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The Absent King: Richard the Lionheart, Crusade, Captivity and the England He Barely Ruled
Paperback
Series: Medieval England in Crisis, Book 5
Medieval & Renaissance HistoryGeneral Military History
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jul 26 2026
Pages: 188
Weight: 0.52
Height: 0.47 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Richard the Lionheart became one of England's most famous kings by spending almost his entire reign somewhere else.
Crowned in 1189, Richard I immediately began converting the wealth and authority of his new kingdom into ships, soldiers and supplies for the Third Crusade.
England provided the money. Richard pursued glory abroad.
The Absent King follows Richard from his turbulent upbringing as Eleanor of Aquitaine's favoured son through rebellion against Henry II, accession to the English throne and his celebrated campaigns in the eastern Mediterranean.
At Acre, Arsuf and Jaffa, Richard established himself as one of the most formidable commanders of the medieval world. He confronted Saladin, held together a divided crusading army and repeatedly displayed the physical courage that created the legend of the Lionheart.
Yet the crusade did not recover Jerusalem. It also included the execution of thousands of Muslim prisoners after Acre, an episode that cannot be separated from Richard's reputation as either warrior or king.
The journey home brought another disaster. Richard was captured in central Europe and held for an enormous ransom, forcing England's communities, churches and taxpayers to finance the release of a monarch many had barely seen.
Meanwhile, Prince John conspired with Philip Augustus of France, royal officials competed for authority and Eleanor of Aquitaine fought to preserve her son's kingdom.
Drawing on medieval chronicles, administrative records and modern historical scholarship, Gordon J. MacKenzie examines Richard without reducing him to either romantic hero or irresponsible absentee. The book explores the Third Crusade, the persecution of Jewish communities, royal finance, captivity, the defence of Normandy and the fatal siege that ended Richard's reign.
The Absent King is the story of a brilliant commander sustained by a remarkably durable government, and of the kingdom that paid for a legend created far beyond its shores.
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