Reputation and Criticism

Britain – The Reign of Richard I, 1189-99

In this course, Dr Hugh Doherty (University of East Anglia) explores the reign of King Richard I (1189-99). We begin by considering Richard's reputation among modern historians, focusing in particular on the three main criticism levelled at the king – that he spent too much time in France, that he spent too much time on Crusade, and that he failed to provide an heir. In the second module, we consider the impact of John Gillingham's biography of Richard I in rehabilitating the king's reputation, before moving on in the third module to consider his education and upbringing as the third son of the formidable Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. In the fourth module, we turn to Richard's handling of the succession, before moving on in the fifth module to consider probably the most well-known event in Richard's life – his participation in the Third Crusade, including his role in the Siege of Acre (1189-91) and the Battles of Arsuf (September 1191) and Jaffa (August 1192). In the final module, we think about Richard's return to England, his attempts to hold his kingdom together under intense pressure from Philip II of France and his own brother, John, up to his untimely death in 1199.

Reputation and Criticism

In this module, we think about Richard's reputation among modern historians and try to answer three of the main criticisms that have been levelled at him in recent decades: (i) the failure to provide an heir; (ii) the long periods spent away from England in France; and (iii) the long periods spent away from England during the Third Crusade.