May 12, 1191 AD
King Richard I & Queen Berengaria of Navarre

King Richard I & Berengaria of Navarre

King Richard I (the Lionheart) of England and Aquitaine was the handsome warrior son of the formidable Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.  By the time he decided to marry Berengaria, eldest daughter of King Sancho of Navarre and Sancha of Castile, he had already lived a full life of rebellion, adventure and scandal – much of which had been orchestrated by his mother Eleanor and his equally cocky siblings.

It was no surprise then that he asked his mother and sister Joan to bring Berengaria to him while he in the Holy Land trying to attain glory in the Third Crusade.

On their way to the Middle East from Europe, the three women’s ship ran aground at Cyprus. The ruler there threatened them but Richard came to the rescue and took Cyprus for himself in the process. The two were then married in 1191AD, in the Chapel of St. George in Limassol and Berengaria was crowned Queen of England and Cyprus. Richard was quickly on the move again and took Berengaria with him. However, at some point they were separated, and Richard was captured on his way home by an Austrian Duke who suspected him of arranging the murder of his cousin.

Berengaria eventually returned to safety and attempted to raise ransom for her husband’s release. After Richard was freed he returned to England solo and then to his kingdom of Aquitaine, in Southwest France, making no attempt to reunite with his wife. After the intervention of the Pope, Richard agreed to take Berengaria to church every week but the two were never close. The marriage was childless and when Richard died in 1199 Berengaria had never been to England, the country where she was Queen.

Berengaria lived another 31 years, settling at Le Mans, one of her dower properties. She led a very pious life and was benefactress to the local Abbey. There is conjecture that she finally did see  England as a widow, but this has never been proven.