Three Lions

We have seen the badge of the ‘Three Lions’ of England rather a lot lately. And for those of us following the World Cup in Africa and the English football team in particular, it hasn’t been in very good circumstances. So I was interested to read of the discovery of a 700 year old version of this badge by archeologist Caroline Rann.

The 3 inch copper badge with three lions clearly engraved on it was found lodged in a medieval stone wall in Parkside, Coventry. It is thought to date back to the 13th century and clearly shows the Coat of Arms of England.

Caroline Rann, a field archaeologist with Warwickshire County Council’s Archaeology Projects Group, found the emblem - believed to be part of a horse harness - ahead of a building project. The archaeologist said: "The badge was lodged between the sandstone blocks and may have fallen or slipped between the cracks while it was being built. The archaeologists were working on behalf of Provision for the Christian Life Ministries at Parkside in Coventry, as part of the planning process ahead of work to build a church.
 
"This has been hidden for hundreds of years and for it to appear now has to be a sign that England will go all the way in the World Cup!" said Nicholas Palmer, the principal field archaeologist at the Warwickshire Museum. The partially corroded badge is still being assessed and catalogued, but it is said to not be worth a huge amount of money. Mr. Palmer said the three lions symbol was very popular at the time the badge was made.

Patrick Barr as Richard the Lionheart

Since I found the reports of this discovery, I have been trying to find out a little more about the history behind the heraldic badge of England. We have seen the three lions clearly displayed on the coat of arms and costumes in portrayals of Richard the Lionheart for many years, including Patrick Barr in Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952) and Sean Connery in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991).

    Sean Connery as Richard the Lionheart

In the brief time I have had to research this, it appears that historical evidence is rather scarce on how the heraldic emblem of ‘the three lions’ first evolved. But it seems the origins of the heraldic lion that has come to be used as the symbol of the English, arose during the period when the English were under the rule of the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. In medieval Europe, royalty and knights were identified by their heraldic crests. The lion crest was popular in France and Normandy. It represented ferocity and bravery in battle and it seems the first known example of a Royal Coat of Arms in England, was that of the House of Plantagenet and the reign of Henry II (1183-1189) which was a golden lion ‘rampant’ (rearing up) on a red background.

His son Richard I (1157-1199) when he came to the throne, originally used his personal arms of two golden lions ‘combatant’ on a red field, this was the arms of the Dukes of Normandy (a title held by Richard). Richard’s mother, the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine used one gold lion on a red background and in the last year of his reign, 1198 (our first certain date) it seems Richard combined the two crests for his Second Great Seal, to form the three golden lions (Gules three lions passant guardant ) for his kingdom of England. This was probably after he inherited his mother’s territories of Aquitaine and Poitou. The 'three lions' continued to be used for his brother John, Henry III, Edward I, and Edward II.

            Richard I (the Lionheart)

It seems we could do with Richard the Lionheart and his legendary Plantagenet temper this week in the England teams changing room, to get those overpaid young footballers who wear his legendary crest, fired-up and playing with a bit more spirit!

Richard the Lionheart

Few kings are remembered by their epithet and not their number. Since I was young, Richard the Lionheart has always fascinated me. He was played by Patrick Barr (1908-1985) in Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and TV’s Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-1960), but before Barr there is a whole host of actors that have played Coeur de Lion stretching right back to the days of the Tudor stage, the golden days of cinema and up to modern television. These include: Arthur Hollingworth, Wallace Beery, Ian Hunter, George Sanders, Norman Wooland, Patrick Holt, Dermot Walsh, Peter Ustinov (Voice), Robert Hardy, Sean Connery, John Rhys Davies, and Steve Waddington.

Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199) remains a king of colourful legend and mythology like King Arthur, and continues to be ensconced with the stories of Robin Hood. He has been described by some historians as the greatest king of England in the Middle Ages, his brother John-the worst. No other English or British monarch comes close to him in terms of his impact on the wider world. The Muslims (Saracens) knew him as him Melek-Ric or Malek al-Inkitar-King of the English.Winston Churchill described him as:

“Worthy, by the consent of all men, to sit with King Arthur and Roland and other heroes of martial romance at some Eternal Round Table, which we trust, The Creator of the Universe in His comprehension will not have forgotten to provide."

But what was this powerful king’s character really like? Richard was born on 8th September 1157 at Oxford, but the next twelve years of Richard’s life is shrouded in mystery. Ralph of Diceto implies that this son was special to his mother Eleanor from birth, recalling one of the ancient prophecies of Merlin, which in the twelfth century were widely believed to apply to Henry II and his feuding family: ‘The eagle of the broken covenant shall rejoice in her third nesting.’ Eleanor was the eagle, the broken covenant - the dissolution of her marriage to Louis and the third nesting was the birth of her third son, Richard. Richard was certainly Eleanor’s favourite and he shared his mother’s love of show and sophistication. Her documents always describe him as her ‘very dear son, while her younger son, John-his father’s favourite-only managed a ‘dear son’ at best.


