the West for aid against the Mohammedan Turks, who were conquering his territories. The Pope took up the cause, and at a great meeting held in France, in the year 1095, he preached a sermon urging the knights to make war upon the Mohammedans, and recover the Holy Land. His plea moved his hearers so greatly that they cried out with one accord, sade. The SHIELD OF RICHARD I. During the Crusades knights began the practice of painting emblems on their shields, banners, etc., to distinguish one from another. The "lions" which Richard used became the "arms" of England common people would not wait to gather supplies or to form an army, but marched at oncemen, women, and children in vast throngs under the lead of a monk called "Peter the Hermit," and other rash leaders. They knew nothing of the country to which they were going, and but little of the road by which it should be reached. They made no provision for fighting the Turks, or to sustain themselves on the way, but trusted to the power of God to overcome the "infidels." The result was that they were destroyed on the way, by Turkish horsemen, or by starvation, and failed even to reach Palestine. Religious enthusiasm, and a desire for conquest and worldly gain, led many thousand trained and equipped knights to set out in their turn. They were under cap able leaders, and their armies were well supplied. They reached Asia, and they fought the Turks with such success that they captured Jerusalem and a portion of Palestine, where they set up a Christian kingdom in the year 1099. Thus the object of the First Crusade was partly accomplished, and the Holy Land was freed from the rule of Mohammedans. Forty-eight years later occurred the Second Crusade (1147-1149), which was caused by the news that the Turks had conquered part of the kingdom of Second Jerusalem. Two Kings-Conrad III. of Crusade Germany and Louis VII. of France-took part in this Crusade, but very little was accomplished by it. (1147-1149). Two years before Richard became King of England, the Turkish leader Saladin recaptured Jerusalem. This again stirred up the religious zeal of Europe, and many of the great nobles "took the cross"-that is, vowed to engage in a new war against the Turks. Among the first to do this was Richard the Lion-Hearted, and his part in the Third Crusade is the chief interest which we have in his reign. Crusade As soon as Richard was crowned he began preparations for the Crusade. He took the money which his father had left, and in addition sold estates Richard joins the and offices. He even sold the office of Arch- Third bishop of York, with the estates belonging to (1189-1192). it; and for a large sum of money he released the King of Scotland from the "homage" which Henry II. had compelled him to give. By these means, Richard gathered a great fleet, with which he set out for the Holy Land, in company with Philip Augustus, the King of France. The two Kings stopped at Messina, where they spent many months, quarrelling with each other, and with the ruler of Sicily. When at last they re-embarked, Richard again turned aside this time to punish the King of Cyprus for abusing shipwrecked pilgrims. Meanwhile, in Palestine, the Christians were besieging the city of Acre, and were His deeds in Palestine. sorely in need. When reached Acre, his fame as a ARMOR OF THE TIME and they could not agree on anything. It is said that Richard one day rode up a hill within sight of Jerusalem, but held his shield before his face that he might not look upon the sacred city which he could not rescue. The army was obliged to retreat, and the Holy City was left in the hands of the "infidels.” Richard was now obliged to return to England; so he made a truce with Saladin for three years, during which time Christians might freely visit Jerusalem. Richard intended to return after the three years had passed, but was never able to do so. When he departed from Syria, he left behind him a great reputation for his bravery. and im While he was returning to his kingdom, Richard was compelled by storms to land in the territory of the Duke of Austria. He was almost alone, and the He is shipDuke was his personal enemy because of wrecked great injuries which Richard had done to prisoned. him on the Crusade. Richard attempted to pass unknown through his enemy's country; but he was discovered, arrested, and afterward surrendered by the Duke to the German Emperor. The Emperor was also unfriendly, because Richard was allied with the Emperor's enemies in Germany; so he kept the English King a prisoner. For a time, the place of Richard's confinement was not known to his own people. In after years, men told a story of how his favorite "minstrel," Blondel, wandered through Germany, singing beneath the walls of every castle a song known only to the King and to Blondel himself. At last he was rewarded by hearing the answering verse in Richard's clear voice, and he knew that he had found his master's prison. from cap The Emperor drove a hard bargain with his prisoner. If he had listened to King Philip of France, and to Richard's brother John, he would never Richard have released the King at all. As it was, he ransomed compelled Richard to pay a great ransom, which the English people willingly raised. After fourteen months of captivity, Richard was released. He landed in England after more than four years' absence. tivity. |