‘You know Johnny you are sliding back to being: I, John lack land’! ‘Johnny, you forgot that you have to keep faith with your original loyal band’! ‘But Johnny…. you didn’t, well, perhaps you couldn’t! So your huge inherited empire eventually turned into sand’! News of John’s appalling and foolish conduct in Normandy was music …
‘The King of England, John, may be my uncle! But to me he is nothing more than an obnoxious carbuncle! My thanks to you, King Philip for granting me this, my promised inheritance of land! I acknowledge you as my rightful liege, King Philip Augustus, so high and most grand!’ So say, Arthur, Duke of …
A good life! John before the avalanche of strife! Fortune now afforded a time of solace in the life of John, the spectre of discord, military disaster and territorial losses could not have been further from his unbalanced mind as he reclined with the divine Isabella in the royal bedchamber. The prince who was expected …
Now begins a reign which for this particular king, would end in shameful pain! For Phil ‘disgusting’ Augustus, it was gain and gain over and over again! John was never expected to be king, so his father Henry II who had actually given him the nickname ‘Lack land’, decided to establish him as king of …
King John. 1166-1216. Richard’s decision to name John as his successor was not greeted with unanimous approval. The word on the street was: ‘Richard left everything, you mean, the entire outfit to John, his kid brother?’ The only living son of Queen Eleanor, the royal mother! ‘You got to be kidding!’ ‘There’s more than a …
Swinging London, and how the citizenry did cheer and the church bells ring! Joyful at their king’s return, of blessed, brave Richard and his deeds, they did sing! The streets of London were adorned with banners befitting the return of a king. Richard basked in the adulation of his subjects, but circumstances precluded a lengthy …
Richard! You thought that the Saracens of the east were your ultimate foe! No! It is back in Europe that those whose characters are so despicably low! They capture you! Jail you! Then demand a huge ransom to let you go! Richard’s journey away from Palestine did not mean that he was leaving his enemies …
To many a crusader, the aim of the sojourn was Jerusalem or bust! Now with an overwhelming, unbearable sense of disgust! They saw their noble ambition turn as to dust! Richard and the crusaders were clearly distraught that their endeavour to liberate the sacred city of Zion had ended in failure. In the first instance …
Richard has twice vanquished Saladin, his foe! The Sultan’s reputation as military leader is at an all time low! Richard prepares his army for the march to Jerusalem, all systems go! Flushed with the warm glow of victory, Richard’s keen military antennae now concentrated its focus on Ascalon, which also served as a port for …
The Christians march to Jaffa, along the Palestinian coast! To take the ancient port is their oft-mentioned boast! Saladin’s Saracens will harry them from the eastern side! Thus ensuring that the invading infidels have a most uncomfortable ride! The crusaders, having being victorious at Acre in the first battle of the Third Crusade, now turned …