Richard I, of England
Richard I was born at Beaumont Palace in Oxford, England on September 8, 1157. He was the third son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He had 3 older siblings and 5 younger siblings. King Henry grew up in Normandy and began training for knighthood, and he proved to be a fierce fighter. As well as being an educated man, able to compose poetry in French and Provençal, he was also very attractive; blond, blue-eyed, his height estimated at six feet four inches. From an early age he appeared to have significant political and military abilities, became noted for his chivalry and courage, but he also lacked foresight and a sense of responsibility. Overall, Richard is perhaps best known for his role in the crusades, holy wars authorized by the Pope.
In 1168 when Richard was 14, he was invested with his mother's duchy of Aquitaine in the church of Saint Hillaire at Poitiers.
Richard I, Greenwich, SE10
Enrique II de Inglaterra
Henry II & his childrenFour years later in 1172, Richard was invested with the duchy of Poitiers at age 18. Richard grew to dislike his father and in 1173, he and his brothers Henry the 'Young King' and Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany. On June 11, 1183, Richard's older brother and successor to the throne of England, Henry the "Young King" died. In 1187, the Third Crusade was ordered, and the next year Richard's other older brother, Geoffrey died and Richard became the successor to be king of England. On July 6, 1189, Henry II, King of England died of fever in Chinon and Richard I succeeded him as King of England. Upon Henry II's death Richard I was crowned Duke of Normandy, and Count of Anjou. In September, Richard was crowned King of England in Westminster. Throughout his rule of ten years, he...