Richard I Makers of History
Public-domain ebook
Richard I Makers of History
by Jacob Abbott
Language: en7,001 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: History - British·History - Royalty
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #26939.
About this book
The work is a scholarly biography of Richard I, King of England, presented as a strict compilation of historical fact rather than a dramatized narrative. The author declares a commitment to “historic truth,” drawing exclusively on contemporary annals and reputable sources, and the opening pages lay out a detailed contents list that traces Richard’s life from his mother’s lineage through his crusading exploits, complete with illustrative maps and engravings. The first chapter begins by situating Richard’s mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, within the tangled dynastic politics of Normandy and France, describing the territorial map, the marriage alliances, and the early quarrels that shaped the young prince’s environment. This methodical approach signals a volume that prioritizes documentary accuracy and exhaustive coverage of events, from coronation to captivity, while acknowledging the inevitable imperfections of any historical record.
Written in the measured, formal prose of late‑19th‑century scholarship, the book reflects the period’s reverence for primary sources and a didactic tone that assumes an attentive, educated reader. Its dense factual style, extensive footnotes, and inclusion of period illustrations will appeal to students of medieval history, genealogists, and serious enthusiasts of English monarchs who prefer a source‑based account over romanticized storytelling. Those interested in the political intricacies of the Crusades, the Anglo‑Norman empire, or the cultural backdrop of Eleanor’s court will find the volume a valuable, if demanding, reference.
Who appears in Richard I Makers of History
- Richard IYoung 12th‑century king, short hair, trimmed beard, regal crown, chainmail, solemn expression
- Eleanor of AquitaineElegant medieval noblewoman, long flowing hair, jeweled veil, richly embroidered gown, dignified bearing
The opening · free to read
Harper & Brothers,
in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York.
Copyright, 1885, by BENJAMIN VAUGHAN ABBOTT, AUSTIN ABBOTT, LYMAN ABBOTT, and EDWARD ABBOTT.
PREFACE.
The author of this series has made it his special object to confine himself very strictly, even in the most minute details which he records, to historic truth. The narratives are not tales founded upon history, but history itself, without any embellishment, or any deviations from the strict truth so far as it can now be discovered by an attentive examination of the annals written at the time when the events themselves occurred. In writing the narratives, the author has endeavored to avail himself of the best sources of information which this country affords; and though, of course, there must be in these volumes, as in all historical accounts, more or less of imperfection and error, there is no intentional embellishment. Nothing is stated, not even the most minute and apparently imaginary details, without what was deemed good historical authority. The readers, therefore, may rely upon the record as the truth, and nothing but the truth, so far as an honest purpose and a careful examination have been effectual in ascertaining it.
CONTENTS.
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