Richard said hastily that he had no intention of leaving Messina until he had settled the matter of Joanna’s dowry.

‘Which could delay you for some time,’ Philip pointed out.

‘Then delay there must be for I’ll not allow this avaricious fellow to take what is mine.’

‘I believe,’ said Philip to Joanna, ‘that your brother cares not if I take Acre without him.’

‘You will need my help,’ said Richard, ‘as I shall need yours. We may be assured that the place will be well fortified.’

‘If we delay too long the winter will be upon us.’

‘Still, I shall not allow Tancred to flout me.’

Philip shrugged his shoulders. He devoted himself to Joanna and told her about his little son Louis whose welfare gave him so much concern and how his heart was torn between the desire to lead a campaign into the Holy Land and to be at home to govern his kingdom.

‘You see,’ he explained, ‘when I planned this crusade my Queen was alive. She was there to care for our son. She was to be my Regent, and now I have lost her.’

There was a rapport between them. Joanna had so recently lost a beloved husband. She shared his sense of bereavement which was increased as it often was in the case of people in their position by a loss of security.

They talked together and when the Kings took their leave the attendants were whispering together that the King of France seemed mightily taken with the Queen of Sicily and since he was recently a widower and she a widow, could there be a happy outcome of their meeting?


* * *

Settling into his quarters, awaiting the return of the dowry, Richard had discovered that his men were causing a certain amount of discord in Messina. Among the population of Sicily were some of mixed European and Saracen origin; they were a hot-blooded people quickly aroused and ready to fight on the least provocation and they did not like having foreigners on their soil.

Before he had arrived there had been quarrels between the crusaders and the Sicilian natives. Dissension arose for the most trivial reasons. And when the Sicilians realised that King Richard was making arrogant demands to their King, they became more resentful. In such a situation Richard realised that it would be very easy for the men to get out of control. He was determined that this should not be so.

He conferred with Philip. He wanted rigorous discipline. The men must fear their leaders but Philip insisted that as the men were away from their homes and the conditions in which they lived must necessarily be trying there should be a certain amount of leniency.

Richard said that was nonsense and erected a gallows opposite his house.

‘Let all men beware how they conduct themselves,’ he decreed. ‘I shall have no mercy on those who offend my laws.’

People trembled before him. Sicilian babies were frightened by the warning: ‘King Richard will have you if you are not a good child.’ He was called The Lion, and in contrast the French King was given the nickname of The Lamb.

In spite of Richard’s severity trouble continued to break out. The Sicilians complained that the crusaders seduced their wives and daughters and swaggered about the town as though they owned it.

Philip thought they should not linger and that while they did so the men would be restive but Richard refused to think of leaving until he had satisfaction from Tancred. He wanted the dowry or its equivalent in money and treasure and he was going to have it or go to war.

Philip watching the situation shrewdly knew that Eleanor was waiting for the command to come to her son bringing with her Berengaria of Navarre. It was amusing to contemplate how little enthusiasm Richard appeared to have for the marriage. He was far more interested in getting even with Tancred. Of course there was Alice. How was Richard going to break free of the bonds which bound him to Philip’s sister? Philip was well aware that Richard would refuse to marry Alice and he knew why. Who would wish to marry a woman who had been his father’s mistress and borne him a child? But he was affianced to her.

The amusing angle was that although Richard did not want to marry Alice he did not seem eager to marry Berengaria either.

The fact was that Richard did not want to marry.

He would be quite happy to sail away to Acre without Berengaria and ... with Philip.


* * *

When Richard received Tancred’s reply to his demand for the return of his sister’s dowry he was filled with rage, for Tancred quite clearly had no intention of returning the treasures.

‘He must be taught a lesson,’ cried Richard.

Philip who had been with him when Tancred’s reply was delivered urged him not to be rash; but Richard was not one to pause when his anger was aroused. Tancred had defied him and was trying to cheat him out of what he considered was his by right. Tancred therefore must be made to understand that he could not flout the King of England.

Ignoring Philip’s advice, Richard gathered his forces together and took possession of a fort and a monastery. The latter he intended to use as a storehouse; but the operation was to bring home to Tancred and the Sicilians that when Richard of England was not treated with the respect to which he was due that was the time to beware.

Tension was rising. Richard’s crusaders now believed that they were like a conquering army. They swaggered through the market places; there were stories of their forcing their attentions on unwilling women, robbing the Sicilians of their goods and behaving in a manner which was sooner or later going to destroy the peace. They assumed that as they were crusaders on their way to a holy war whatever misdemeanours they were guilty of would be forgiven in the eyes of Heaven because of their cause.