Richard was the third son of King Henry II (1133-1189) and his glamorous, strong-minded consort, Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) without doubt one of the most extraordinary women of her age and the mother in the archetypal dysfunctional family-the so-called ‘Devil’s Brood.’ The new prince would be known in his own lifetime as Richard the Lionhearted. Gerald of Wales commented that his father ‘Henry was a shield but Richard was a hammer.’ Like his father he understood the world of devastated castles and of sore legs from being constantly in the saddle. Also like Henry, Richard was never interested in tournaments, only the screams and excitement of real warfare. He soon proved his generalship while still a teenager in the bitter struggles to bring the uncontrollable vassals of Aquitaine to heel. He was second in line to inherit his parents’ joint empire, including not just England and Normandy but duchies and other ancient fiefdoms stretching right down to the Spanish peninsula.

Coeur de Lion was capable of writing verse in French and the language of southern France-Provencal. He could speak Latin well enough to crack a Latin joke at the expense of the less learned Archbishop of Canterbury. Like Eleanor, Richard enjoyed music and could while away the hours in his German prison writing songs. He is often described as a Renaissance man before the Renaissance. When the clerks of the royal chapel were singing in choir, he would often walk among them urging them, with voice and hand, to sing with great gusto.

But Richard seems to have inherited his sense of humour from his father, who was known to chuckle a great deal. William of Newburgh rather critically said that the Lionheart ‘turned everything into a joke and made his listeners laugh uncontrollably’. Although the full quota of the infamous Plantagenet temper also flowed through his veins.

John Gillingham, emeritus professor of medieval history at the London School of Economics explains,’ Richard of course, enjoyed war, and no war could bring greater prestige to the warrior than the war against the Saracens, the war in the Holy Land, the centre of the Christian world. On this battle ground no act of bravery, no chivalrous deed, would go unnoticed. But it would be a mistake to think that Richard was indifferent to religion and to the attractions of a plenary indulgence..........on two occasions were recorded by Roger of Howden when Richard went through a religious and emotional crisis.’

Arab historian Baha ad-Din wrote that Richard was, 'a man of great courage and spirit. He had fought great battles and showed a burning passion for war. His kingdom and standing were inferior to those of the French king, but his wealth, reputation and valour were greater.’ He was undoubtedly a leader men could follow, just as his severity made him a king to be feared. When Prince John’s castellan of Mont St Michel heard that King Richard had returned to England after his captivity, he dropped dead from fright.

19th century image of Richard I leaving for the Holy Land

There is unanimity about certain key features of his character and personality. His appearance was often commented on. He was over 6ft tall and had his father’s penetrating blue eyes. The chronicler Richard de Templo described him during his coronation:

‘He was tall, of elegant build; the colour of his hair was between red and gold; his limbs were supple and straight. He had quite long arms which were particularly suited to drawing a sword and wielding it to great effect. His long legs matched the rest of his body.’

Richard was slightly overweight in his later years, frequently sick and suffered from a continual shaking in his hands from some kind of malarial fever that nothing seemed to control. Gerald of Wales wrote: ‘While thus almost continually trembling, he remained intrepid in his determination to make the whole world tremble before him.’

He had a lifelong habit of chivalric gestures. His favourite weapon on the battlefield was the long reaching mace and is stated to have said, "I am born of a rank which recognizes no superior but God". But the Lionheart was also said to be fond of quoting the Angevin family legend "From the Devil we sprang and to the Devil we shall go."

In modern times Richard’s personality has received a complete mix of opinions from historians and scholars. Recent media interpretations of the Lionheart have not been all that flattering to him either, compared to the glorious king in shining armour that returns to rescue downtrodden England from the clutches of his evil brother and reward Robin Hood in the golden days of cinema.

Today Richard I is portrayed as the absent King who was willing to sell London, couldn’t speakEnglish, taxed the country to its knees to pay for his ransom and crusade and was probably...........homosexual.

I had a small discussion with someone on a forum a while ago about this modern view of Richard:

STEVE: “Richard was a great warrior and he captured the imagination for this reason, but he was a poor king for England. His ransom of 150,000 marks was a ruinous amount, especially following so closely on the money that the country had been obliged to pay for his Crusade.

To me he is no hero because while he was capable of isolated noble gestures he also committed many ignoble acts. His massacre of Turkish prisoners, being just one example of his worst. He also committed atrocities against his subjects in Europe and his European enemies. The misfortune of his capture and ransom was brought on by his own actions. He alienated himself from Leopold of Austria by casting his standard from the walls of Acre because Leopold was not a King.

He was also believed to have played a part in arranging the assassination of Leopold's cousin. In many ways he was like a talented sportsman of modern times, idolised because of the success he has achieved in his sport, but who has set a bad example in his private life. Having said that, Richard's success was all for nothing. The Crusade failed and his continental gains were soon lost.

Clement: I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Firstly, surely we should judge Richard through the eyes of someone in the twelfth century, not a modern sportsman, but a medieval monarch. By the standards of the time Richard was right to spend his reign fighting for the Angevin Empire and for Jerusalem. The Holy Cross, a most sacred relic had been captured, and the flourishing Holy Christian City was invaded. For a Christian Prince it was right and expected that he should attempt to appease the wrath of God and re-capture the Holy City from the infidel.

Within months, the campaign to raise an army to recapture it was in full swing right across Europe, not just in England. It was his father who has set up the 'Saladin Tithe' to help pay for the Crusade. Yes the beheading of the Muslim garrison of Acre was, barbarous and horrific. But once again we have to look through the eyes of a Christina King of the twelfth century. The lives of the unbelievers were of no account. They were, in any case doomed to hell. In the words of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, 'the Christian glories in the death of a pagan, because thereby Christ himself is glorified.'

