Richard the Lion Heart Shield

 King Richard of England was known as a monarch from a distance. Born in England, the third son of Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitane, he only lived in England until he was eight years old. He grew up in Normandy and held several titles in the former Frankish kingdoms, spoke and wrote in French and Limonsin (an early dialect) and was known as Duc Richard IV de Normandy. His father, Henry II did his sons no favors by dividing up his kingdom into three equal parts yet continued to control the money which pleased none of them. The ensuing battles between their forces eventually caused the death of Henry the Young King, Richard’s older brother, leaving him as the heir for the throne of England. During this time, he begged forgiveness for his part in the divisive nature of the three brothers and immediately began to quell the uprisings that he had helped instigate in Normandy. It was here that he earned his moniker, Richard the Lionhearted.

When the wave of enthusiasm surged for the Crusades, Richard gathered his Norman and British  forces and headed for the Holy Land. Now King Heir of England and self- proclaimed King of Cyprus, he was trapped in the machinations of leadership and protecting the Holy lands that he had fought so hard to liberate for Christian rule, neglecting his duties to the many thrones of Europe that were his.  He was imprisoned by enemies that he made during this time and his brother John claimed the throne.  When Richard was finally released, he forgave John, naming him his heir and died shortly after.  

The symbol of the lions are known in Heraldry Gules, three lions passant guardantin pale or armed and langued azure, meaning three identical gold lions (also known as leopards) with blue tongues and claws, walking and facing the observer, arranged in a column on a red background.  The Dukes of Normandy from Rollo (first Duke of Normandy) had always used a lion for their personal arms.  Henry II had used two lions and Richard added the third. Each king always changed the arms to claim it as their own but throughout English royal history, there has been a variation on the original Lions of Normandy with the Royal Arms.

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