Historical novels are entertaining because they combine stories of love and adventures with real people and events. The Lionheart’s Bride is set during the Crusades and Richard the Lionheart and the medieval European royal romances. However, boundless imagination is not the only thing that The Lionheart’s Bride rests on. Let’s take a look at the historical facts and historical fiction within the book.
Richard the Lionheart: The Man Behind the Legend.
Richard I of England, who is Richard the Lionheart, is a legendary warrior king because of his military prowess during the Third Crusade. The Lionheart, or Richard the Lionheart, as his name suggests, is a fearless, ambitious field warrior. Unfortunately, the English throne was never physically occupied, as Richard decided to pursue war instead of entertaining his other duties.
In The Lionheart’s Bride, Richard is often viewed as a romantic figure, especially in regard to his marriage to Berengaria of Navarre. However, as history suggests, the marriage was more of a political alliance than a romance. It is from this role that Berengaria is sometimes called “the only English queen never to set foot in England,” as she and Richard spent very little time together.
The Marriage to Berengaria of Navarre
The marriage between Richard and Berengaria is one of the focal points in The Lionheart’s Bride and is illustrated as one stemming from love, devotion, and even sacrifice.
The truth, however, is that history suggests the truth is far more nuanced. Richard came into Berengaria’s possession in 1191 whilst conducting his crusade, and the marriage was likely to be more of a treaty than anything else. Although Richard was the king of England and Berengaria the queen, there is little to suggest that their marriage was anything more than amicable. In fact, historians have observed that the two spent a great portion of their marriage apart, and Richard, as king, was simply too busy to tend to his queen.
The Clash of Civilizations and Love Stories
The slow and somber crusade setting alongside the fictional kingdom gives a touch of perfection to the story of The Lionheart’s Bride. However, it is a well-known fact that those times did not simply involve romances and were a time marked by wars and violence. The clashes of armed confrontations, strategic negotiations, and disloyal allegiances were the reality of the land of the Crusades at the time of Richard’s dwelling there.
The Lionheart’s Bride captures the delay of the birth of peace. Richard’s attention, along with the rest of the kingdom, was diverted toward the intricate campaigns against Salah-ud-Din, which were ultimately zeroed in on maneuvers instead of the traditional “battle.”
The Successes
The Lionheart’s Bride captures the spirit and atmosphere of the civil 12th century. The luxurious sketching of medieval dances, pageantry, and the acute strife involved in marriages of royalty is based on history. The accent placed on Berengaria’s character, which is often unnoticed, gives testament to the voice that is not present in history books.
The struggle of imagination
Romantic portrayal—The book expresses the different and contradicting emotions of marriage and love intertwined with Richard and Berengaria; however, with careful consideration, it may be seen that marriages of that time were exceptionally distant and only strictly agreed upon due to politics.
Richard’s Prioritization—Although his love and divided attention might suggest otherwise, my point is he was most concerned with military conquest and crusading, given that he was a king.
Berengaria’s Influence—Although he is known to have impacted Richard’s life in pivotal ways, the amount of influence he was able to exert during the time of his reign is rather disappointing.
Why Check for Facts in the First Place?
While fiction, rich in imaginative elements, indulges the reader’s fantasy, understanding the differences and similarities between Richard the Lionheart’s life and his portrayal in The Lionheart’s Bride sheds light on the creativity involved in writing the novel against the backdrop of history.
The intertwining of facts and fiction is a rare but wholesome occurrence. In this novel, the fiction is able to generate interest towards the factual occurrences around Richard the Lionheart’s life.
Final Thoughts
The novel The Lionheart and His Bride takes a unique and deeply imaginative approach to portray Richard the Lionheart and his wife, Berengaria of Navarre. The facts might suggest a much drier case, but the novel perpetuates the idea of these characters and history to entertain the reader.
Fact-checking recalls learning the past with added unique features or remembering it as less wondrous than it actually was. To try and build the mental image to embrace or embellish the importance, both views together enhance the outlook concerning the history.