King Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199) was a member of the House of Angevin branch of the House of Plantagenet and the second English king of both houses. He succeeded his father, King Henry II as King of England in 1189. He was nicknamed ‘Lionheart’ due to his strength and bravery, particularly during the siege of Castillon-sur-Agen.
Contents
King Richard the Lionheart Family Tree Image
King Richard the Lionheart Family Tree in Table Form
King Richard the Lionheart Short Biography
King Richard the Lionheart Family Tree Image showing:
grandparents, parents, siblings, wife, children and grandchildren
King Richard the Lionheart Family Tree in Table Form showing:
grandparents, parents, siblings and wife
GRANDPARENTS
Paternal Grandfather – Geoffrey Plantagenet – (1113 – 1151)
Paternal Grandmother – Empress Matilda – (1102 – 1167)
Maternal Grandfather – William X, Duke of Aquitaine – (1098 – 1137)
Maternal Grandmother – Aenor of Chatellerault – (1103 – 1130)
PARENTS
Father – Henry II, King of England – (1133 – 1189)
Mother – Eleanor of Aquitaine – (1124 – 1204)
SIBLINGS
William IX Count of Poitiers – (1153 – 1156)
Henry the Young King – (1155 – 1185)
Matilda of Saxony and Bavaria – (1156 – 1189)
Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany – (1158 – 1186)
Eleanor, Queen of Castile – (1162 – 1214)
Joan, Queen of Sicily – (1165 – 1199)
John, King of England – (1166 – 1216)
MARRIED
Berengaria of Navarre – (1165 – 1230)
CHILDREN
No Children
GRANDCHILDREN
No Grandchildren
King Richard the Lionheart Short Biography
Early Years
King Richard the Lionheart, was born 8th September 1157 the third son of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
At the age of 13 years, Richard was given control of Aquitaine and thereafter spent most of his time administering his lands.
In 1173 he joined his mother, brothers and King Louis VII of France in a rebellion against his father. He was reunited with his father after Louis VII made peace and his mother was imprisoned.
King of England
In 1185, Richard’s elder brother, Henry, died. This meant Richard became heir to the throne and when his father died on 6th July 1189 he became King Richard I of England and Duke of Normandy. During his entire reign, Richard only spent around six months in England, the remainder of his reign was spent on Crusade or in France defending his realms against attack.
Military Leader
As a boy Richard had excelled in military pursuits and by the age of 16 had his own army which he used to put down rebellions in his lands. He gained the nickname Richard the Lionheart due to his bravery in battle.
In 1190 he joined Phillip II of France on the Third Crusade. After conquering Cyprus they moved on to the Holy Land. The pair disagreed over tactics and Philip soon returned to France but Richard was determined to beat Saladin. Although he was unable to defeat Saladin he negotiated a truce that allowed Christians free access to Jerusalem.
On his return from Crusade he was captured and held to ransom by Duke Leopold V of Austria. The huge sum paid for his release was a drain on England’s finances, but Richard returned home to a warm welcome.
Marriage and Succession
Richard married Berengaria of Navarre on 12th May at St George’s Chapel in Limassol, Cyprus. Throughout their marriage the two were not close and she is the only Queen of England to never set foot in the country. They had no children and when Richard died on 26th March 1199, his brother John became King.
Published Feb 20 2021 – Updated – Dec 4 2024
Harvard Reference for King Richard I Family Tree:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2021 – 2024). King Richard the Lionheart Family Tree (1157-1199). Available: https://www.treesofblue.com/king-richard-the-lionheart-1157-1199. Last accessed December 16th, 2024