Yes the ransom was a phenomenal amount. But one reason why England was better able to afford the ransom was for the first time in history it was beginning to suffer the first signs of serious inflation. Although they didn't realise it at the time, removing a quarter of the nation's money from circulation provided just the deflationary shock that needed to calm the inflation that was beginning to eat its way into everyday life. Also taxation for Richard's ransom had a profound effect on English government. It marked the beginning of a shift from feudal payments to the very start of taxing income.”

Steve: ‘I suppose we have to put aside the truth about Richard in the context of Robin Hood and see him as the Richard of legend. My own knowledge of King Richard originally came from Robin Hood and other fictions and consequently I saw him as a great hero. When I learned about the historical facts of his life and the nature of the man I was disappointed with him. He fell far short of the mythic hero we had been presented with.”

How do we judge a medieval king? Looking through the eyes of our ancestors is something very difficult to do, particularly from our own centrally heated, double glazed, hi-tech world. For example, what about this question regarding Richard’s sexuality? Historians have debated this since the eighteenth century, fuelled by the accounts of his stay in Paris when he used to share a bed with Philip Augustus himself.

But this in itself is evidence of nothing very much-people regularly shared beds in the twelfth century. If you were to stay in a medieval hall at this time it was not unusual to find several beds accommodating two or three or even more men. Women were also expected to share the same quarters.

Effigie of Richard I in Fontevrault Abbey

The historian John Gillingham, one of the best authorities on the life of Richard I, described the act of Richard and Philip sleeping together as "an accepted political act, nothing sexual about it; ... a bit like a modern-day photo opportunity." Henry II and William Marshall also did likewise and the heterosexual credentials of Henry are unimpeachable.

In the aftermath of the terror attacks on the United States, President George W Bush described the ‘War on Terror’ as a ‘Crusade.’ This was regarded as an unfortunate choice of words by political commentators and did very little to reduce tensions with the countries in the Middle East, who regard Westerners as aggressive invaders. Bush was quickly condemned. And it is in these highly sensitive times that Richard I of England has become low profile and regarded little more than a particularly violent king who spent nearly all his reign abroad, leaving Robin Hood to rescue his kingdom from his evil brother.

But, historical evidence shows us that Richard was without doubt one of the greatest statesmen and warriors of the medieval age, hence his status in myth and legend. Yes, he was absent from England for most of his reign, but England was only a small part of his domains. Most modern scholars now have to agree that in the short period he was in England he performed wonders of diplomacy and statesmanship. His relations with the Celtic fringes; Ireland, Scotland and Wales remained largely trouble free and the efficiency of the English administration was remarkable. It is also sometimes forgotten that Richard ‘the absent king’ also managed to place a financial and administrative genius and at the head of his Exchequer and government, when he delegated Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury as his right arm. Walter became one of the most outstanding government ministers in English history.

King John's Palace at Clipstone

On the road from Edwinstowe to Mansfield, 19 miles from Nottingham, in the heart of what was once part of the royal forest of Sherwood, is the village of King’s Clipstone. Standing in what is known as Castle Field at grid reference SK605647 is the enigmatic ruins known today as ‘King John’s Palace’ or ‘the Castle’.

It is a site I have wanted to visit for a very long time. According to my notes this place was first documented in 1164 when ‘£20 was spent on repairs to the king’s houses’. The buildings were originally constructed in timber and later replaced Mansfield and Kingshaugh as the principal royal accommodation during the monarch’s hunting parties in Sherwood. For over 200 years this ‘palace’ was the main royal residence in the area and Henry II, Richard I, John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, and Richard II all stayed for weeks or even months at a time. Ideally situated at the heart of ancient Sherwood, and only a day’s ride from Nottingham, they could enjoy the pleasures of the beautiful countryside and rich hunting away from the main royal residences. Situated on the high ground above the River Maun with the Great Pond of Clipstone to the east, the site would have been fairly secure and very pleasant.

The excavation in the 1950’s and field walking revealed numerous small Roman remains. It seems the site was probably first occupied by the Romans, later becoming first a Saxon, then a royal manor. The Plantagenet kings transformed the building into a royal palace. Excavations in 1956 showed that the palace consisted of a number of buildings, some timber framed and some stone, including a great hall, knights' hall, queen's hall and kitchen, king's kitchen, great chamber, great chapel and long stable, surrounded by a ditch.

The owner of historic ‘King John's Palace’, Mickey Bradley, is hoping to raise the profile of the site to save the ruins, which are in urgent need of work to stabilise the crumbling walls and recently the site was added to the English Heritage's Buildings 'At Risk Register', which highlights important sites that are in 'grave danger of irretrievable decay'. With the backing of local group the ‘Kings Clipstone Project’ –– Mr. Bradley is hoping that once the site is made safe, it can be opened up to visitors.

The group, which is working in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council, Greenwood Community Forest, Sherwood Forest Trust, Newark & Sherwood Council and the Forestry Commission, wants to make the whole area more accessible to ramblers and cyclists.

Stephen Parkhouse, of the ‘Kings Clipstone Project’ said, "This area is like a jigsaw puzzle and all we need to do is put the pieces together. We're keen to make this a part of the Nottinghamshire tourist route.

