Damon Mcknight
King Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart, was imprisoned by Duke Leopold of Austria in 1192. Richard had previously antagonised Leopold during the Third Crusade, refusing to share the spoils of the siege of Acre and throwing the Duke's standard into the mud. On his way back to England, Richard was shipwrecked and forced to cross through Austria, where he was recognised and captured. He was held prisoner for 14 months in the castle of Durnstein, and a ransom of 150,000 silver marks (around 34 tons) was demanded for his release.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Imprisonment | 21st December 1192 |
| Place of Imprisonment | Durnstein, Austria |
| Reason for Imprisonment | Richard threw the Duke's standard into the mud during the siege of Acre, and refused to share the spoils |
| Duration of Imprisonment | 3-14 months |
| Ransom Amount | 150,000 silver marks (34-35 tons) |
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What You'll Learn
Richard's capture and imprisonment
Richard the Lionheart, King of England, was imprisoned by Duke Leopold of Austria in 1192. Richard had taken part in the Third Crusade, where he had made an enemy of Leopold during the siege of Acre. Richard had refused to share the spoils of the fallen city with Leopold and further insulted him by throwing the Duke's standard into the mud.
After the Crusade, Richard was returning to England when he was shipwrecked near Venice. He had no choice but to cross through Austria, where he was recognised and captured in a tavern in Vienna. Richard had been travelling in disguise, but his cover was blown, and he was taken to the castle of Durnstein, a newly built prison deemed fit for a king. Richard was held in Durnstein for three months before being moved to another castle.
Richard's imprisonment lasted for 14 months, and a huge ransom of 150,000 silver marks, or 34-35 tons in weight, was demanded for his release. This caused great difficulty in England, where Richard's brother John was tasked with raising the money. The ransom affected all people throughout England and made John highly unpopular, leading to accusations of despotism from the barons.
The story of Richard's imprisonment is remembered in Durnstein, a village in the Wachau Valley, where the ruins of the castle where he was held can still be visited.
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The ransom
On 21 December 1192, Richard the Lionheart, King of England, was captured by Duke Leopold of Austria and imprisoned for 14 months. Richard was returning home from the Third Crusade, where he had made an enemy of Leopold during the siege of Acre. Richard had refused to share the spoils of the fallen city with Leopold and further humiliated him by throwing the Duke's standard into the mud.
Richard's capture took place in a tavern in Vienna's third district, where he had stopped while travelling incognito through Austria. Richard was imprisoned in the Duke's castle at Durnstein, a newly built castle deemed fit for a king. Leopold demanded a ransom of 150,000 silver marks (34 tons in weight) for Richard's release, an amount that would be worth many millions of pounds today.
Back in England, Richard's brother John was tasked with raising the ransom money, which proved extremely difficult. John was forced to impose fresh taxes on the wealthy, making him highly unpopular and leading to accusations of despotism by the barons. The effort to raise the ransom affected all people throughout England.
Richard's imprisonment lasted for about three months at Durnstein before he was moved to another castle. Eventually, the ransom was paid, and Richard was released.
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The reaction to Leopold's actions
Leopold's capture of Richard the Lionheart, King of England, invoked a range of reactions, from indifference to celebration. Notably, the English government under Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury, treated the incident as an unfortunate act of God rather than a crime. There was no widespread condemnation, and Richard's fellow monarchs rejoiced at the news of his capture. Emperor Henry VI, for example, wrote to Philip II Augustus, the King of France, expressing his pleasure at the providences of God.
Richard's imprisonment caused significant problems in England. His brother, John, who was ruling in his stead, was tasked with raising the enormous ransom demanded by Leopold, amounting to 34 to 35 tons of silver. John imposed fresh taxes on the wealthy to meet this demand, which made him highly unpopular and led to accusations of despotism by the barons.
The capture of Richard by Leopold also raised legal and moral implications. As a sovereign monarch, it was questionable whether Richard could be imprisoned by a foreign power, especially on shaky grounds such as an accusation of murder. However, it is important to note that Richard had alienated many of his peers, including Leopold, during the Siege of Acre, where he refused to share the spoils and threw the Duke's standard into the mud. Richard's difficult personality and actions may have influenced the lack of outrage at his capture.
The incident also highlighted the complex power dynamics of the time. While generally, a feudal lord's will was the law in his territory, there was still a hierarchy that placed kings above dukes, counts, and barons. As there was no open war between England and the Holy Roman Empire, the legal and moral authority for Leopold to arrest Richard, a king travelling through his lands, was questionable.
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Richard's reputation
Richard the Lionheart's reputation was a mixed bag. On the one hand, he was known as the King of Crusaders, a fair-minded and gentle knight. On the other hand, some sources describe him as having a difficult personality, not being the wisest of men, and making enemies of his peers.
Overall, Richard the Lionheart's reputation was complex and multifaceted. While he was known as a brave and noble crusader, he also had a reputation for being difficult and making enemies. His imprisonment in Austria further complicated his reputation, with some seeing it as a just punishment for his previous actions, while others were more concerned with the potential for geopolitical gains than with any sense of justice.
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Richard's release
Richard the Lionheart's release from imprisonment in Austria was secured when a ransom of silver was paid. Richard was held in the castle of Durnstein, a "king's ransom" of 150,000 silver marks was demanded for his release—around 34 tons of silver.
The task of raising this enormous sum fell to Richard's younger brother John, who was in charge of the English government in Richard's absence. John imposed fresh taxes on the wealthy to gather the funds, making himself extremely unpopular in the process. The ransom took around three months to raise, and during this time Richard was moved to another castle.
The story of Richard's servant, Blondel, who is said to have travelled from castle to castle singing Richard's favourite song, is a popular legend in Austria. According to the tale, Blondel eventually heard Richard singing the second verse from within the castle of Durnstein, and so discovered his master's whereabouts. Blondel then arranged for Richard to be freed.
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Frequently asked questions
Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned by Austria due to his actions during the Third Crusade. Richard had made an enemy of Duke Leopold of Austria by refusing to share the spoils of the siege of Acre and throwing the Duke's standard into the mud. Richard was captured in Austria on his way back to England from the Crusade and was held prisoner for 14 months.
Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in the Duke's castle at Durnstein in the Wachau Valley.
Richard the Lionheart's ransom was 150,000 silver marks, or 34-35 tons of silver. This amounted to many millions of pounds in today's money.
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