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Savage Damsel & The Seeing Stone

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Brittanica Article

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Book of the Lion & Pagan's Crusade

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about the Crusades

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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about the Crusades

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In the Middle Ages, the stretched from stretched from India, in South Asia, to Spain, in Western Europe, and included Jerusalem and the . For Jewish people, Christians and Muslims, Jerusalem was and still is a and a destination for .

For Christians, Jerusalem is the place where they believe Jesus died and was buried. Christian had come to the city for centuries.

To Muslims, it is considered to be a holy site, where they believe Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven from Jerusalem. Arab Muslims conquered the Holy Land in 638. The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque are sites of pilgrimage for Muslims.

For Jewish people, Jerusalem is important it is seen as the centre of the world, and is believed to be the site where Abraham, the founder of Judaism, was prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as God tested his devotion to his faith.

The were not only significant for religious reasons - they were also politically significant . European rulers believed success in 'winning back' the Holy Land would secure their and as a successful leader. The Crusades were encouraged by the Pope, so leaders also believed they were doing God's work by fighting for control of the Holy Land.

The Crusades were economically significant too. They opened up new opportunities for trade . Crusaders brought back new and from the Holy Land and the wider Islamic world. New trade routes were established, meaning more goods could be bought and sold both across Europe and with the Middle East.

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Find out about why the Crusades began, the importance of the Holy Land and the role of the Church with BBC Bitesize KS3 History. For students aged between 11 to 14.

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about the Crusades

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Europe: The First Crusade - The People's Crusade - Extra History - Part 1

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Daily Life

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Kids learn about daily life in the Middle Ages and Medieval times including food, clothing, school, housing, city life, and country life.

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Researchers from the University of Bristol have uncovered, for the first time, definitive evidence that determines what types of food medieval peasants ate and how they managed their animals.
Using chemical analysis of pottery fragments and animal bones found at one of England's earliest medieval villages, combined with detailed examination of a range of historical documents and accounts, the research has revealed the daily diet of peasants in the Middle Ages. The researchers were also able to look at butchery techniques, methods of food preparation and rubbish disposal at the settlement. Dr Julie Dunne and Professor Richard Evershed from the University of Bristol's Organic Geochemistry Unit, based within the School of Chemistry, led the research, published this month in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Julie said: "All too often in history the detail, for example food and clothing, of the everyday life of ordinary people is unknown," Dr Dunne said. "Traditionally, we focus on the important historical figures as these are the people discussed in ancient documents. Much is known of the medieval dietary practices of the nobility and ecclesiastical institutions, but less about what foods the medieval peasantry consumed."

The scarce historical documents that exist that tell us that medieval peasant ate meat, fish, dairy products, fruit and vegetables but there is little direct evidence for this.

The research team used the technique of organic residue analysis to chemically extract food residues from the remains of cooking pots used by peasants in the small medieval village of West Cotton in Northamptonshire. Organic residue analysis is a scientific technique commonly used in archaeology. It is mainly used on ancient pottery, which is the most common artefact found on archaeological sites worldwide.

Researchers used chemical and isotopic techniques to identify lipids, the fats, oils and natural waxes of the natural world, from the ceramics. These can survive over thousands of years and the compounds found are one of the best ways scientists and archaeologists can determine what our ancestors ate.

The findings demonstrated that stews (or pottages) of meat (beef and mutton) and vegetables such as cabbage and leek, were the mainstay of the medieval peasant diet. The research also showed that dairy products, likely the 'green cheeses' known to be eaten by the peasantry, also played an important role in their diet.

"Food and diet are central to understanding daily life in the medieval period, particularly for the medieval peasant," Dr Dunne added. "This study has provided valuable information on diet and animal husbandry by medieval peasants and helped illustrate agricultural production, consumption and economic life in one of England's early medieval villages."

Professor Evershed commented, "West Cotton was one of the first archaeological sites we worked on when we began developing the organic residue approach - it is extraordinary how, by applying the suite of the latest methods, we can provide information missing from historical documents."

The article "Reconciling organic residue analysis, faunal, archaeobotanical and historical records: Diet and the medieval peasant at West Cotton, Raunds, Northamptonshire" is available from Science Direct
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What did medieval peasants eat? - Medievalists.net

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Researchers from the University of Bristol have uncovered, for the first time, definitive evidence that determines what types of food medieval peasants ate and how they managed their animals. Using chemical analysis of pottery fragments and animal bones found at one of England's earliest medieval villages, combined with detailed examination of a range of historical documents and accounts, the research has revealed the daily diet of peasants in the Middle Ages.

