The kings of England and France, young Richard, and many more, were roused to take the cross; but while arrangements for going were being made, a fresh dispute about them arose, and Richard went away in a rage, got his friends together, and, with King Philip of France to help him, began to make war.  His father was feeble, and worn out, and could not resist as in former times.  He fell ill, and gave up the struggle, saying he would grant all they asked.  The list of Richard’s friends whom he was to pardon was brought to him, and the first name he saw in it was that of John, his youngest son, and his darling, the one who had never before rebelled.  That quite broke his heart, his illness grew worse, and he talked about an old eagle being torn to pieces by his eaglets.  And so, in the year 1189, Henry II. died the saddest death, perhaps, that an old man can die, for his sons had brought down his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

CHAPTER XII.

Richard I., Lion-heart A.D. 1189—­1199.

Richard was greatly grieved at his father’s death, and when he came and looked at the dead body, in Fontevraud Abbey Church, he cried out, “Alas! it was I who killed him!” But it was too late now:  he could not make up for what he had done, and he had to think about the Crusade he had promised to make.  Richard was so brave and strong that he was called Lion-heart; he was very noble and good in some ways, but his fierce, passionate temper did him a great deal of harm.  He, and King Philip of France, and several other great princes, all met in the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, and thence sailed for the Holy Land.  The lady whom Richard was to marry came to meet him in Sicily.  Her name was Berengaria; but, as it was Lent, he did not marry her then.  She went on to the Holy Land in a ship with his sister Joan, and tried to land in the island of Cypress; but the people were inhospitable, and would not let them come.  So Richard, in his great anger, conquered the isle, and was married to Berengaria there.

The Mahommedans who held Palestine at that time were called Saracens, and had a very brave prince at their head named Saladin, which means Splendor of Religion.  He was very good, just, upright, and truth-telling, and his Saracens fought so well, that the Crusaders would hardly have won a bit of ground if the Lion-heart had not been so brave.  At last, they did take one city on the coast named Acre; and one of the princes, Leopold, Duke of Austria, set up his banner on the walls.  Richard did not think it ought to be there:  he pulled it up and threw it down into the ditch, asking the duke how he durst take the honors of a king.  Leopold was sullen, and brooded over the insult, and King Philip thought Richard so overbearing, that he could not bear to be in the army with him any longer.  In truth, though Philip had pretended