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Sword and the Swan) produced chaos and total disaster. Richard's other "faults" were not faults in his own time, particularly since his vindictiveness (which might have been so classed) was based on violation of what he believed was the "code of honor" and rarely on personal matters. (Men who offended Richard personally rarely lived long enough to suffer prolonged animosity. If he did not kill them out of hand in a fit of rage, they were challenged to combat and killed.) Most important, however, was Richard's own prowess and ability in war |
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Far from regarding war as the ultimate horror, as we do today, the medieval upper classes regarded it as a noble enterprise, the single fitting "work" for a nobleman. Richard was preeminent in war, very nearly invincible personally and a really remarkable tactician (when regarded from the point of view of his own time, of course). Partly the latter was owing to the former. Richard's outstanding courage and daring inspired such enthusiasm and devotion in the men who served under him that they would follow him anywhere and became nearly invincible themselves. The descriptions of the battles Richard fought are all historical and come from Geoffrey de Vinsauf. Since Geoffrey accompanied Richard throughout the Crusade, his account is that of an eyewitness and may be trustedexcept possibly for body count (in which we are not overly trustworthy ourselves) and the usual reservations about medieval chroniclers. |
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Then there is the vexed question of Richard's homosexuality. Considering the atmosphere in which he was raised and the proclivity of his father and brothers not only for producing bastards but for acknowledging them openly, supporting and educating them with pride, and pushing their interests, it is unlikely that Richard would have concealed any children he fathered out of shame. Yet, although he was more than thirty when he married, there were none he acknowledged. This might have |
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