Richard the Lionheart Sword and Shield set
$25.00
Little knights will enjoy playing with this old-fashioned toy sword and shield set which features the crest of the most famous knight in history: Richard the Lionheart.
Big, bright and boldly colored. Shield is made of ash laminate, and the sword from a single piece of ash. Sword and shield edges have been rounded for safety. And only EU approved paints have been used.
Shield is thirteen and half inches tall and twelve inches wide. Sword is seventeen and a half inch long. Faux leather arm straps securely riveted in place.
Richard the First of England—better known as Richard Lionheart—reigned as the king of England from 1189 to 1199.
Though he ruled over all of England, Ireland and Scotland, Richard spoke no English, French being his native tongue. Nor did he spend much time in England. Only six months in total, during his ten year rule.
And he was a spendthrift—recklessly wasted his kingdom’s treasure on foreign wars.
So how is it that Richard is today considered to be THE representation of a medieval knight?
His story is intriguing…
Richard was the son of Henry the Second of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine of France (two of the three most powerful people in the world at the time).
He quickly became famous for his courage and success in battle, fighting in England and France before setting off on crusade (three times!) and besieging Jerusalem.
Then his good luck began to run out. Returning home from crusade, Richard the Lionheart was shipwrecked and washed ashore on the territory of Leopold, the king of Austria (whom Richard had grievously insulted during the crusade).
Leopold handed the English king over to the Holy Roman Emperor, who threw him in jail until a (king’s) ransom would be paid.
Richard would languish there for almost two years, and the ransom is still considered to be the greatest that has ever been paid. It bankrupted England. Interestingly enough, his own brother (King John of Robin Hood fame), who had ruled over England during Richard’s absence, did everything he could to make sure the ransom would not be paid. So that he could remain king, and if not for his mother, Richard would have died in captivity.
Richard the Lionheart returned home after being freed and immediately returned to doing what he knew best: fighting.
He should have retired. During the siege of Chalus-Charol, Richard rode near the castle wall, and a soldier fired a desperation shot in his direction. The crossbow bolt struck Richard in the shoulder, and he was brought to his tent, where nothing doctors did was able to save the king. Gangrene set in, and the Richard the Lionheart died soon after.
It says much about the mystique of Richard the Lionheart that his shield design lives on, and has become the most famous in the world. The escutcheon is still used by the British royal family, as well as England’s national soccer and cricket teams.