We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades

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Known as Richard the Lionheart (because he was a fierce warrior),King Richard I is commonly considered a brave king who stood beside his soldiers when standing up to enemies.  A deeply religious man, when he became king, he swore to recapture Jerusalem - a city that had fallen to the Muslims two years prior under Saladin - as a holy crusade.  This became known as the "Third Crusade."  After three years of fighting, a peace treaty was signed in 1192.  It left Jerusalem under Muslim control, but allowed Christians to have access to the land.

Jerusalem was sacred to all three of the major religious groups because :

• Christians saw it as the place where Jesus was crucified and ascended to heaven
• Jews saw it as the site of Solomon's ancient temple
• Muslims saw it as the site where Muhammad met Abraham, Moses, and Jesus

The city has been passed back and forth, captured and recaptured, several times over the course of history.  The crusades began in 1095, when a group of Arabs took over the city and refused to allow Jews or Christians to enter the city.  The Pope called for a battle to recapture the city, and hence began a series of crusades lasting nearly a century, and even included the tragic Children's Crusade.

As the fourth child, Richard never should have been crowned king; nevertheless, due to disease and death, he was crowned in 1189 upon the death of his father Henry II.  Though one of the best-known British monarchs, he did not speak English and during his ten-year reign, he only spent about six months in the British Isles.  Upon his death, he was succeeded by John (the villain from Robin Hood).

Richard I & the Crusades unit :

  Read

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• If All the Swords in England
• Cathedral – David Macaulay
• Men of Iron
• Royal Diaries: Eleanor, Crown Jewel Aquitaine
• Knights Templar & the Crusades
• The Ramsay Scallop

Make / Do

• Two Sides to a Crusade sheet
• Knights in Armour Paper Dolls
• Medieval Tapestries Coloring Book
• Review / Flashcards

Watch

• BBC Heroes & Villains : Richard the Lionheart (about 50 min)
• Lionheart DVD
• Ivanhoe (vintage movie)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (Prime TV)

Listen

• Richard Couer de Lion - Opera
• Richard the Lionheart : Study Guide to the Opera

Define / Identify

• Crusades
• Jihad
• Richard the Lionheart
• Saladin
• Fontevraud Abbey, France
• Rouen Cathedral, France
• Westminster Palace, London
• Jaffa and Acre, Israel
• Jerusalem

Think

• Why were Christians and Muslims fighting over the city of Jerusalem?
• Why would non-soldiers, such as farmers and artisans join Knights and fight in the Crusades?
• Is there a difference between “crusade” and “jihad”?
• Were the Crusades successful for Christians or Muslims?  Why or why not?

Access all 36 living history studies in the 'We Were There' Novel Studies Bundle!

Includes THIRTY-SIX unit studies covering World & American History. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning the the ancient world through post-WW2.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product Samples:

• We Were There with Richard the Lionhearted in the Crusades
• We Were There with Byrd at the South Pole
• We Were There at the Opening of the Atomic Era