Medieval World: Richard the Lionheart

PowerPoint and worksheet that considers whether King Richard I deserves his reputation as a ‘Lionheart’. The lesson focuses on the events of Richard’s life including his rebellions against his father, his conduct and achievements during the Third Crusade, his capture and imprisonment in Germany and his return to England and death in France.

Activities include

• Starter activity in which pupils define what characteristics someone with the name Lionheart might have.
• Reading and comprehension exercise on the life of Richard. Pupils create a spider diagram on Richard’s actions during his lifetime before colour coding them according to whether they fit Richard’s reputation as a ‘Lionheart’ or not.
• Source analysis exercise on whether Richard’s treatment of prisoners while on crusade and his efforts to finance the crusade fits his reputation as a ‘Lionheart’.
• Source analysis exercise to judge the utility of the romantic poem Coeur de Lion to a historian investigating Richard’s reputation as a ‘Lionheart’.
• Having added the extra information to their spider diagrams pupils write a conclusion on whether Richard deserves his nickname.

Designed for teaching an academically able Key Stage 3 class covering the Medieval World.
Lesson Length: 1 hour depending on pace.