The Heart of the Lion by Jean Plaidy Page A

‘when I planned this crusade my Queen was alive. She was there to care for our son. She was to be my Regent, and now I have lost her.’
    There was a rapport between them. Joanna had so recently lost a beloved husband. She shared his sense of bereavement which was increased as it often was in the case of people in their position by a loss of security.
    They talked together and when the Kings took their leave the attendants were whispering together that the King of France seemed mightily taken with the Queen of Sicily and since he was recently a widower and she a widow, could there be a happy outcome of their meeting?

    Settling into his quarters, awaiting the return of the dowry, Richard had discovered that his men were causing a certain amount of discord in Messina. Among the population of Sicily were some of mixed European and Saracen origin; they were a hot-blooded people quickly aroused and ready to fight on the least provocation and they did not like having foreigners on their soil.
    Before he had arrived there had been quarrels between the crusaders and the Sicilian natives. Dissension arose for the most trivial reasons. And when the Sicilians realised that King Richard was making arrogant demands to their King, they became more resentful. In such a situation Richard realised that it would be very easy for the men to get out of control. He was determined that this should not be so.
    He conferred with Philip. He wanted rigorous discipline. The men must fear their leaders but Philip insisted that as the men were away from their homes and the conditions in which they lived must necessarily be trying there should be a certain amount of leniency.
    Richard said that was nonsense and erected a gallows opposite his house.
    ‘Let all men beware how they conduct themselves,’ he decreed. ‘I shall have no mercy on those who offend my laws.’
    People trembled before him. Sicilian babies were frightened by the warning: ‘King Richard will have you if you are not a good child.’ He was called The Lion, and in contrast the French King was given the nickname of The Lamb.
    In spite of Richard’s severity trouble continued to break out. The Sicilians complained that the crusaders seduced their wives and daughters and swaggered about the town as though they owned it.
    Philip thought they should not linger and that while they did so the men would be restive but Richard refused to think of leaving until he had satisfaction from Tancred. He wanted the dowry or its equivalent in money and treasure and he was going to have it or go to war.
    Philip watching the situation shrewdly knew that Eleanor was waiting for the command to come to her son bringing with her Berengaria of Navarre. It was amusing to contemplate how little enthusiasm Richard appeared to have for the marriage. He was far more interested in getting even with Tancred. Of course there was Alice. How was Richard going to break free of the bonds which bound him to Philip’s sister? Philip was well aware that Richard would refuse to marry Alice and he knew why. Who would wish to marry a woman who had been his father’s mistress and borne him a child? But he was affianced to her.
    The amusing angle was that although Richard did not want to marry Alice he did not seem eager to marry Berengaria either.
    The fact was that Richard did not want to marry.
    He would be quite happy to sail away to Acre without Berengaria and . . . with Philip.

    When Richard received Tancred’s reply to his demand for the return of his sister’s dowry he was filled with rage, for Tancred quite clearly had no intention of returning the treasures.
    ‘He must be taught a lesson,’ cried Richard.
    Philip who had been with him when Tancred’s reply was delivered urged him not to be rash; but Richard was not one to pause when his anger was aroused. Tancred had defied him and was trying to cheat him out of what he considered was his by right. Tancred therefore must be made to understand that he could