"The things we are talking about –– for example a footpath up to Sherwood Forest Pines –– are not going to cost a lot of money, but will give people better access to what is a major royal site."

And Mrs. Bradley, the wife of the owner, believes all the work going on behind the scenes to ensure the survival of the ruins is worthwhile because of the great importance of the site.

"Everybody that comes here is floored by the amount of history and can't believe we have a royal palace," she said.

"People talk of it as a ‘hunting lodge’, but there were a whole series of buildings on a large scale and we know from documentary evidence it had stables for 200 horses –– it was a very important location. The remains are very much in danger and there are bits falling off all the time, the way things are going I don't think it will be here in 10 years time.”

A condition survey carried out by Nottinghamshire County Council found the palace to be in a 'dreadful state', but thanks to the rich history of the site the council views it as a priority. James Wright, of Nottinghamshire Community Archaeology said, "King John's Palace is a tremendously important site, it's a medieval royal palace and you don't really get much more important than that. It was used as a meeting place for the kings of England to meet other royalty and as such it is of national and even international importance."

The 4th Duke of Portland was known to have robbed the foundations in 1816. The buildings are said to have covered two acres with stables for two hundred horses which gives some idea of the scale of building on the site.

Six generations of Plantagenet Kings’ were recorded as delighting in the pleasures, Clipstone had to offer. Its grandeur can be summarized by the fact that Richard Lionheart visited it on Palm Sunday 1194. It was shortly after his return to England after being ransomed by the Duke of Austria and the siege of Nottingham Castle.

“……….he set out to see Clipstone and the forest of Sherwood, which he had never seen before and it pleased him much.”

Roger of Hoveden (fl.1174-1201)

Richard I chose to return on April 2nd to meet King William of Scotland. We can only imagine the entertainment’s planned. No king of Richard’s standing would choose to meet a fellow monarch particularly when greater houses were within reach. Maybe less formality and the pleasure of the hunt were the reason for this choice.

King John, Richard’s brother was given The Manors of Clipstone, while still Earl of Mortain. Deprived of them once because of mutinous behavior in trying to seize the crown whilst his brother was at the Crusades, they were later restored. There are actually only five recorded visits to the ‘Kings Houses’ but possibly some went un-chronicled. For some reason ‘King John’s Palace’ stuck, but not at the time. William Senior’s map 1630 refers to the building as ‘Manor Garth’ and Hoopers engraving refers to the ‘Kings Houses’ in 1784.

It seems that it was the earliest O/S Maps who started to use the term ‘King John’s Palace’. Probably this term was taken from the local people who knew other local legends about him. One in particular relates how King John whilst hunting in Sherwood was bought news of a Welsh uprising, so ordered the 28 boy hostages held at Nottingham Castle to be hung.

Nearby lays Parliament Oak, it was under the branches of this tree where Edward I is supposed to have held a parliament during a royal hunt in Sherwood. Edward, intent on proceeding to the Scottish Borders, summoned Parliament to meet him at Clipstone, in October 1290. This truly brought such a number of nobles to Clipstone that would never be seen again. During the months that followed he was near or at Clipstone, when his wife Eleanor Castille became seriously ill. She was staying at Rufford Abbey away from the bustle of Clipstone until she moved to Hardby where she died, on 28 November 1290.

Some of the additions were large and expensive. In 1279 Edward I added two chambers with chapels costing £435 12s 6d, a huge amount and two years later he built stables for 200 horses at a cost of £104 8s 5d. In 1348/49 money was spent on the rebuilding of the knights’ chamber and the repair of the great hall, the queen’s hall, the king’s kitchen, the queen’s kitchen, great chamber, Rosamund’s chamber, Robert de Mauley’s chamber, the treasurer’s chamber, the chamber of Lionel, the king’s son, the great chapel, the chapel next to the king’s chamber, the king’s long stable, and the great gateway.

The last known royal visit was by Richard II in 1393. After 1401 the palace was granted as a reward to loyal supporters (returned to the crown on death) and it fell into an increasing state of disrepair. By 1568 the ‘King’s Houses’ were virtually gone. For the next 250 years the site was plundered of its stone to build village houses and Clipstone Hall, the replacement manor house.

Whether the kings who stayed at Clipstone ever thought of the property as a ‘palace’ is debatable. What is certain is that the ‘King’s Houses’ became a high status complex of buildings, reflecting the fact that for over 200 years it was the favored residence of the Plantagenet Kings when visiting the area. The large sums being expended provide very good evidence that many of the buildings were constructed of stone and records from the 17th century indicate a Romanesque style. The three walls now remaining probably date from around 1279 when Edward I added the new King’s and Queen’s Chambers.

I will try and visit this site this year and post some pictures.

Blondel's Song by David Boyle

From time to time I will recommend books that have helped me to understand the complex legend of Robin Hood and historical events that have helped inspire his myth. An historical person who has, since about 1521 been continually linked with the outlaw, is of course King Richard I of England (1189-1199).

I have already begun to chronicle the early days of his reign and his association with the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn, near Nottingham Castle and over the years I have read many books on the lionhearted monarch. But none have come as close as Blondel’s Song in explaining his capture, imprisonment and ransom.

Many of us know the legend of Blondel and how this faithful minstrel made his way through Germany and Austria in search of the missing King Richard the Lionheart, singing hopefully under each castle wall. It culminates when, one quiet night under a tower, Blondel’s song is taken up and echoed by a familiar voice inside. That of Richard himself.