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Daily Life

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During the Early Middle Ages (550-1000), nobles lived more comfortable lives than the lower classes (peasants), but this did not mean that they were always easier. Nobles had a lot to think about: governing their lands, keeping the loyalty of their workers, and staying in favor with the king. Remember learning about everyone answering to someone else during the period of feudalism? That put quite a lot of pressure on a noble to make sure that his vassals were loyal to him. Of course, it also meant that a lord had the finest house (aside from his king) and ate foods that the peasant class could not afford-especially meat, and lots of it .

Serfs, the term for the lower classes during the Early Middle Ages, were very busy people, but in different ways. Rather than looking over other people and keeping order, they spent their time planting crops and making clothing for the manor (and everyone who lived there). Keep in mind that making clothing or any sort of cloth was a big chore at this point in history. Yarn had to be spun, and a steady hand for needlework was necessary not only to make designs on clothing, but to make clothing itself .

Monks lived inside monasteries, where (unless invaded) they were safe and had food to eat, though their lives were devoted to religion and education, and they spent long hours reading and writing texts-the same texts to which we owe a lot of our knowledge of the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, if a boy wanted to become a knight, he very often had to be of noble birth (born into a noble family), and spend years in training, during which he was given more and more responsibility. Noble boys would begin their training as early as age seven. Can you imagine becoming a page so young?

Aside from all of this training and work, the nobles and peasants were still allowed to have fun. No television and video games, obviously, but there were still some things that people of the medieval period did for fun that we continue to enjoy today. We might not have wandering minstrels to sing to us, but we still enjoy music. We can check our computers for the latest news, but we still enjoy listening to stories being told aloud about many different topics, and obviously, we still like to dance and play games. People of the medieval period enjoyed these things too, and often watched plays to learn about what was going on in the world or to hear stories and legends being passed around.

During the High Middle Ages (1000-1300), education became more widespread, but still, it was far more likely for a male to go to a university to learn than a female, although girls of the noble class were still often taught to be ladies of the household, which meant they learned needlework and account keeping. If they became nuns, reading and writing were also taught. Overall, young noble boys had a lot going on around them during the High Middle Ages. They might feel driven to fight in the Crusades, they might decide to attend universities, train to become priests, or decide to learn a craft and become an apprentice to a guild master. There, they would spend many years learning a profession (or skill), until finally, they gained master craftsman status.

The Late Middle Ages (1300-1500) saw great losses of life, and so the daily life of anyone living during this period might have been focused on trying to eat as well as possible and avoid catching the plague. On the other hand, toward the end of the Late Middle Ages, after The Great Famine and The Black Death, advances in technology, art, and culture meant that a new world was open to the people.

Adventurers wishing to live the life of a crew member of a ship could sail to discover new lands, trade with new places meant more interesting spices for food and items never seen before, and education was even more important in a world filling with tales, poems, stories, and news from far-away places.

City life could be cramped, but it was filled with many different types of people, each with their own hopes and abilities. The people of the medieval period may have spoken different languages than us (from Old English and French and Latin to Middle English), but at heart, they still wanted what we do: a good dinner, a warm place to sleep, an education, and from time to time, fun and games.

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Medieval Daily Life - Medieval People Facts for Kids

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As you might guess, the daily life of a man, woman, or child could be very different based on whether he or she lived during the Early, High, or Late Middle Ages and depending on what sort of status in society he or she held.

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Daily Life

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In the early Middle Ages, under the feudal system , the life of a peasant was hard:

Even in the later Middle Ages, the medieval peasant's life was hard and the work back-breaking. It followed the seasons - ploughing in autumn, sowing in spring, harvesting in August. Work began at dawn, preparing the animals, and it finished at dusk, cleaning them down and putting them back into the stalls.

A peasant's hut was made of wattle and daub , with a thatch roof but no windows.

Inside the hut, a third of the area was penned off for the animals, which lived in the hut with the family. A fire burned in a hearth in the centre of the hut, so the air was permanently eye-wateringly smoky. Furniture was maybe a couple of stools, a trunk for bedding, and a few cooking pots.

Many peasants ' huts included a simple loom, which is a device used to weave cloth. The daughter would spin wool using spinng tools known as a distaff and spindle, and the wife would weave it into rough cloth.

Peasant food was mainly vegetables, plus anything that could be gathered - nuts, berries, nettles. The usual drink was weak, home-brewed beer. Honey provided a sweetener. If he ate bread, the peasant did not eat white wheat bread, but black rye bread.

The most difficult time was late spring, when food stores were running out, and new food was not yet growing. A poor harvest meant that some of the villagers would starve to death.

