[MCF READING] Richard the Lionheart: the Conquest of Cyprus

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 18:27

ANNOUNCING THE NEXT MCF-READING:

Reasons for and start of the Third Crusade, 1189-1192, including Richard the Lionheart’s conquest of Cyprus in 1191.

On request of TRNC residents, who were not able to attend the readings in 2008/9, Hans Doeleman (founder of the Medieval Cyprus Fellowship) will again deliver his illustrated introduction to the start of the Crusades movement and the important part that Cyprus played during the Third Crusade and later. It will be a much extended version of the 2008/9 readings (with new maps, seldom seen pictures and updated text).

All details here: http://is.gd/7yuF3/The_Third_Crusade_and_the_Conquest_of_Cyprus_by_Richard_the_Lionheart

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 19:31

Nice one Hans,

The muslims used to call Richard, Melek-Ric.Is it true that he handed over Cyprus to his wife or girlfiend at the time as a present,

Paul.

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 19:43

Paul: DC will hopefully confirm - Berengaria became Richard's wife. Not sure if he presented the whole island to her as a wedding gift but she definitely is recorded as having been on the island in one of Kyrenia's castles. I think it might have been St.Hilarion, but DC will have the full answers.

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 19:51

Hans said that he gave it to the French who didn't want it so he gave it to his vassal Luisignon thereby

beginning the era of Luisignon (not sure if I spelt it right) The French referred to Richard as Couer de Lyon

(Lionheart) which is how I first heard him called (by my English Mother)

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 19:55

Newlad: No. Swannee7: Berengaria became Richard's wife in 1191 (in/near Limassol, South Cyprus). She was never in or near Kyrenia; Richard (possibly, although much disputed, a homo-sexual) didn't bother much about her from the start and left her behind in Limassol. Richard sold Cyprus to the Knights Templar for 100.000 gold pieces (which he needed to finance his part of the Third Crusade in the Holy Land). He never was paid in full (only got 40.000) and then the Templars returned Cyprus to Richard, because they could not manage the unruly locals. Richard then sold Cyprus to his French vassal Guy de Lusignan, who was dethroned as "King of Jerusalem) at the the time. The full story and many more details during the reading...

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 19:59

By the way: why did the English King Richard I "The Lionheart", "Lionhearted" or "Cœur de Lion" never speak English?

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:01

Hans,

Thanks,i bow to your superior knowledge.Very interesting stuff,indeed,

Paul.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:06

He only ever spoke French. Is that right Hans?

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:10

Hans. Who made him 'The Lord of Cyprus'?

swannee7


Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 394

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:11

DC (Msge 5) Thanks for setting the record straight. I bow to your superior knowledge!

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:21

Bill: He spoke French (born there) and possibly (some) Latin. Richard only lived a couple of months in England during his Kingship of a decade. But! He was twice crowned King of England, just to make sure that nobody would doubt his title. When he was a captive of the Holy Roman Emperor (the ruler of greater Germany we would call it now), towards the end of his life, he wrote some very good, moving medieval poems. I like them very much.

"Lord of Cyprus", a rather hollow title, because he grabbed that title himself. And he lacked the time to swear allegiance to the forementioned Holy Roman Emperor, who was his overlord... Yep, Medieval Europe was complicated...

He is doubtless one of Englands great, brave war heroes (his "Blitz Krieg" in Cyprus only lasted six weeks!) - but economically he was a disaster.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:25

Thanks Hans - I knew you would know the answer.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:25

I forgot to mention it in message 1: people who book for the reading (email: mcf.trnc@gmail.com ) will find a location map of "Denizhan Bar & Restaurant" in their mailbox tomorrow.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:30

Hans, is that why he was known as the 'absent King', because of the very little time he spent in England?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:31

Something I'm rather proud of: http://allcrusades.com/CASTLES/FRANCE/RICHARD_I/RICHARD_I_PICS_OVERVIEW/First_day_cover_Richard_I/First_day_cover_Richard_I.html

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:34

hans your knowledge surpasses me. thank you its really interesting xx

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:34

Bill: exactly. He spent most of his life in France (he possessed half of it, the other half was ruled by his friend and later deadly enemy Philippe), about nine months in England and the rest of his time during the Third Crusade in Sicily, Cyprus and the Holy Land, where he fought the great Moslim warrior Saladin.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:39

Richard is the only English King who married outside England and is the only English King who was buried in three places... I feel a question coming...

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:40

I thought he was having a gay relationship with Phillipe, how did he end up his enemy?

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:43

Yes Hans, and the question is - where is his body buried?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:47

Bill: In the Middle Ages it was quite common for nobles (hence: males) to sleep in the same bed, this had not the same meaning we might give it today. Enemies: Richard estranged from Philippe when he took some French border castles by surprise, which Philippe didn't consider to be English humour. Still, the Third Crusade was the only time that two Kings (English and French) joined forces - instead of fighting each other!

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 20:54

RE Bill: (...) Yes Hans, and the question is - where is his body buried? (...)

=> Good question, Bill! One part of his body was buried here (my photo report in Fontevraud, France): http://allcrusades.com/CASTLES/FRANCE/FONTEVRAUD/PICTURES/Effigies-Henry-II-Richard-1/index.html

Two other parts were buried in other French Duchies.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 21:04

Hans. Strange question I know, but what part of his body is buried where?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 21:10

Bill: I get back to you but this question I have to look up on my site "All About All Crusades"... Anyway: his emptied body was buried here: http://allcrusades.com/CASTLES/FRANCE/FONTEVRAUD/MAPS/Fra-Loire-Fontevraud.html

His heart and entrails were buried in .... (to be continued)

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 21:13

Got it, Bill:



RICHARD THE LIONHEART'S EPITAPH



Châlus, in Poitou, guards her Duke's entrails.

His body Fontevraud in marble shrines.

The Normans boast the King's unconquered heart.

Three countries thus the glorious ashes share

Of King too great to rest in one alone.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 21:19

Well done Hans - very interesting. You're never too old to learn.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
02/02/2010 21:28

In case someone is interested in the fascinating ancestors of King Richard I Plantagenet (The Lionheart) - hardly a nice and friendly family...: http://allcrusades.com/CASTLES/FRANCE/RICHARD_I/RICHARD_I_TXT_OVERVIEW/effigies/effigies_txt_1.html