| Name | Richard I |
| Reign | 1189 - 1199 CE |
| Title | King of England |
| Legacy | Remembered as a legendary warrior-king who increased England's continental influence during the High Middle Ages |
| Moniker | The Lionheart |
| Successor | |
| Predecessor | Henry II |
| Achievements | Expanded the Angevin Empire in Europe • Focused on consolidating power rather than the Third Crusade • Passed a more unified and stronger English throne to his successor |
Richard I, also known as Richard Cœur de Lion or Richard the Lionheart, was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. Unlike the Richard of our own timeline, this Richard did not participate in the Third Crusade to the Holy Land, instead focusing his considerable military talents and ambitions on the expansion and consolidation of the Angevin Empire across Europe.
The third son of Henry II of England, Richard was initially not expected to inherit the English throne. However, the early deaths of his elder brothers Henry and Geoffrey placed Richard in line to succeed his father as king.
As Duke of Aquitaine and count of Anjou, Richard already possessed substantial territorial holdings and military power even before becoming king. He proved himself a skilled warrior and military commander, putting down rebellions against his father's rule in France and the Duchy of Normandy.
After Henry II's death in 1189, the 32-year-old Richard ascended to the English throne and moved quickly to cement his control over the Angevin dominions. Unlike the fractious relationship between Richard and his brother John in our history, the two cooperated closely to consolidate their power.
Unlike the Richard of our timeline, this Richard never embarked on a Third Crusade. Instead, he focused his efforts on expanding the Angevin Empire's reach across the European mainland. Over the course of his 10-year reign, Richard achieved a series of major military victories that increased English power tremendously:
By the late 1190s, the Angevin Empire encompassed much of modern-day France, the Low Countries, and parts of the Holy Roman Empire - a continental domain unmatched in power and reach since the days of Charlemagne.
Richard's military victories were complemented by skilled administrative reforms that strengthened the English monarchy. He implemented a more centralized system of royal justice, taxation, and bureaucracy that reduced the power of feudal nobles. This allowed him to maintain control over his sprawling continental holdings.
Unlike the fractious relationship between Richard and his brother John in our history, the two cooperated closely to consolidate Angevin power. When Richard died in 1199 from an infected arrow wound, John was able to smoothly succeed him without major conflicts or rebellions.
Richard's reign is remembered as a high point of Angevin might and English influence on the European stage. His military prowess, ambition, and political acumen allowed him to vastly expand the Angevin Empire and bequeath a stronger, more unified kingdom to his successor. While criticized by some for his ruthlessness, Richard is celebrated in this timeline as a legendary warrior-king who transformed England into a continental power to be reckoned with.