A male peasant would wear a rough tunic, with a hood and gloves, and leather shoes with wooden soles. Women wore a coarse gown over a sleeveless slip.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, when some peasants were growing quite rich, ' sumptuary laws' forbade them to wear clothes above their class.

Village life was not all misery. Holy days meant a day off work. Peasant fun was rough - wrestling, shin-kicking and cock-fighting. The ball was almost unnecessary to a medieval ball game, which was basically a fight with the next village. Occasionally a travelling musician or bear-baiter would pass through.

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Life in a medieval village - Everyday life in the Middle Ages - KS3 History Revision - BBC Bitesize

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In the early Middle Ages, under the feudal system , the life of a peasant was hard: Even in the later Middle Ages, the medieval peasant's life was hard and the work back-breaking. It followed the seasons - ploughing in autumn, sowing in spring, harvesting in August.

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Matilda Bone & the Midwife's Apprentice

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Medieval Medicine

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The Middle Ages was a grim time to be poorly. In the 1350s, the average life expectancy was perhaps 30-35. Infant mortality was extremely high where 1 in 5 children died before their first birthday and many women died in childbirth.

People died from simple injuries, diseases such as leprosy (a disease affecting parts of the body and the nervous system) and smallpox (a viral disease with fever and sores) and various fevers. Nearly a thousand years after the fall of Rome, medicine in Europe had regressed and returned to a more primitive outlook. Treatments continued to be a mixture of herbal remedies , bleeding and purging , and ideas.

Medieval doctors did not have a clue what caused disease.

Most doctors still believed the Greek theory from Galen, a doctor during the Roman Empire, that you became ill when the 'Four Humours' - phlegm, black bile, yellow bile, blood - became unbalanced. During the medieval era dissection of human bodies was banned so doctors didn't properly understand what went on inside the body.

But they also blamed everything from the stars, to demons, to sin, to bad smells. They trusted supernatural ideas that included God, charms and luck, witchcraft or astrology.

During , people would blame witches, nobility or groups who were culturally different such as Jewish people, and attack them. When a disease like the hit England in 1348, the doctors were powerless to stop it killing half the population. There were both supernatural and natural explanations for it, for example, some people said that God had sent it as a punishment, others that the planets were in the wrong conjunction, or that it was caused by 'foul air'.

Recently, historians have suggested that many medieval treatments were successful, especially the herbal remedies. Nevertheless, successful cures were mixed up with, what seem to us, crazy cures. For example:

bleeding, applying leeches, smelling strong posies or causing purging or vomiting

cutting open buboes, draining the pus and making the patient hot or cold, eg by taking hot baths

trepanning - cutting a hole in the skull

praying, or whipping themselves to try to earn God's forgiveness

lighting fires in rooms and spreading the smoke, tidying rubbish from the streets and banning new visitors to towns and villages

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Medicine through time - Revision 2 - KS3 History - BBC Bitesize

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The Middle Ages was a grim time to be poorly. In the 1350s, the average life expectancy was perhaps 30-35. Infant mortality was extremely high where 1 in 5 children died before their first birthday and many women died in childbirth.

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Company of Fools

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Kids learn about monasteries during the Middle Ages and Medieval times. Orders of religion and vows.

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What Was Life Like? | Episode 5: Medieval - Meet a Medieval Monk

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Monastery Life

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A Mini Guide to Medieval Monks | Animated History

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Life for monks in a medieval monastery, just like in any profession or calling, had its pros and cons. While they were expected to live simply with few possessions, attend services at all hours of the day and night, and perhaps even take a vow of silence, monks could at least benefit from a secure roof over their heads. Another plus was a regular food supply which was of a much higher standard than the vast majority of the medieval population had access to. Besides attempting to get closer to God through their physical sacrifices and religious studies, monks could be very useful to the community by educating the youth of the aristocracy and producing books and illuminated manuscripts which have since proved to be invaluable records of medieval life for modern historians.

Development of Monasteries

From the 3rd century CE there developed a trend in Egypt and Syria which saw some Christians decide to live the life of a solitary hermit or ascetic. They did this because they thought that without any material- or worldly distractions they would achieve a greater understanding of and closeness to God. In addition, whenever early Christians were persecuted they were sometimes forced by necessity to live in remote mountain areas where the essentials of life were lacking. As these individualists grew in number some of them began to live together in communities, continuing, though, to cut themselves off from the rest of society and devoting themselves entirely to prayer and the study of scriptures. Initially, members of these communities still lived essentially solitary lives and only gathered together for religious services. Their leader, an abba (hence the later 'abbot') presided over these individualists - they were called monachos in Greek for that reason, which is derived from mono meaning 'one', and which is the origin of the word 'monk'. Over time, within this early form of the monastery, a more communal attitude to daily life developed where members shared the labour needed to keep themselves self-sufficient and they shared accommodation and meals.