“Blondel’s Song sheds new light on one of the most interesting periods in medieval history. Providing new perspectives on the lives of Richard and Blondel, as well as an insight into the courts of love, the Holy Grail and Europe in the turbulent aftermath of the Crusades. As one of our most famous medieval kings, Richard the Lionheart’s rule encompassed some of England’s most colourful and enduring legends- Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham and the discovery of King Arthur’s grave. None however match the untold story of Blondel, Richard’s faithful minstrel and reputed saviour.

Centered around the monarch’s imprisonment, Blondel’s Song uncovers the real story behind Richard’s secret journey back from the Crusades across the Alps in winter, his arrest and subsequent discovery through a minstrel’s song and the effects of his gigantic ransom.”

The author of Blondel's Song is David Boyle and the book is published by Penguin.

The Birth of the Lionheart

It was probably inevitable that King Richard the Lionheart would be linked with England’s other favorite folk-hero, Robin Hood. But surprisingly Richard I does not appear in the surviving early Robin Hood ballads. In fact it was a Scottish chronicler, John Major (or Mair) (1469-1550) who first linked the two legendary characters in his ‘History of Greater Britain’ in about 1521:

“About the time of King Richard I, according to my estimate, the famous English robbers, Robert Hode and Little John were lurking in the woods, preying only on the goods of the wealthy and never slew any unless they opposed them in defence of their goods.”

Forty Eight years later the Tudor printer and chronicler Richard Grafton (d.1572) claimed to have seen an ‘olde and aunciente pamphlet’ placing Robin Hood in the years of Richard I. This theme was enhanced by the prolific playwright Anthony Munday (c.1560-1633) who left a lasting impression on the legend, when he completely gentrified the outlaw in two successful plays, making him Robert Earl of Huntingdon in the court of Richard the Lionheart.
Munday’s two dramas, ‘The Downfall’ and the ‘The Death of Robert, Earle of Huntingdon’ were both published in 1601:

"Enter King Richard with drumme and scepter, and Ensigne,
giving Ely a purse; his mother and brother John,
Chester, Lester, Lacie, others at the Kings appointment,
doing reverence. The King goes in.

Richard calde Cor de Lyon takes his leave,
Like the Lords Champion, gainst the Pagan foes
That spoyle Judea and rich Palestine.
The rule of England and his princely seate
He leaves with Ely, then Lord Chancellor,
To whom the mother Queene, her sonne, Prince John,
Chester, and all the Peeres are sworne."

And:

"Enter Robert, Earle of Huntington, leading Marian;
folowes him Warman, and after Warman the Prior,
War-man ever flattering and making curtsie,
taking gifts of the Prior behinde, and his master before.
Prince John enters, offereth to take Marian.
Queene Elinor enters, offering to pull Robin from her; but they in-folde each other,
and sit downe within the curteines.

This youth that leads yon virgin by the hand (As doth the Sunne, the morning richly clad)
Is our Earle Robert, or your Robin Hoode,
That in those daies was Earle of Huntington.
The ill fac't miser, brib'd in either hand,
Is Warman, once the Steward of his house,
Who Judas-like betraies his liberall Lord
Into the hands of that relentlesse Prior,
Calde Gilbert Hoode, uncle to Huntington.
Those two that seeke to part these lovely friends
Are Elenor the Queene and John the Prince;
She loves Earle Robert, he Maide Marian,
But vainely: for their deare affect is such,
As only death can sunder their true loves."


This theme of Robin living at the time of King Richard the Lionheart and bad Prince John seems to have generally remained popular since Tudor times. So what was the real Richard I like?

Most of us know of his personality through the Hollywood films. He leaves his kingdom to fight on a Crusade, his evil brother tries to usurp his throne during his absence and Richard is eventually imprisoned, ransomed and then triumphantly returns to save his throne with the help of Robin Hood.

According to John Gillingham, a leading authority on the life and times of Richard I:

“…the actual history of the reign of King Richard I in no way lets down the legend, and provides a story to equal the most gripping tale of Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe or The Talisman. Above all, the true character of Richard himself emerges, physically every inch the noble figure of our romantic imagination with his powerful build, striking red-gold hair and blue eyes, but at no point a mere dummy. Like many another heroic figure he failed in his ultimate objective, in this case to recapture Jerusalem, the Holy City; although by the end of his scant ten years’ reign, he had managed to win back much of his own Angevin Empire.”

(The Life and Times of Richard I by John Gillingham - Book Club Associates, London.)

No other King of England ever caught the imagination of his age as did Richard Coeur de Lion. Troubadour, knight-adventurer, war lord, Crusader-king-he was all of these things. He was a son who rebelled against the old king, his father. He was a captain who could meet the great Saladin on equal terms, who could conquer Cyprus in a few short weeks. He was a diplomat who built coalitions on a European scale. He was a king held captive by his mortal enemies while a fellow-Crusader invaded his lands and his own treacherous brother tried to snatch his kingdom from him. He was a warrior who lived all his life at the centre of the political stage only to die in an obscure sideshow in a place no one had ever heard of. Although he could not speak English and was not interested in England, he was the first king since the Norman Conquest to become an English folk-hero.

