Night Music: Insensitive

Death of the King

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On 6th April, 1199, King Richard I of England died of gangrene from a wounded shoulder. Although he has come down through history with a glorious memory, he was, in my opinion, perhaps the worst king that England ever had.

He won the throne by rebelling and taking up arms against his mortally-ill father Henry II. He probably did not speak English, and he spent all but six months of his 10-year reign fighting wars for personal fame and glory in Europe and the Middle East. Onerous taxes on the poor were needed to pay for his campaigns and for the ransom demanded by the Holy Roman Emperor after Richard was captured.

Frankly, I think the crossbow bolt that struck him in the shoulder at the siege of Chalus-Chabrol did England a favour.