Blondel's Song: The Capture, Imprisonment and Ransom of Richard the LionheartOn his way back from the crusades, one of England's most famous and romantic medieval kings was ship-wrecked and stranded near Venice. Trying to make his way home in disguise, he was arrested and imprisoned and effectively disappeared. He didn't return home for another fifteen months, and at enormous cost - a quarter of the entire wealth of England was paid to win his release.The extraordinary events surrounding Richard the Lionheart's disappearance has been relegated to the nursery by generations of historians. But it also provides the background to some of the most colourful and enduring legends - Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham, the discovery of King Arthur's grave, and above all, the story of Blondel, Richard's faithful minstrel, and his journey across central Europe - singing under castle towers - until he finds the missing king.Blondel's Song tells the tale of one of the most peculiar incidents of medieval history, and the background to the real Blondel and his fellow troubadours, as well as the courts of love, the Holy Grail, emergence of gothic cathedrals like Notre Dame and Chartres, and the unique moment of tolerance in the West - when Europe shared a language, and a new culture of music, romance and chivalry.It retraces and rediscovers Richard's secret journey across the Alps in winter, and uncovers the real story of the arrest of Europe's most powerful king, two thousand miles from home, and the effects of his gigantic ransom. And it uncovers for the first time the real meaning of the legend of Blondel, the song that revealed Richard's lonely cell, and the truth about who Blondel was. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 15
Page 91
... Joanna . Saladin accepted immedi- ately , assuming it was a joke : he had already become used to Richard's bantering style . But when al - Adil returned , Richard told him with disarming honesty that Joanna had flown into a rage when he ...
... Joanna . Saladin accepted immedi- ately , assuming it was a joke : he had already become used to Richard's bantering style . But when al - Adil returned , Richard told him with disarming honesty that Joanna had flown into a rage when he ...
Page 103
... Joanna and maybe also Blondel . His admiral Stephen de Turnham , Robert's brother , had prepared a seagoing galley , and on September 29 Turnham set sail with Berengaria and Joanna aboard , together with Isaac Comnenus ( still in silver ...
... Joanna and maybe also Blondel . His admiral Stephen de Turnham , Robert's brother , had prepared a seagoing galley , and on September 29 Turnham set sail with Berengaria and Joanna aboard , together with Isaac Comnenus ( still in silver ...
Page 283
... Joanna's son and Richard's nephew was a different animal , returning from the Lateran Council in the winter of 1216 and rallying the Provençal nobles to defend Toulouse against Simon de Montfort . It was then that Simon was finally ...
... Joanna's son and Richard's nephew was a different animal , returning from the Lateran Council in the winter of 1216 and rallying the Provençal nobles to defend Toulouse against Simon de Montfort . It was then that Simon was finally ...
Contents
The Courts of Love I | 1 |
The Age of Light | 29 |
Paris and Jerusalem | 49 |
Copyright | |
12 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Blondel's Song: The Capture, Imprisonment and Ransom of Richard the Lionheart David Boyle No preview available - 2006 |
Blondel's Song: The capture, Imprisonment and Ransom of Richard the Lionheart David Boyle No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
Acre actually Aquitaine army arrest arrived asked became believed Bishop Blondel Book brother called castle cathedral century Christian chronicler Church clear court cross Crusade culture death died Duke Dürnstein early Eleanor emperor empire England English Europe face father finally forced France French German Gillingham given hand head heart Henry History Holy included Italy Jerusalem John journey king knew known land later legend Leopold letter Lion lived London Longchamp lord March married Medieval meeting months never night Normandy once ordered Paris passed perhaps Philip Pope prison probably ransom reached remained Richard road Robin Hood Roman royal sail Saladin seems sent Series ship side silver sing song soon story taken took town troubadours turned walls Walter whole wrote