Introduction
Richard the ‘Lionheart’ is best remembered today as the King of England during the time of Robin Hood, an association made for us by Sir Walter Scott’s novel ‘Ivanhoe’. He was an inspiring general in the Third Crusade, courageous and ruthless, but his death was testimony to the caprices of Fortune.
KING Richard I of England gained his nickname of ‘Lionheart’ in the Holy Land, fighting to liberate Jerusalem from the ruling Muslims.* In this he narrowly failed, but returned to his estates in France (he rarely spent time in England) in 1194 a hero, having conquered Cyprus, defeated his arch-enemy Saladin in battle,* and been expensively ransomed out of the hands of a disgruntled former ally, Leopold of Austria.*
Five years later, the Lionheart’s legendary soldiering was concentrated on the French town of Limoges, whose lord, Viscount Aimar, had risen in revolt against him. Here, Richard was definitely not a hero: a popular ballad in the taverns boasted that he would be slain by an arrow from that city.
But Richard cared nothing for songs. As he besieged the rebellious Count’s modest château, he walked beneath the battlements openly, laughing at the peasants who shot wildly from above – until one day, a bolt from a Limoges crossbow found Richard’s shoulder by the neck.
This account is based in part on the ‘Chronica’ (Annals) of Roger of Howden, a Yorkshireman in Henry II’s diplomatic service who in 1190 joined Henry’s son, now King Richard I, on the Third Crusade (1189-1192). A year later Roger came back in the company of King Philip II of France, who like Leopold of Austria had fallen out with the ‘Lionheart’. Roger regarded Richard with awe, but very little affection.
At the Battle of Arsuf on September 7th, 1191. Arsuf is the Arabic name for Apollonia, an ancient city just north of modern Tel Aviv, that had become part of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1101.
Richard was kept at Dürnstein Castle in Austria, then moved to Trifels Castle in the Rhineland Palatinate, under the guard of Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, who demanded 150,000 marks – at least twice the crown’s annual income – for his release. Richard returned home on February 4th, 1194, after his mother, Eleanor, had raised the money through tax, sale of lands, and confiscations. Richard’s brother John, who was busily working with King Philip of France to usurp Richard’s throne, had offered Henry 80,000 to keep him until the autumn.
Précis
After King Richard I returned from the Third Crusade, having earned the nickname ‘Lionheart’, he was called upon to put down a rebellion in the French town Limoges, then under his rule. Local bards prophesied that he would meet his doom from a Limoges arrow, but Richard scorned their songs, until he was wounded by a bolt from a crossbow. (60 / 60 words)
After King Richard I returned from the Third Crusade, having earned the nickname ‘Lionheart’, he was called upon to put down a rebellion in the French town Limoges, then under his rule. Local bards prophesied that he would meet his doom from a Limoges arrow, but Richard scorned their songs, until he was wounded by a bolt from a crossbow.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, despite, just, may, must, ought, since, who.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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