Henry's eldest surviving son, Richard, was crowned at Westminster
Abbey in 1190. He took the title of Richard I but is better known
as "C[oe]ur de Lion" (_the lion-hearted_), a name which was given
him on account of his bravery. He had wonderful strength and his
brave deeds were talked about all over the land.
With such a man for their king, the English people became devoted
to chivalry, and on every field of battle brave men vied with another
in brave deeds. Knighthood was often the reward of valor. Then, as
now, knighthood was usually conferred upon a man by his king or
queen. A part of the ceremony consisted in the sovereign's touching
the kneeling subject's soldier with the flat of a sword and saying,
"Arise, Sir Knight." This was called "the accolade."
Richard did not stay long in England after his coronation. In 1191
he went with Philip of France on a Crusade.
The French and English Crusaders together numbered more than one
hundred thousand men. They sailed to the Holy Land and joined an
army of Christian soldiers encamped before the city of Acre. The
besiegers had despaired of taking the city but when reinforced
they gained fresh courage.
[Illustration: THE ACCOLADE]
C[oe]ur de Lion now performed deeds of valor which gave him fame
throughout Europe. He was the terror of the Saracens. In every
attack on Acre he led the Christians and when the city was captured
he planted his banner in triumph on its walls.
So great was the terror inspired everywhere in the Holy Land by
the name of Richard that Moslem mothers are said to have made their
children quiet by threatening to send for the English king.
Every night when the Crusaders encamped, the heralds blew their
trumpets, and cried three times, "Save the Holy Sepulchre!" And
the Crusaders knelt and said, "Amen!"
The great leader of the Saracens was Saladin. He was a model of
heroism and the two leaders, one the champion of the Christians
and the other the champion of the Mohammedans, vied with each other
in knightly deeds.
Just before one battle Richard rode down the Saracen line and boldly
called for any one to step forth and fight him alone. No one responded
to the challenge, for the most valiant of the Saracens did not dare
to meet the lion-hearted king.
After the capture of Acre Richard took As'ca-lon. Then he made a
truce with Saladin, by which the Christians acquired the right for
three years to visit the Holy City without paying for the privilege.
[Illustration: RICHARD C[OE]UR DE LION AND SALADIN, RULER OF THE
FAITHFUL, ENTERING JERUSALEM]