Richard the Lionheart - Case Study Example

Richard the Lion Heart and King John Introduction Richard the Lionheart was born on September 8, 1157 to King HenryII and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was called Richard the Lionheart because he had earned the status of distinguished, remarkable military leader. He was the fundamental Christian commander throughout the Third Crusade, efficiently leading the movement and achieving significant success in opposition to his Muslim counterpart, Saladin. He used to spent insignificant amount of time in his Kingdom. John of England was born on 24 December 1167. He became king after King Richard. He has earned the nickname of Lackland for he was deficient in inheritance, loss of territory to France and for his so-called, suspected military incompetence. Richard the Lion heart In 1189, Richard along with his ally King Philip of France carried a military expedition against his father, which led him to become the new King of England1. After becoming the King of England, he banned all Jews and women from the ceremony. In the city of London, a tale spread that Richard had planned to kill all Jews. The people began a massacre where Jews were killed, robbed, burned alive; homes burnt down and were forcefully baptized. However, this assault could have destabilized his rule and hence he ordered the execution of those people who were responsible for this bloody massacre. Crusade Richard pledged an oath to mend his wicked ways and he raised a new crusader army. He raised taxes, freed King William of Scotland in exchange for ransom of 10000 marks. In order to collect more money to support his crusade, he sold authorized positions, rights and lands to individuals who were interested in them. The already appointed were compelled to pay huge sums of money to retain their positions. His Conquest In 1190, Richard and Philip arrived in Sicily. The King William 11 of Sicily had expired. The widowed queen Joan, Richard’s sister didn’t not receive the money she had inherited in her husband’s will. Richard captured Messina in 1190 and making his base. Finally, Tancred had to come to common terms with Richard. In 1191, Richard and his cavalry fought battle against Isaac’s army at Tremetusia. However, Isaac surrendered at the capture of Kantara Castle. In the same year, Richard and his forces were successful in capturing Acre. In 1192, he and his Muslim opponent, Saladin, came onto common terms which included guidelines which demanded the destruction of Ascalon’s wall as well as a promise to allow Christians to enter Jerusalem2. Richards absence From 1190 to 1194, King Richard was on the Third Crusade. At this time, John had the opportunity to remove from power William Longchamp who was Richard’s chosen justiciar. John made a promise to the city of London by giving the right to rule itself as a commune in return for acknowledgment as Richard’s successor presumptive. On Richard’s return in 1194, he forgave John and nominated him as his successor to the throne. John of England His Rule John became the King of England following the death of King Richard in France during a military clash. His reign was marked by turmoil and chaos. In the year 1202, Arthur of Brittany was assassinated which further caused turmoil and chaos in England. In 1204, John’s army was crushed in Brittany and he had to surrender3. His military status among the aristocrats fell and he was nicknamed John Softsword. His defeat in France was the crushing blow for him. Taxes were raised to enable the army to recover from the losses suffered in France. Clash with the Pope King John’s reign was marked by his disputes with the papacy over the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Pope launched an interdict against England which led to a suspension of worship and mass ceremonies in English Churches. John retaliated by seizing the property owned by the Church. John was also excommunicated by the Church and the Pope threatened to launch a Crusade against England. King John doubted that the barons would provide military support to him in case of an invasion. He submitted to the demands of the Pope by which he gained support against the local barons. In 1213, John surrendered the devout well being of the country to the pope. In 1214, John lost his control to the French at Bouvines, which resulted in England losing all of its wealth in France. Magna Carta King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta by his local barons. This legal document was the first attempt by the English to impose limits on the power of the monarch. The document called upon the King to respect legal procedures which protected the rights of the subjects. King John died in 1216 after being seriously ill. He nominated Henry III as the next King of England4. Legacy King Richard had earned the reputation of man of God and he was admired as a Crusader. He was considered to be a virtuous and moral hero by his subjects. He is one of the Kings of England kept in mind by his soubriquet and for his iconic figure in England. Richard was successful in capturing various territories which were important for England. He was successful in leaving an ineffaceable on the imagination extending to the present because of his military exploits. John of England reign as the king of England is considered to be the most disastrous because of his many defeats. He was responsible for civil war in England in the First Baron’s War. Although, he was efficient ruler but he lost his allies because he was taxing them heavily. He is best known for agreeing with the nobility and signing Magna Carta which was document that confined his power. It is prevalently considered as an initial step in the development of prevailing democracy. Richard was considered to be an educated man who was fluent in writing poetry in French and Limousin. He was very attractive with red blond hair and light eyed with white complexion. He showed noteworthy political and military capability from an early age. John himself enjoyed most excellent educations. Although, he lacked the ability to read and write, King John had collected significant amount of books which he valued. Conclusion The final verdict of Richard I can be given that he was a disobedient son, husband and ruler but he a talented military commander. Richard was a brave and heroic ruler who waged a campaign for the Holy Land in the form of the Third Crusade. During the Crusades, Richard demonstrated his military skills by repeatedly defeating Saladin in battles. It was the discipline and leadership of Richard that allowed the Crusaders to achieve some of the objectives of the Third Crusade. King John on the other hand is considered to be an incompetent general who was responsible for substantial territorial losses to the French. However King John is credited with signing the Magna Carta which regulated the power of the monarch in his dealings with the nobility. . Works Cited: King Richard the Lionheart. 2008. Soylent Communications. 8 Jul 2008 . Richard I Coeur de Lion (1189-99 AD). Britania. 8 Jul 2008 . King John. historylearningsite. 8 Jul 2008 . King John (1167 - 1216). BBC World. 8 Jul 2008 . Read More