What treats and treasures July 6 offers to historians and make-a-list bores. Not a good day for martyrs. Sir Thomas More, social philosopher, statesman, saint and blogger, lost his head in 1535. Czech religious reformer Jan Hus got to heaven first, burned at the stake in Prague in 1415. The rather less saintly Lawrence of Arabia stormed Aqaba, vanquishing the Turks, although in the film Peter O'Toole, in some discomfort from saddle sores, led the camel charge on a Spanish beach near Almeira.
A more dubious Middle East warrior, Richard the Lionheart, ascended the throne of England on July 6, beginning a ten-year reign spent mostly overseas, bossing the Third Crusade, battling French barons and eventually taking a fatal cross-bow bolt, leaving the kingdom to scheming brother John.
What do we know of Richard? Shakespeare didn't go there, starting his account of warring monarchs with 'King John'. But a much greater dramatist, Sir Tim Rice, mercifully did. Rice gave us 'Blondel', the musical based around the mediaeval legend of the tenacious troubadour who tracked down his king in Austria, having discovered that Richard was not on a skiing holiday, but had been incarcerated by a Crusading rival. Blondel sings outside the castle prison walls. In the original West End production, Blondel was played by Paul Nicholas, who could have serenaded his king (and sealed his execution) with 'Grandma's Party', or 'Dancing with the Captain'. Richard was played by Stephen Tate, formerly of excellent mid-70s TV series 'Survivors'. Andrew Lloyd Webber was not involved this time, but did compose 'Come back Richard, Your Country Needs You', available for ALW completists in a box set or two.
There is still, sadly, no Lionheart biopic, but quite a few thespians have given Richard their best shot. Anthony Hopkins played the stormy princeling in 'The Lion in Winter'. Hopkins,then 32, was up against Dad, Henry II, O'Toole, a boozy 36. Others followed: Julian Glover, Frankie Howerd, Rory Edwards, Patrick Stewart, Danny Huston and memorably (if briefly) Sean Connery giving his blessing to a green-clad Kevin Kostner in 'Robin Hood-Prince of Thieves'.
Richard's alleged support for Robin's Sherwood-based gang may be the stuff of myth. But what of long-standing rumours of Richard's homosexuality? Gay Heroes (http://www.gayheroes.com/rich.htm)
point to Richard's failure to provide spouse Berenagria with a single child, hinting that he preferred the chamber of friend turned rival Philip of France. Other male lovers are alluded to and are in no position to provide injunctions.
But the only Richard you really need is the butch and bold warrior sketched by the late great John Kenney, who adorns the cover of the 1965 Ladybird, 'Richard the Lionheart', another Lawrence du Garde Peach gem from the much-adored 'Adventures from History'. This was undoubtedly my favourite from the series, great locations, awesome battle scenes featuring Richard wielding with sword ands axe, and somewhat fictionalised moments from history, including the famous 'sword contest' involving Richard and 'chivalrous' foe Saladin.
My other heroes at this stage were singer song writer Gilbert O'Sullivan and Gloucestershire and South Africa all-rounder Mike Procter. Gilbert was a bit frizzy to be a full-on hero (and a bit of a drip, if truth be told), Procter a little too porcine. Richard was the business. Kenney's classic image of Richard surveying his soldiers, before they engage in more slaughter of the enemy, is available as a Ladybird print for a tenner. But £175 will secure a framed canvas of the same. Just wondering if any of my summer hosts would like this as a parting gift.
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