Monastic rules differed between the different orders that evolved from the 11th century CE & even between individual monasteries.

From the 5th century CE the idea of monasteries spread across the Byzantine Empire and then to Roman Europe where people adopted their own distinct practices based on the teachings of Saint Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 543 CE). The Benedictine order encouraged its members to live as simple a life as possible with simple food, basic accommodation and as few possessions as was practical. There was a set of regulations that monks had to follow and, because they all lived the same way, they became known as 'brothers'. Monastic rules differed between the different orders that evolved from the 11th century CE and even between individual monasteries. Some orders were stricter, such as the Cistercians which were formed in 1098 CE by a group of Benedictine monks who wanted an even less-worldly life for themselves. Women too could live the monastic life as nuns in abbeys and nunneries.

As monasteries were intended to be self-sufficient, monks had to combine daily labour to produce food with communal worship and private study. Monasteries grew in sophistication and wealth, greatly helped by tax relief and donations, so, as the Middle Ages wore on, physical labour became less of a necessity for monks who could now rely on the efforts of lay brothers, hired labourers or serfs (unfree labourers). Consequently, monks in the High Middle Ages were able to spend more time on scholarly pursuits, particularly producing such medieval monastic specialties as illuminated manuscripts.

Recruitment

People were attracted to the monastic life for various reasons such as piety; the fact that it was a respected career choice; there was the chance of real power if one rose to the top; and one was guaranteed decent accommodation and above average meals for life. The second or third sons of the aristocracy, who were not likely to inherit their father's lands, were often encouraged to join the church and one of the paths to a successful career was to join a monastery and receive an education there (learning reading, writing, arithmetic, and Latin). Children were sent in their pre-teens, often aged as young as five and then known as oblates, while those who joined aged 15 or over were known as novices. Both of these groups did not usually mix with full monks although neither oblates nor novices were ever permitted to be alone, unsupervised by a monk.

After one year a novice could take their vows and become a full monk, and it was not always an irreversible career choice as rules did develop from the 13th century CE that a youth could freely leave a monastery on reaching maturity. Most monks came from a well-off background; indeed, bringing a substantial donation on entry was expected. Recruits tended to be local but larger monasteries were able to attract people even from abroad. Consequently, there was never really any shortage of takers to join a monastery although monks only ever made up around 1% of the medieval population.

A major monastery like Cluny Abbey in France had 460 monks at its peak in the mid-12th century CE.

Monasteries varied in size with a small one having only a dozen or so monks and the larger ones having around 100 brothers. A major monastery like Cluny Abbey in France had 460 monks at its peak in the mid-12th century CE. The number of monks was essentially limited to the monastery's income which largely came from the land it owned (and which was given to it by patrons over the years). Monasteries included a good number of lay brothers in addition to the monks and these were employed to do manual labour such as agricultural work, cooking or doing the laundry. Lay brothers did observe some of the monastic regulations but lived in their own separate quarters.

The Abbot

Monasteries were typically managed by an abbot who had absolute authority in his monastery. Selected by the senior monks, who he was supposed to consult on matters of policy (but could also ignore), the abbot had his job for life, health permitting. Not just a job for the old and wise, a monk in his twenties might stand a chance of being made abbot as there was a tendency to select someone who could hold the office for decades and so provide the monastery with some stability. The abbot was assisted in his administrative duties by the prior who himself had a team of inspectors who checked up on the monks on a daily basis. Smaller monasteries without an abbot of their own (but under the jurisdiction of another monastery's abbot) were typically led by the prior, hence the name of those institutions: a priory. Senior monks, sometimes known as 'obedientaries', might have specific duties, perhaps on a rotation basis, such as looking after the monastery's wine cellar, the garden, the infirmary, or the library and scriptorium (where texts were made).

The abbot represented the monastery when dealing with other monasteries and the state, in whose eyes he ranked alongside the most powerful secular landowners. Not surprisingly for such an important figure, monks were expected to bow deeply in the abbot's presence and kiss his hand in reverence. If an abbot were extremely unpopular and acted contrary to the order he could be removed by the Pope.

