General Notes

[gheller.ged]

Richard, Earl of Cornwall,
and titular Emperor of the Romans, was second son of John, King of England, and his queen, Is abella, and was born at Winchester in 1209. After serving with distinction in France, he went , about 1240, to Palestine, where his presence, as nephew of the formidable Richard C
ur de L ion, gave courage to the Christians and filled the Saracens with terror. On his return he ha d an interview with the Emperor Frederick II. in Sicily, and by his desire attempted to media te between him and the Pope, Gregory IX.; but unsuccessfully. He arrived in England in 1242 ; again served in France; mediated more than once between Henry III. and the barons, agains t whom he ultimately fought; was charged by the king, in 1255, to torture and extort money fr om the Jews, by which means he got much of his wealth; and in 1256 he accepted the title of K ing of the Romans, offered him after the death of William, Count of Holland. He had a rival , however, in Alfonso of Castile, who was chosen by some of the electors.

Richard was crowned at Aix-la-Chapelle (now Aachen -1996), with his wife, Sanchia, in May, 1 257, and won golden opinions by his prodigal gifts and expenditure. He returned to England af ter two years, but several times revisited Germany and exercised authority in some respects a s Emperor. He took part on the king's side at the battle of Lewes, and was captured, and kep t prisoner more than a year. The assassination of his eldest son, Henry, a prince of great pr omise, by the sons of Simon de Montfort, at Viterbo, in 1271, deeply affected him, and he die d at Berkhampstead in April, 1272. His body was interred in the abbey of Hayles, which he ha d founded.