Lost History – The Night the Lion Heart looked upon Jerusalem
Richard the Lionheart is a name as famous as the events that made the epithet notorious. The Plantagenet prince who became a crusader king, duelled against the celebrated sultan Saladin across the arid plains of the Holy Land for several years, besting his able opponent on numerous occasions. And yet, despite his glorious progress towards Jerusalem, Christianity’s most capable champion failed to capture what his predecessors had lost years before.
Mere miles away from the end of his quest, Richard recognised the danger of besieging a city he could not hope to hold for any serious length of time. He turned his back on the prize and marched his armies home, but did the Lion Heart ever look upon the object of his desires?
One apocryphal tale records the moment that the famous warlord, at last, saw the holy city. True or not, the account sums up Richard’s character and evinces his attitude towards victory and vanquishment.
Richard’s war against the Saracens is legendary. Taking Acre after a protracted siege, humiliating the Ayyubids at the Battle of Arsuf and devastating a large Saladin-led army near Jaffa, he exceeded the expectations of his adversaries and inspired loyalty and bravery from his followers.
However, the large swathes of the territory he regained were simply small steps towards his ultimate aim – the recapturing and retention of Jerusalem. In 1187, after the Frankish Kingdom of Jerusalem had been eviscerated on the Horns of Hattin, Saladin took the holy city and expelled the crusaders. Only the French-speaking King of England seemed capable of completing this religiously fuelled revanchist campaign.
His conduct during the crusade displayed an insatiable commitment to the cause, a commitment that allowed him to overcome ostensibly indomitable odds again and again. Willing to break conventions and able to appraise political and military matters rationally, Richard was more than a medieval savage who exulted in the violence of his time.
Comparably unblighted by religious fanaticism, he was a wily and ruthless commander who understood the realistic prospects of war. In 1192, five years after the loss of the city, the Christian army advanced on Jerusalem. Hearing of the Christians’ approach, Saladin controversially abandoned the city, leaving it vulnerable to Richard and his comrades.
A council of crusader leaders were divided on the issue of how best to proceed. Many were adamant that the city should be attacked and overrun. However, after the difficulties of the siege at Acre, Richard appreciated the perils of quixotically engaging the formidable fortifications of Jerusalem.
Arguing that the city would be harder to take than his fellow commanders supposed and that its retention would not last more than a year, the Lion Heart declared that he would only march on Jerusalem as a common soldier since he did not support the policy.
The Lion Heart’s reluctance to attack depleted morale, and the Third Crusade began to spiral into disarray. That night, according to a 13th-century Islamic chronicle, Richard rode out on a reconnaissance mission accompanied by a few knights. As they rode over the crest of a hill, the night lights of the holy city came into view.
The European chevaliers looked in awe at the splendid apparition beaming before them, but when one turned to the king to note his reaction, he found that the proud monarch had thrown his cloak over his head and had turned his back on the beautiful spectacle. “Why do you not look on the city of God, your grace?” asked the knight. “I cannot look on that which I cannot conquer,” Richard is said to have replied.
In all likelihood, this account is a highly romanticised testimony of Richard’s first look at Jerusalem. Being a veteran of many sieges and battles, he would have studied the layout of its towers and assessed the strength of its walls. Nonetheless, this dramatised version of events succinctly explains his conviction towards conquest. Pining for the impossible is a hellish torment. Any sight of the city he did have must have haunted his dreams on his long journey back to Europe.
Though a failure, his prodigious dedication, intelligence and courage has elevated the story of his life to legendary status. No wonder he was posthumously given the name Coeur de lion.