Crusades: Richard the Lionheart Captured

December 20, 1192 - King Richard the Lionheart is captured by Leopold V while returning from the Crusades. The third son of King Henry II, Richard was born in 1157, at Oxford, England. Though often thought of as a great "English" king, Richard spent the majority of his life in his father's French possessions protecting them against foreign incursions and developing his own power base. Several times during his young life he attempted to conspire with his brothers to overthrow their father. While these were unsuccessful, he was able to compel his father to name him as heir to the throne shortly before the king's death in 1189. Crowned King of England, Richard soon embarked on a crusade to the Holy Land in conjunction with King Philip II of France and Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire. After conducting brief campaigns in Sicily and Cyprus, Richard aided in the capture of Acre and defeated Saladin at Arsuf. Abandoned by his allies, he was forced to make peace with Saladin in 1192. Captured and held for ransom by Duke Leopold V of Austria while returning home, Richard was finally freed in 1194. Shortly thereafter, he engaged in a war with Philip over lands in France. It was during this conflict that Richard was mortally wounded during the siege of Chalus-Chabrol in 1199.