Richard the Lionhearts

Richard has everything to be a legendary King-Knight. A big blonde mane (as we though it to be), a warrior stature, an inconscious bravery (that cost him his loss), a poet soul (he is also a troubadour who wrote many songs) and mostly an exceptional destiny that we can believe was taken from a knight novel. 

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As of today, he is still one of the most popular English King. But he has only stayed on the island two times, and briefly. In France, he stays a nice King : indeed, borned and raised in France, died in France, writing his poem in Oc language ( old french from the south), he expressed himself surely badly in english (as the same for the french today). 

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The little Richard was the favorite of his mother (Aliénor d’Aquitaine, not anybody). She raised him at her court in Poitiers, made him Duc at 15 years old. She did not discouraged him to fight against his father, Henry II, even if he had to form an alliance with the King of France.

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In 1190, the Pope Gregoire VIII launches the third Crusade. He esteem that this sacred mission would buy back the sins of all those Kings, princes and little lords idlers and warrior. And also, that will get them away for their buisness for some times

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Richard rushes. On the way, he invade the Chypre island ("sorry mates, it's on my way"). On site, he fonce. Au passage, il envahit l’île de Chypre (« désolé les gars, c’est sur mon chemin »). Sur place, il expresses his passion and his tactical talents. The Lion makes himself a king mane but also shows blood dripping claws, whiteout any particular reason.

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He also displays his sudden mood swings and his indecisions (the troubadour Bertrand de Born had given him the nicknamel  « Oc e No », yes and no).

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He gets into a fight with his allies (including Phillipe Auguste). After the fights, he talks with his ennemies. He finds the brother of Saladin, Malik, quite nice. He offers him his sister, Jeanne, for a wedding : why not, this could fix the current situation, feodal style. He obviously didn't ask Jeanne's opinion, but anyway, this would not happened. Lots of people found it "too much".

His return - he is one of the last to go - is not quite believable. It's a comical and dramatic epic, a slightly kitsch advanturous film.

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The navigations conditions in the Mediterranean sea are not good. He heads to Marseille, but, fearing of a bad welcoming, he turns back. He went though a tough storm. And gets away on Corfou island. There he negociate the crossing with a bunch of pirates who discreetly leaves him in Croatia, with some mens.

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He follows his traces impersonating a guy named "Hugues", simple seller. But he is quickly found and captured. Delivered as a hostage to Henry VI, emperor of the Saint Empire Romain Germanique.

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He stays a prisonnier for two years. That let him time to write a pretty song.

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During that time, her mother, aged of more than seventy, do her best to free him. The ransom reach an astronomical amount : for three times she will rise a special tax in England to honor him. She went herself in Germany with the loot to free her son. 

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Richard comes back in England as a hero, the 13rd of March 1194. But he doesn't stay long. It's on the French ground that it will happen. He has to protect his belongings, threaten by Phillipe Auguste.

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And that is how, the beatiful day in July 1195, both Kings find themselves in Issoudun, after that Mercadier had envaded the town.

We négociateur a truce. Nobody believes it. Other fight happened, other négociation scaffold. During that time, Mercadier builds la Tour Blanche.

In 1199, one last time, dizzy by the adventurous smell, the King finds death during a forgetless expedition that might have led him to find an imaginary treasure. At the Chalut castle near Limoges (that we can still visit) .

Often, hero dies foolishly (even lions).