Of all the English kings he was the one who fitted most naturally into the world of ballad and legend. But it was not just in England that Richard became a name to conjure with. In thirteenth-century France he could be described as ‘the greatest of all Christian kings’. In Syria his name was invoked when Muslim women wanted to stop their children crying:

‘Hush child, or the King of England will come.’

So far as they were concerned, there was only one King of England, Richard Coeur de Lion.

Richard was born in Oxford, England, on the 8th of September 1157 in the Palace of Beaumont, the third legitimate heir of King Henry II (1133-1189) and Eleanor of Aquitane (1122-1204. He was second in line to inherit his parents’ joint empire, which at its heart was Anjou, not England and included not just Normandy but duchies and other ancient fiefdoms stretching right down to the Spanish peninsula.

Later, in 1190 Richard I charged the town of Rowdon, south west of Chippenham, with £7.10s a year as a provision for life to a person described as ‘Hodierna Nutrix,’ Hodierna the Nurse (b. circa 1151). She is believed to be the English royal wet-nurse who it is said, fed baby Richard from her right breast and reserved her left for her own son, who was born on the same day, Alexander Nequam. Hodierna became very wealthy and her name is still attached to the Wiltshire parish of Knoyle Hodierne. Her son Alexander Nequam later became Abbot of Cirencester and a great medieval scholar.

Richard’s father Henry II was the first of the Plantagenet kings. He was tall with broad shoulders and the strength and endurance to match. His sense of humour was strong, but his temper was unpredictable and he could be bitterly vindictive towards anyone who roused his temper. His violent ‘Angevin’ rages were legendary.

In 1175 Henry rode into Nottingham in one of those rages accusing local people of breaking Forest laws. It was said that he was, ‘addicted to the chase beyond measure; at crack of dawn he was off on horseback, traversing waste lands, penetrating forests and climbing the mountain tops, and so he passed restless days.’

Despite his frenetic energy and love of hunting, Henry had a serious and scholarly side. He read books regularly, had an excellent memory and understood all the languages from the coast of France to the River Jordan, although he normally spoke in French or Latin. But it is his legal, administrative and financial developments during his reign that have been much praised by scholars and historians.

Eleanor of Aquitaine is often described as one of the most vivid and remarkable figures in the 12th-century as a patron of the arts, as a politician and as a mother. Throughout her life, beautiful Eleanor had been surrounded by an aura of romance and scandalous rumour. She inspired poets and songwriters of the time and under her patronage the ideals and codes of courtly love began to emerge. Her son Richard the Lionheart, inherited her love of music:

“Were the World all mine
From the sea to the Rhine
I’d give all away
If the English Queen
Would be mine for a day.”

As heir to the duchy of Aquitaine at 15, she had previously been married to Louis VII of France but had the marriage dissolved. “I thought to have married a king, but found I am wed to a monk!” She is supposed to have said.

Dressed as an ‘Amazonian Warrior’ alongside her uncle, Raymond of Antioch, Eleanor led her own troops on Crusade for two years. Rumours of her flirtations with her uncle persisted for many years after. But due to her not producing a male heir, her marriage to Louis VII was finally annulled in 1152.

To the horror of the French she set her sights on Henry Plantagenet, Duke of Normandy, heir to the Angevin empire, (he did not become King of England until Stephen died in 1154), 11 years her junior, whom she had met in August of the previous year. After arriving in Poitiers, Eleanor sent messages saying she wished to marry him.

Less than two months after her marriage was annulled, Henry and Eleanor were married on Whit Sunday 1152. Two years later Henry was crowned King Henry II of England in Westminster Abbey and Aquitaine became part of the Plantagenet Empire. During the early years of marriage to Henry, Eleanor was actively involved in the political life of his vast domains and she even became regent of England in 1161 during his absence.

In fourteen years she had never borne a male heir to the throne of France, but in the first six years of her second marriage, she had five children, four of them boys: William who died young, Henry, Richard and Geoffrey. Eventually they had eight children, the last of whom, John, was born in 1167.

After 1163, Queen Eleanor was less in the public eye as the children grew up and her resentment against Henry began to grow. At first Henry conducted secret love affairs. Then he began a public relationship with a knight’s daughter, Rosamond Clifford ‘the fair Rosamond.’ Henry also became involved with his son Richard’s fiancée, a French princess who also happened to be the daughter of Eleanor’s first husband, Louis VII! Ten years later Eleanor led three of her sons, ‘the devil’s brood’ the ‘Young King’ Henry, Richard and Geoffrey in rebellion against Henry, surprising him with this act of aggression. Eleanor may have hoped to gain the right to rule Aquitaine with her beloved third son, Richard, without Henry. But the rebellion was put down and the fifty year old Eleanor was imprisoned by her angry husband for the next sixteen years.

Henry’s sons continued to war against him, including his favorite, the young John. In 1183, after the ‘Young King Henry’s’ death Eleanor was allowed to tour Aquitaine. Finally six years later Henry II died and Queen Eleanor assumed powers far greater than before, as the sweet core of her life, Richard became king.

Richard the Lionheart's Silver Penny

During Richard I’s (1189-1199) reign the only denomination struck was the Silver Penny. They are very rare. This partucular Silver Penny showing a stylised portrait of the king was minted in London by the monyer Stivene.

