The Third Crusade (1189–1192)
Richard’s fame primarily stems from his role in the Third Crusade, launched to recapture Jerusalem after it fell to the Muslim leader Saladin in 1187. Richard was one of the three major Christian monarchs who led the crusade, alongside Philip II of France and Frederick I Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire.
Richard’s leadership on the battlefield was extraordinary. He secured a string of military victories including the capture of the strategic coastal city of Acre after a brutal siege lasting nearly two years. His military skill was further demonstrated at the Battle of Arsuf in 1191, where his forces decisively defeated Saladin’s army.
Despite these successes, Richard never managed to retake Jerusalem, which remained under Muslim control. However, he negotiated a truce that allowed Christian pilgrims access to the holy city, a diplomatic achievement that somewhat softened the crusade’s ultimate failure.
Richard’s Rule and Governance
Richard’s reign was marked by his absence from England. He spent only about six months of his ten-year reign in his kingdom, leaving governance largely in the hands of his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine and other trusted officials. This absenteeism caused tensions with the English nobility, but his reputation as a warrior king helped maintain his legitimacy.
Richard’s focus on war also drained the kingdom’s finances. To fund his crusading ventures and ransom following his capture, he levied heavy taxes on his subjects, which were unpopular but ultimately accepted due to his larger-than-life status shutdown123