Customer Reviews

Richard the Lionheart: King and Knight

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Flori has put together an amazing compilation of primary source work as well as using the research of contemporaries to further or contend with his findings. Richard I is a figure that is near and dear to my heart because he is such an enigma to history. He was both King and Knight; therefore, depending on which side of the fense you place yourself: his is vilified or esteemed by his deeds. Jean Flori, gives us insights that perhaps Gillingham either didn't have or did not acknowledge about the elevated King of England.

This is the first time I have read research dealing indepth with topics such as: chivalry and prowess as they pertain to a king, homosexuality (more appropriately, bisexuality in this case) in the 12th century, primary sources from the Arab point of view in the crusades, Richard's upbringing as a warrior rather than a king. The list can go on and on. My point is that this book is not merely the "life and times" of a monarch, but rather, an evaluation of actions and deeds of a warrior/king as they were percieved by Richard's peers. Much of what we know about the Lionheart is propoganda of his own making. This not to say that his prowess was not legitmate, but perhaps exaggerated in SOME cases and these are things that Flori points out. 12th century historians imbelished true events much like modern news presents its agenda.

This is easily one of best works on Richard the Lionheart I have ever read. The evidence presented shed new light (for me) on who this man really was, even if I didn't like everything I read at times. For every exaggeration or false hood we are presented about the King of England, there are 3 more examples of his valor, generosity, prowess, and intelligence awaiting the reader on the next page.

The structure of the book was also quite enjoyable. We start the book with the biography of the king as part 1. Part 2 is the analysis of the first half. This is where we find out why he made certain decisions, what people around him thought, definitions of chivalry, prowess, largess and how they pertained to Richard as a king and as a knight.