Rules & Regulations

Monks followed the teachings of Jesus Christ in rejecting personal wealth, as recorded in the Gospel of Mathew:

If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me (19:21)

Along these lines, creature comforts were shunned but the strict application of such ideals really depended on each monastery. So, too, silence was a method to remind monks they were living in an enclosed society quite different from the outside world. Monks were generally not allowed to speak at all in such places as the church, kitchen, refectory or dormitories. One might be bold enough to attempt a snatch of conversation in the cloisters right after a general meeting but besides that indulgence, conversation was to be kept to an absolute minimum and when it did occur it was supposed to be restricted to ecclesiastical matters or everyday necessity. Monks were further restricted in that they could only talk to each other as speaking at all to lay brothers and novices was not permitted, not to mention to outside visitors of any kind. For this reason, monks often used gestures which they had been taught as novices and sometimes they even whistled rather than speak to a person or in a place they should not.

Anyone who had broken the rules was reported to the abbot; telling on one's brothers was seen as a duty. Punishments might include being beaten, being excluded from communal activities for a period, or even being imprisoned within the monastery.

Clothing & Possessions

Monks had to keep the tops of their heads shaved (tonsured) which left a distinctive band of hair just above the ears. In contrast to their hairline, a monk's clothes were designed to cover as much flesh as possible. Most monks wore linen underclothes, sometimes hose or socks, and a simple woollen tunic tied at the waist by a leather belt. Over these was their most recognisable item of clothing, the cowl. A monastic cowl was a long sleeveless robe with a deep hood. On top of the cowl another robe was worn, this time with long sleeves. In winter, extra warmth was provided by a sheepskin cloak. Made from the cheapest and roughest of cloth, a monk usually had no more than two of each clothing items but he did receive a new cowl and robe each Christmas.

A monk did not own very much of significance besides his clothes. He might have a pen, a knife, handkerchief, comb and a small sewing kit. Razors were only distributed at a prescribed time. In their own room, a monk had a straw- or feather mattress and a few woollen blankets.

A Monk's Daily Routine

Monks were not usually permitted to leave the monastery unless they had some special reason and were permitted to do so by their abbot. There were exceptions, as in Irish monasteries where monks famously roamed the countryside preaching and sometimes even founded new monasteries. For most monks, though, their daily life was entirely contained within the grounds of the monastery they had joined as a novice and which they would one day die in.

Monks usually got up with the sun so that could mean 4.30 am in summer or a luxurious 7.30 am in winter, the day being very much dictated by the availability of light. Beginning with a quick wash, monks spent an hour or so doing silent work, which for monks meant prayers, reading the text they had been assigned by their superior or copying a specific book (a laborious process that took many months). Next, morning mass was held, followed by the chapter meeting when everyone gathered to discuss any important business relevant to the monastery as a whole. After another working period, which might include physical labour if there were no lay brothers to do it, there was a midday mass (the High Mass) and then a meal, the most important of the day.

The afternoon was spent working again and ended around 4.30 pm in winter, which then saw another meal or, in the case of summer, a supper around 6 pm followed by more work. Monks went to bed early, just after 6 pm in winter or 8 pm in summer. They did not usually have an unbroken sleep, though, as around 2 or 3 am they got up again to sing Nocturns (aka Matins) and Lauds in the church. To make sure nobody was sleeping in the gloom one brother would go through the choir checking with a lamp. In winter they might not return to bed but perform personal tasks such as fixing and mending.

Monks were, of course, very poor as they had few possessions of any kind but the monastery itself was one of the richest institutions in the medieval world. Consequently, monks were well-catered for in the one area which probably mattered most to the majority of the population: food and drink. Unlike the 80% of those who lived outside monasteries, monks did not have to worry about going short or seasonal variations. They had good food all year round and their consumption of it was only really limited by how strict the rules of asceticism were in their particular monastery. In stricter monasteries, meat was not usually eaten except by the sick and it was often reserved for certain feast days. However, those monasteries with more generous rules allowed such meats as pork, rabbit, hare, chicken and game birds to appear on the communal dinner table more often. In all monasteries, there was never a shortage of bread, fish, seafood, grains, vegetables, fruit, eggs, and cheese as well as plenty of wine and ale. Monks typically had one meal a day in winter and two in summer.

Giving Back to the Community

Monks and monasteries did give back to the community in which they lived by helping the poor and providing hospitals, orphanages, public baths, and homes for the aged. Travellers were another group who could find a room when needed. As already mentioned, in education, too, monasteries played a prominent role, notably building up large libraries and teaching youths. Monasteries looked after pilgrim sites and were great patrons of the arts, not only producing their own works but also sponsoring artists and architects to embellish their buildings and those of the community with images and texts to spread the Christian message. Finally, many monks were important contributors to the study of history - both then and now, especially with their collections of letters and biographies ( vitae) of saints, famous people, and rulers.

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Life for monks in a medieval monastery, just like in any profession or calling, had its pros and cons. While they were expected to live simply with few possessions, attend services at all hours of the day and night, and perhaps even take a vow of silence, monks could at least benefit from a secure roof over their heads.

