Richard I summary

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Richard I, known as Richard the Lionheart(ed) French Richard Coeur de Lion, (born Sept. 8, 1157, Oxford, Eng.—died April 6, 1199, Châlus, Duchy of Aquitaine), Duke of Aquitaine (1168–99) and Poitiers (1172–99) and king of England, duke of Normandy, and count of Anjou (1189–99). He inherited Aquitaine from his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Denied real authority there, he rebelled against his father, Henry II (1173–74) and later enlisted Philip II of France in a successful campaign against Henry (1189). Crowned king of England on Henry’s death that year, Richard embarked on the Third Crusade (1190), stopping in Sicily to name Tancred king and conquering Cyprus. He won victories in the Holy Land, but, after failing to gain Jerusalem, he signed a truce (1192) with Saladin. On his way home Richard was captured by Leopold of Austria and turned over to Henry VI of Germany, who imprisoned him until a ransom was paid (1194). Richard returned to England and reclaimed the throne from his brother John, then spent the rest of his life in Normandy fighting against Philip II.

Eleanor of Aquitaine Summary

Eleanor of Aquitaine was the queen consort of both Louis VII of France (1137–52) and Henry II of England (1152–1204) and mother of Richard I (the Lionheart) and John of England. She was perhaps the most powerful woman in 12th-century Europe. Eleanor was the daughter and heiress of William X, duke

John Summary

John was the king of England from 1199 to 1216. In a war with the French king Philip II, he lost Normandy and almost all his other possessions in France. In England, after a revolt of the barons, he was forced to seal the Magna Carta (1215). John was the youngest son of Henry II and Eleanor of

Henry II Summary

Henry II was the duke of Normandy (from 1150), count of Anjou (from 1151), duke of Aquitaine (from 1152), and king of England (from 1154), who greatly expanded his Anglo-French domains and strengthened the royal administration in England. His quarrels with Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury,

army Summary

Army, a large organized armed force trained for war, especially on land. The term may be applied to a large unit organized for independent action, or it may be applied to a nation’s or ruler’s complete military organization for land warfare. Throughout history, the character and organization of