Patrick Barr

Patrick Barr, like Archie Duncan, transferred over from starring in Disney’s film version, The Story of Robin Hood in 1952 to television’s Adventures of Robin Hood in 1956. As we shall see, Disney’s Story and the much loved Adventures of Robin Hood have many connections. In this case, Patrick resurrected the role of King Richard the Lionhearted, in two episodes of the classic series.

Patrick (or Pat, as he was sometimes called) was born in Akola, India on 13th February 1908 and had his first brush with the legendry outlaw when he first appeared on the silver screen in 1932 as a torturer in the black and white short, The Merry Men of Sherwood.

During the 1930’s Patrick was very often cast as dependable, trustworthy characters and after six years of military service during WWII he continued to bring those qualities to his roles in a very long career in film and television. His early notable movies included The Case of the Frightened Lady (1940), The Blue Lagoon (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952).

In 1950 Patrick had appeared as the Earl of Northumberland in a television production of Richard II and it was in this medium that his popularity was mainly to grow, although he did continue to perform in some celebrated films. He appeared once again alongside Richard Todd in the classic war film, The Dambusters (1955), Saint Joan (1957), Next To Time (1960), The Longest Day (1962), Billy Liar (1963) The First Great Train Robbery (1979) and Octopussy in (1983).

His later television appearances included four episodes of Dr Who, three performances as Lord Boyne in The Secret of Boyne Castle for the Wonderful World of Disney in 1969 and three episodes of Telford’s Change in 1979.
Pat died aged 77 in London on 29th August 1985.

© Clement of the Glen 2006-2007

Coronation And Crusade

In nearly every Robin Hood movie, the story is set during the reign of Richard I (1189-1199). Walt Disney’s ‘Story of Robin Hood’ is no different and the part of King Richard was played by British actor Patrick Barr, who later resurrected the role in the well loved TV series ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ four years later.

The actual history of the reign of Richard I in no way lets down the legend and it was inevitable that he would be linked with that other English hero, Robin Hood. Firstly by a Scottish chronicler, John Major in 1521 and later by the playwright Anthony Munday and novelist Sir Walter Scott.

In October 1187 Jerusalem had fallen to the armies of Saladin and the following year Richard made his vows as a crusader. The English treasury was well supplied, thanks to the ‘Saladin tithe’ imposed by his father, Henry II. But Richard’s crusade would demand a great deal more.

At the time of his coronation Richard Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Maine, Duke of Normandy and Lord of Aquitaine was in his thirty third year. A handsome six-footer, with long, straight limbs, deep chest and reddish-golden hair, he had a surprisingly pale complexion and dazzling blue eyes. He looked the model of the knightly warrior. Violent in his ‘Angevin’ rage and jealous of his honour, he could also be generous. Always the first to attack, the last to retreat, he was described by an enemy as the ‘most remarkable ruler of his times.’

A typical picture is of Richard wading ashore at Jaffa to relieve the hard-pressed Christian garrison calling, “shame on him who lags behind!” He was reckless in skirmishes, could joke in Latin, compose songs, took the ‘impregnable’ Taillebourg in Saintonge in three days and raised Chateau Gaillard within two years. Richard the Lionheart once told the Holy Roman Emperor, “I am born of a rank which recognizes no superior but God.”

In 1189 Richard was anxious to be off on the exciting adventure of a crusade, already before his coronation he had ordered a muster of ships. Everything was sacrificed to raising money for it, loyal officials were made to pay heavily for the new king’s goodwill, Sheriff’s were discharged from office and new ones were installed, who would pay to be admitted. Everything was for sale-privileges, lordships, earldoms, castles, towns. At the time he said he would sell London if he could find a buyer.

But a coronation was the most important event in medieval political life, so Richards crusading plans were put on hold while he prepared for his, in Westminster Abbey on Sunday 3 September 1189. In their descriptions of the ceremony the chroniclers have given us our first breathtaking insight of an English coronation which I could not resist including.

Attended at his lodgings by churchmen in purple silk vestments and priests bearing cross, candles and thuribles of smoking incense, the king was conducted to the abbey along the streets carpeted with finest linen cloth and resounding to the ‘most glorious singing.’

“…….And there they received the aforementioned Richard who was to be crowned and led him into the church of Westminster in this manner up to the alter with a solemn procession and hymnody. In front went the clerics dressed in white, carrying the holy water and the cross and the candles and the thuribles, next came the abbots, then the bishops. In the middle of those men, however, went four barons carrying candelabra with candles.

After then came John Marshal, carrying in his hands two large and heavy spurs from the king’s treasure. Next to him went Godfrey de Luci carrying the royal cope. After them came two earls, namely William Marshal, earl of Pembroke and William earl of Salisbury. William Marshall was carrying the royal sceptre, on the top of which was a golden design of the cross; William earl of Salisbury was carrying the royal rod, which had a dove on the top.

And after them came three earls, namely David, the brother of the king of Scotland, earl of Huntingdon, and Robert earl of Leicester, and between them went John Count of Mortain and earl of Gloucester, Richard’s brother. They were carrying three swords with splendid golden sheaths from the king’s treasure.

And after them came six earls and barons carrying a single board on which were placed the royal accoutrements and clothes. And after them went William de Mandeville, count of Aumale and earl of Essex, carrying the golden crown in his hands. Next came Richard duke of Normandey, count of Poitou. Hugh, bishop of Durham went on his right, and Reginald bishop of Bath went on his left, and a silk coverlet was carried over them. And the entire crowd of earls and barons and knights and others, both clerics and laymen, followed up into the nave of the church, and so through the church up to the alter.