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Book of the Lion

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Pagan's Crusade

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Girl in a Cage

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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about Robert the Bruce

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After Wallace went into hiding after defeat at the Battle of Falkirk, Bruce was made a Guardian of Scotland . Bruce had bigger ambitions, though - he wanted to be king.

In 1306 he met his main rival for the throne of Scotland, , at Greyfriars Monastery in Dumfries, to discuss who should be king and fight back against Edward I.

A fight broke out and Comyn was killed. The church supported Bruce and later that year he was made King of Scots.

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After Wallace went into hiding after defeat at the Battle of Falkirk, Bruce was made a Guardian of Scotland . Bruce had bigger ambitions, though - he wanted to be king. In 1306 he met his main rival for the throne of Scotland, , at Greyfriars Monastery in Dumfries, to discuss who should be king and fight back against Edward I.

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Ducksters Article

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Kids and students learn about the biography of Islamic leader Saladin including his early life, how he got his name, uniting Islam, fighting the Crusades, capturing Jerusalem, and interesting facts.

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King Richard I of England remains one of the country's famous rulers, even though his fame stems much more from what he did outside the country than in; he spent, in fact, only five months of his 10-year reign at home.

Richard was born on Sept. 8, 1157, in Oxford, the third son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Richard, taking after his mother, preferred to read chivalric literature and poems; he even wrote his own poems, in both French and Occitan, a dialect of French found in romances of the time. He is most famously known as a fighter, however. He was 6-foot-4 and a tremendously skilled soldier. He was bold and charismatic and inspired loyalty in soldiers and nobles alike.

Richard was said to have tremendous courage. This was reflected in the name that he adopted, Lionheart. His coat of arms featured three lions. He showed in essentially declaring war on his own father, throwing in his lot with brothers Henry and Geoffrey in disputing the king's planned division of land between his four sons. (The youngest was John.) Richard had a powerful supporter in his mother.

In 1173, when Richard was just 15, he found himself knighted by King Louis VII of France and at the head of an invasion force. The target was Normandy. The king's forces were victorious, and Richard ended the fighting by proclaiming once again to his father. He then turned around and stamped out a series of revolts by the barons of Aquitaine. King Henry II had crowned his oldest son, known as Young Henry, as king-in-waiting, and had demanded that his other sons pay homage to both. Richard refused and soon was the target of an attack by Young Henry and their brother Geoffrey. Richard defeated the combined force. In the next few years, Young Henry died, making Richard the heir to the throne.

In 1188, Richard was again at odds with his famously irascible father; this time, Richard and John teamed up to oppose King Henry, their ally this time being the new French king, Philip II. As before Eleanor, by now well and truly estranged from her husband, supported the rebellion. The king's good fortunes had finally run out, and he surrendered, recognizing Richard as his sole heir. Henry died not long after, and Richard was crowned king at Westminster Abbey; this was on Sept. 3, 1189.

Richard was ruler of the vast Angevin Empire, which Henry had built up through his time on the throne. Richard, feeling no need to keep up the pretense of ruling in his father's stead, chose to go on Crusade instead.

Pope Gregory VIII called the Third Crusade in 1189. Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, had led the takeover of Jerusalem two years before, and Christian leaders in the West wanted to retake the city. Richard answered the call, as did Philip II of France and the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany.

Richard raided the royal treasury, gathered up a significant fighting force, and left for the Holy Land. He left behind a sizable army as well, overseen by regents Hugh, Bishop of Durham and William de Mandeville. The latter died not longer after this appointment; Chancellor William Longchamp then over as co-regent. Truly running the country was Arthur of Brittany, Geoffrey's son, whom Richard had named as his heir. John did not take kindly to this and started planning a revolt.

The Crusade nominally lasted three years; but, despite the presence of a large and well equipped Crusader army headed up by the three most powerful men in Western Europe, the Third Crusade ended in frustration, at least as far as its ultimate goal. Frederick Barbarossa drowned before the armies even got to the Holy Land, and most of the dismayed German forces left for home.

Richard himself had some success. He and his men captured Messina, a city on the island of Sicily, in 1190; in the process, he rescued his sister Joan, who had been married to the King of Sicily and, when he died, had been taken captive by the new king. The following year, Richard's force took the island of Cyprus. Richard ruled the island for a time and got married, to Princess Berengaria of Navarre. Richard then sold the island to the Knights Templar. The English and French forces also seized the crucial city of Acre, in July 1191, Richard finishing off a siege begun by Guy of Lusignan, who then took over as King of Cyprus. One story of the struggle at Acre had Richard, debilitated from scurvy, being carried on a stretcher, wielding a crossbow to pick off guards on the walls.

