Was Richard I a good or a bad king?

Question

Was Richard I a good or a bad king?

Answer 1

The reputation of Richard has fluctuated wildly. The Victorians were divided. Many of them admired him as a crusader and man of God, erecting an heroic statue to him outside the Houses of Parliament. On the other hand, thought him ‘a bad son, a bad husband, a selfish ruler, and a vicious man’. Though born in Oxford, he spoke no English. During his ten years' reign, he was in England for no more than six months, and was totally absent for the last five years.

Answer 2

A bad king who preferred southern France to England.  He actually controlled more of France than the French king did.

He put a strain on his country by fighting in a lot of foreign wars and by staying away from England.

Answer 3

Terrible king.  He only spent 6 months of his 10 year reign in England, and that was mostly to get money!  He taxed England repeatedly and heavily to finance his Crusade.

On top of which, he doesn't appear to have made any attempt to supply an heir, which is generally considered a duty.  And because he didn't have an heir, he was followed by King John, arguably the worst king ever.

Answer 4

Richard I dynastic inheritance was his first duty, England therefore became a second concern. The battle between the royal french houses (Angevian and Capetian) was his main concern. He did appoint good governors in his absence for example Hubert Walter Archbishop of Canterbury.