was prudent and as meek as a maid of his bearing. In all his life he never yet spoke discourteously but was truly a perfect gentle knight."
With the rise of the longbow and the crossbow carrying wounds or death from a distance, and the invention of gunpowder and cannon rendering useless the feudal castle, the knight in armor passed out of existence. Knighthood then came to be merely a title of honor for persons who served the king or country. During the Middle Ages, several orders of knighthood were founded. Among these orders was the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, known generally as the Knights Templar's.
The orders that were formed during the Crusades had a religious origin. There were also a number of purely secular orders of knights founded by various monarchs in Europe. Some of these orders have persisted into the 20th century; membership is bestowed upon citizens who have made outstanding contributions to society in the arts, sciences, politics, and the military.
Perhaps the best-known order is that of the Garter, established by Edward III of England about 1348. Other orders of the British Empire are that of the Bath, founded by George I in 1725; the Order of St. Michael and St. George, founded by prince regent, subsequently King George IV, in 1818; the ancient Scottish Order of the Thistle, thought to have been founded about 787 and revived by James II in 1687; the Royal Victorian Order, founded by Queen Victoria in 1896; and the Order of the British Empire, founded by George V in 1917. The Irish Order of St. Patrick was founded by George III in 1783.
Other countries had organizations of knights as well. In France the Order of the Golden Fleece was founded in 1430. It later became the principal knightly order of both Austria and Spain. Portugal had the Order of St. Benedict of Avis. In Germany there were the orders of the Black Eagle and of the Red Eagle. Russia had three orders: St. Andrew, St. George, and St. Nicholas. The Danish Order of the Elephant was founded in the 15th century and revived in 1693. The Norwegian Order of St. Olav was not founded until 1847. In the Far East, Japan had two orders: the Chrysanthemum and the Rising Sun. In countries that are no longer monarchies, the best-known modern order is the French Legion of Honor which was established by Napoleon in 1802. Other republics have similar orders of merit to award civilian and military honors.
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