Richard and his forces defeated Saladin's army at Arsuf in September and then took Jaffa in November. Richard's army was within storming distance of Jerusalem, twice, but the French force had left for home and he had lost too many men to take the city and ended up negotiating a treaty with Saladin.

Richard headed for home. In 1192, the ship he was sailing on wrecked and Richard was forced to try to go home over land. He was captured and taken prisoner by Duke Leopold of Austria, whom Richard had personally offended by defacing Leopold's personal flag at Acre. Henry VI, the new Holy Roman Emperor, had no such compunction to be an ally of Richard (as had his predecessor, Frederick Barbarossa) and, in fact, kept him captive, demanding a massive amount of money as ransom. Many sources say that the ransom was 150,000 marks, twice the annual income of the English Crown at the time and the equivalent of several million dollars in modern money. Richard had left Hubert Walter, the Bishop of Salisbury, in charge of running the country. He and Richard's mother raised most of the money but only by raiding the royal treasury and instituting a number of taxes. To pay the remainder, Richard had to hand over a number of nobles.

While Richard was away, his surviving brother, John, tried to seize the throne. Hubert organized a successful defense force, and John had to end his usurpation bid. When Richard finally returned home, he forgave John but did not name him the heir to the throne. (Richard and his wife had had no children.)

Richard returned in 1193 but didn't stay in England for long. He spent much of 1194 on campaign in France, fighting to keep control of his lands in the face of attacks from Philip II of France. During one of these attacks, Richard sustained a wound that ultimately proved fatal. He was hit in the upper shoulder by a crossbow bolt. A surgeon who tried to remove the bolt made things worse, and the wound became infected. Richard lingered for a time and died on April 6, in his mother's arms.

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King Richard I of England remains one of the country's famous rulers, even though his fame stems much more from what he did outside the country than in; he spent, in fact, only five months of his 10-year reign at home. Richard was born on Sept.

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King Richard I of England remains one of the country's famous rulers, even though his fame stems much more from what he did outside the country than in; he spent, in fact, only five months of his 10-year reign at home.

Richard was born on Sept. 8, 1157, in Oxford, the third son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Richard, taking after his mother, preferred to read chivalric literature and poems; he even wrote his own poems, in both French and Occitan, a dialect of French found in romances of the time. He is most famously known as a fighter, however. He was 6-foot-4 and a tremendously skilled soldier. He was bold and charismatic and inspired loyalty in soldiers and nobles alike.

Richard was said to have tremendous courage. This was reflected in the name that he adopted, Lionheart. His coat of arms featured three lions. He showed in essentially declaring war on his own father, throwing in his lot with brothers Henry and Geoffrey in disputing the king's planned division of land between his four sons. (The youngest was John.) Richard had a powerful supporter in his mother.

In 1173, when Richard was just 15, he found himself knighted by King Louis VII of France and at the head of an invasion force. The target was Normandy. The king's forces were victorious, and Richard ended the fighting by proclaiming once again to his father. He then turned around and stamped out a series of revolts by the barons of Aquitaine. King Henry II had crowned his oldest son, known as Young Henry, as king-in-waiting, and had demanded that his other sons pay homage to both. Richard refused and soon was the target of an attack by Young Henry and their brother Geoffrey. Richard defeated the combined force. In the next few years, Young Henry died, making Richard the heir to the throne.

In 1188, Richard was again at odds with his famously irascible father; this time, Richard and John teamed up to oppose King Henry, their ally this time being the new French king, Philip II. As before Eleanor, by now well and truly estranged from her husband, supported the rebellion. The king's good fortunes had finally run out, and he surrendered, recognizing Richard as his sole heir. Henry died not long after, and Richard was crowned king at Westminster Abbey; this was on Sept. 3, 1189.

Richard was ruler of the vast Angevin Empire, which Henry had built up through his time on the throne. Richard, feeling no need to keep up the pretense of ruling in his father's stead, chose to go on Crusade instead.

Pope Gregory VIII called the Third Crusade in 1189. Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, had led the takeover of Jerusalem two years before, and Christian leaders in the West wanted to retake the city. Richard answered the call, as did Philip II of France and the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I Barbarossa of Germany.

Richard raided the royal treasury, gathered up a significant fighting force, and left for the Holy Land. He left behind a sizable army as well, overseen by regents Hugh, Bishop of Durham and William de Mandeville. The latter died not longer after this appointment; Chancellor William Longchamp then over as co-regent. Truly running the country was Arthur of Brittany, Geoffrey's son, whom Richard had named as his heir. John did not take kindly to this and started planning a revolt.

