Primary Source XV: King Richard’s Letter on the Conquest of Cyprus 1191

In this primary source, King Richard of England (The Lionheart) addresses his judiciary, providing us a firsthand account of the events leading up to the capture of the Cyprus and sheds light on the political and military strategies employed by King Richard. This is a valuable source as it is one of only two letters that come from King Richard himself. Contrary to popular belief, Richard -- although King of England -- would have spoken French as his first language (hence the voice-over). This recording is a springboard to next month's interview with Dr. Angel Nicolaou-Konnari (University of Cyprus) as we discuss King Richard's Conquest of Cyprus in 1191.