Henry II was succeeded by his second son, Richard, his first having
died during the civil war (1183) in which he and his brother Geoffrey
had fought against Prince Richard and their father (S171). Richard
was born at Oxford, but he spent his youth in France.
[1] Richard Coeur de Lion: Richard the Lion-Hearted. An old
chronicler says that the King got the name from his adventure with a
lion. The beast attacked him, and as the King had no weapons, he
thrust his hand down his throat and "tore out his heart." This story
is not without value, since it illustrates how marvelous legends grow
up around the lives of remarkable men.
The only English sentence that he was ever known to speak was when he
was in a raging passion. He then vented his wrath against an
impertinent Frnchman, in some broken but decidedly strong expressions
of his native tongue. Richard has been called "a spendid savage,"
having most of the faults and most of the virtues of such a savage.
The King's bravery in battle and his daring exploits gained for him
the flattering surname of Coeur de Lion. He had a right to it, for he
certainly possessed the heart of a lion, and he never failed to get
the lion's share. He might, however, have been called, in equal
truth, Richard the Absentee, since out of a nominal reign of ten years
he spent but a few months in England, the remaining time being
consumed in wars abroad.