On reaching the high altar, Richard took the coronation oath. Kneeling before a copy of the Gospels and the relics of many saints, he swore that all the days of his life he would observe peace, honour and reverence towards God and the holy church; that he would exercise right justice over all the people committed to his charge. Then Richard was anointed. All his clothes were stripped off except his breeches and his shirt, which was bare to the chest.

“Then they shod him with sandals woven from gold. Then the archbishop put the sceptre in his right hand and the royal rod in his left. Then Baldwin archbishop of Canterbury, pouring holy oil over him (using the beautiful little silver spoon last used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953) on three parts of his body, namely on his head, on his shoulders and on his right arm, with the appointed prayers for this act, anointed him as king.

Then he placed on his head a consecrated linen cloth and the cope over it. Then they dressed him in the royal garments: first a tunic, then a dalmatic. Then the archbishop entrusted to him the sword for constraining those who do wrong to the Church. Then the two earls put on him the splendid golden spurs from the king’s treasure.

Thus clad, Richard was led back to the altar, where the Archbishop adjured him, in the name of Almighty God, not to take the crown unless he genuinely intended to keep the oaths he had sworn. Richard replied that, with God’s help, he intended to observe them all.

“Then he (Richard) took the crown from the altar, and gave it to the archbishop and the archbishop placed it on the head of the king.” (The jewel encrusted crown was so heavy that Richard could keep it on his head only when two earls helped to take the weight.)

“And so the crowned king was led to his throne. Hugh bishop of Durham on his right and Reginald bishop of Bath on his left were leading him, the candles and the aforementioned three swords going before them. Then the Lord’s Mass was begun.” During the service a bat was seen to flitter around the throne, and this was odd because it was the middle of the day. It was looked upon by some to be an evil omen. Richard, however, was not a man to be deterred by portents.

“And when it reached the point of the offertory, the two aforesaid bishops led him to the offering, and then led him back to his throne. After Mass had been celebrated and everything had been carried out according to the service, the two aforesaid bishops, one on his right and one on his left, led back the crowned king, carrying the sceptre in his right hand and the royal rod in his left. properly advancing from the church to the king’s own dwelling by procession. Then the procession returned into the choir.”

Back in his chamber Richard was allowed to change into lighter clothes and a lighter crown. He then sat down to a coronation banquet, in which the clergy, in order of rank dined at his table, with the laity, earls, barons and knights sitting at different tables. The citizens of Winchester worked in the kitchen and the people of London were kept busy in the cellars. An idea of the scale of this magnificent occasion can be obtained from the fact that at least 1,770 pitchers, 900 cups and 5,050 dishes were brought in for the special occasion .

© Clement of the Glen 2006-2007

Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem

One of the most memorable scenes in ‘The Story of Robin Hood’, is the fantastic view from the battlements of Nottingham Castle, as Richard the Lionheart’s Crusading knights ride off into the beautiful sunset, singing a Gregorian chant.

Walt Disney and the scouting crew visited ‘Notting-ham’, as he called it, in 1952. They called in at ‘Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, which has long been associated with Crusaders and is said to be one of the oldest pubs in Great Britain. The date on the exterior seventeenth century walls 1189, is the date of Richard the Lionheart’s accession to the English throne, but the tavern’s history starts long before then.

An original brew house can be linked to the site from the time of William the Conqueror (1066-1087). His construction engineer, William Peverill was instructed to build a motte and bailey castle on huge rocky red sandstone overlooking Nottingham in 1068. In the process, Peverill diverted the course of the River Leen to the foot of what is now known as Castle Rock as a moated defence and also as a valuable water supply for the future fortress.

But the water supply, in early times was often contaminated. The brewing process sterilised the water, making the drinking of ale, for a medieval citizen, a far safer alternative and the caves below the castle were an ideal location for this brewing environment. Today, you can still see in the ‘Trip’ rooms and cellars cut deep back into the castle rock, ventilating shafts climbing through the rock, a speaking tube bored through it and a chimney climbing through the rock forty seven feet above the chamber, all evidence of its brewing past.

Although there is very little surviving historical records from the middle ages, there is evidence that suggests that the area, which became known as Brewhouse Yard, was owned by the Knight’s of St. John of Jerusalem, The Knight Templars and the Priory of Lenton.

The word ‘Trip’ in the tavern’s name does not refer to a journey, but comes from the original ‘old English’ meaning of the word, to stop, during a journey-hence a break in the journey to the Holy Land. In fact the pub’s former name was ‘The Pilgrim,’ which brings us back to the link with the legend of the Crusaders and King Richard.

So ale was certainly available on the site of Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, back when Richard and his Crusaders were leaving for the Holy Land in December 1189. Amidst the carved rooms and gnarled beams in that ancient tavern, it is hard not to imagine the knights supping a final ale before setting off for the other side of their known world.

In the 1980’s when I stayed in Nottingham and visited the many sights of the old city, I read a lovely story that is connected to Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem. It stated that the herb Borage because of its beautiful pure blue flower, was often chosen by Old Masters to paint the Madonna’s robe. For courage, the flowers were floated in the jugs of ale given to the Crusaders at their departure for the Holy Land.

© Clement of the Glen 2006-2007