The Crusade nominally lasted three years; but, despite the presence of a large and well equipped Crusader army headed up by the three most powerful men in Western Europe, the Third Crusade ended in frustration, at least as far as its ultimate goal. Frederick Barbarossa drowned before the armies even got to the Holy Land, and most of the dismayed German forces left for home.

Richard himself had some success. He and his men captured Messina, a city on the island of Sicily, in 1190; in the process, he rescued his sister Joan, who had been married to the King of Sicily and, when he died, had been taken captive by the new king. The following year, Richard's force took the island of Cyprus. Richard ruled the island for a time and got married, to Princess Berengaria of Navarre. Richard then sold the island to the Knights Templar. The English and French forces also seized the crucial city of Acre, in July 1191, Richard finishing off a siege begun by Guy of Lusignan, who then took over as King of Cyprus. One story of the struggle at Acre had Richard, debilitated from scurvy, being carried on a stretcher, wielding a crossbow to pick off guards on the walls.

Richard and his forces defeated Saladin's army at Arsuf in September and then took Jaffa in November. Richard's army was within storming distance of Jerusalem, twice, but the French force had left for home and he had lost too many men to take the city and ended up negotiating a treaty with Saladin.

Richard headed for home. In 1192, the ship he was sailing on wrecked and Richard was forced to try to go home over land. He was captured and taken prisoner by Duke Leopold of Austria, whom Richard had personally offended by defacing Leopold's personal flag at Acre. Henry VI, the new Holy Roman Emperor, had no such compunction to be an ally of Richard (as had his predecessor, Frederick Barbarossa) and, in fact, kept him captive, demanding a massive amount of money as ransom. Many sources say that the ransom was 150,000 marks, twice the annual income of the English Crown at the time and the equivalent of several million dollars in modern money. Richard had left Hubert Walter, the Bishop of Salisbury, in charge of running the country. He and Richard's mother raised most of the money but only by raiding the royal treasury and instituting a number of taxes. To pay the remainder, Richard had to hand over a number of nobles.

While Richard was away, his surviving brother, John, tried to seize the throne. Hubert organized a successful defense force, and John had to end his usurpation bid. When Richard finally returned home, he forgave John but did not name him the heir to the throne. (Richard and his wife had had no children.)

Richard returned in 1193 but didn't stay in England for long. He spent much of 1194 on campaign in France, fighting to keep control of his lands in the face of attacks from Philip II of France. During one of these attacks, Richard sustained a wound that ultimately proved fatal. He was hit in the upper shoulder by a crossbow bolt. A surgeon who tried to remove the bolt made things worse, and the wound became infected. Richard lingered for a time and died on April 6, in his mother's arms.

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King Richard I of England remains one of the country's famous rulers, even though his fame stems much more from what he did outside the country than in; he spent, in fact, only five months of his 10-year reign at home. Richard was born on Sept.

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Richard I (8 September 1157 - 6 April 1199) was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period. He was the third of five sons of King Henry II of England and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was known as Richard Cœur de Lion or Richard the Lionheart because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior. He was also known in Occitan as Oc e No ( Yes and No), because of his reputation for terseness.

By the age of 16, Richard had taken command of his own army, putting down rebellions in Poitou against his father. Richard was a central Christian commander during the Third Crusade, leading the campaign after the departure of Philip II of France and scoring considerable victories against his Muslim counterpart, Saladin, although he did not retake Jerusalem from Saladin.

Richard spoke both French and Occitan. He was born in England, where he spent his childhood; before becoming king, however, he lived most of his adult life in the Duchy of Aquitaine, in the southwest of France. Following his accession, he spent very little time, perhaps as little as six months, in England. Most of his life as king was spent on Crusade, in captivity, or actively defending his lands in France. Rather than regarding his kingdom as a responsibility requiring his presence as ruler, he has been perceived as preferring to use it merely as a source of revenue to support his armies. Nevertheless, he was seen as a pious hero by his subjects. He remains one of the few kings of England remembered by his epithet, rather than regnal number, and is an enduring iconic figure both in England and in France.

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Richard I (8 September 1157 - 6 April 1199) was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period.

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about the crusades

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Welcome to Britannica School, a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Company of Fools

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The Plague

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Middle Ages for Kids: Black Death Plague

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Kids learn about the Black Death during the Middle Ages and Medieval times. Plague that killed many in Europe and throughout the world.

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about the Plague

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pdslibs/gooddata

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Enter the Access ID and Passcode provided by your school to access Britannica School.

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about the plague

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about Saladin

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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.