The Sicilians were not, of a nature to accept this conduct uncomplainingly and it was not long before violence broke out. This began with a trivial incident. A party of crusaders walking through the market place saw a woman selling bread. One of them took one of the loaves and when the woman demanded payment refused it. She tried to snatch the bread from him and several of the stall-holders came to her rescue. In a very short time there was a riot. The citizens gathered together against the intruders and armed with sticks and stones began to fight. The crusaders retaliated and soldiers began marching on the city although they had had no orders to do so.

When he saw what was happening Richard tried to call a halt to his army, but they were now determined on conquest and even Richard riding among his men found it difficult to call them to order.

Finally this was achieved but the incensed populace was determined to be revenged and large numbers of them prepared to attack the English camp. Richard placed himself at the head of his troops and drove the people back to the town; but this was not enough for him. These people had dared attempt to menace his soldiers. They must be taught a lesson. He marched into Messina.

The fighting was fierce and during it five of Richard’s knights and twenty men-at-arms were killed. The sight of their men lying dead infuriated the crusaders and they gave vent to their fury. That night they forgot their holy mission entirely; they were soldiers, far from home, determined to satisfy their lustful desires. They stormed the town pillaging, robbing and setting fire to the boats in the port.

When dawn came it was seen that they had set up the English standard on the walls of the city.


* * *

When he arose that morning Philip saw the flag and he was angry. Richard went too far. How could the French who had their quarters in the town allow the English to fly their flag in such a manner? It was an admission of their superiority over their allies.

He sent a messenger at once to the Villa Muschet and asked that Richard come to him. It was some time before Richard appeared. Philip marvelled when he saw him. He was fresh and alert; none would have guessed that he had been fighting far into the night. Battle stimulated Richard; there was no doubt of it. It was inactivity which he found hard to endure.

‘This is a sorry state of affairs,’ said Philip.

‘You think so?’

‘I do indeed.’ He slipped his arm through Richard’s and drew him to the window. He pointed to the English standard flying on the city wall. ‘That will not do.’

‘Methinks it does very well. It is an indication to these people that they must not insult me or my people.’

‘It would appear that your soldiers insulted them in the first place.’

‘They were over-sensitive.’

‘We are engaged in a Holy War. We cannot waste lives and money on petty battles such as this.’

‘We need to rest here. We need to refit our ships which have been damaged in the storm. We are engaged in a holy cause and Christians on the way must succour us in friendship. If they do not it is war.’

‘You are always so quick to take offence. Sometimes I think you live for your battles.’

‘I am a soldier, Philip.’

‘It seems sometimes you forget you are a king. That is something I never do. That is why I tell you that standard must come down.’

‘It stays where it is.’

‘Nay, Richard, it comes down.’

‘Tancred has to be shown that I mean what I say. If he does not pay me my dues I will take them. I will subdue the entire island. I shall not allow him to treat me and mine with impunity.’

‘This is no quarrel with Tancred. It is a dispute between your soldiers and the people. They resent them here and I am not surprised at that. Would you care for foreign soldiery on your lands, swaggering through the market places taking what they wished, insulting the women ... ?’

‘These people attempted to march on my camp.’

‘Because your men were making life intolerable for them. No matter, take that standard down.’

‘Is that a command?’

‘It is.’

‘And who is the King of France to command the King of England?’

‘I do not command the King of England, but the Duke of Normandy, who has sworn fealty to me as his liege lord.’

‘You are unjust.’

‘Nay, within my rights. Richard, we are together in an enterprise which needs all our skill and courage. Do not try our friendship too far. French troops are stationed here. How can they be content to rest under the English standard?’

‘Because the English placed it there in battle.’

‘A battle which should never have been fought. You are too impetuous, Richard. Have I not always told you so ... even in the old days?’

Richard turned on his heel. His anger was great and he did not care to be reminded of the days when he had been content to ride with the King of France, to talk with him, to sleep in his bed.

Several of his most trusted counsellors were waiting for him when he returned to the villa. They knew of his visit to the King of France and what must have been its purpose.

‘One thing which would be fatal at this juncture,’ they told him, ‘would be conflict between our men and the French. This there will assuredly be while the English standard floats over the town.’

‘Let there be,’ cried Richard in a passion. ‘I placed that standard there and there it shall remain. Tancred is going to understand that if he does not meet my demands I will take the whole of his island.’

‘All very well, my lord, if it were not for the French. What if Tancred should ask their help and they give it ... ?’

‘Philip would never fight against me.’

‘He has ordered you to remove the standard, commanding you as King of France to his vassal of Normandy. If you left it there he might be forced to take action to save his face. You have come here not to fight against the French but to stand with them against the Infidel. It was for this cause that the treasure was gathered together.’

Richard was a little sobered and when one of his friends suggested he go to the King of France and see what might be worked out, he agreed.

Philip anxious not to alienate Richard, was ready to be reasonable. He was longing to leave with him for Acre and to get away from Sicily where everything seemed to be going wrong.

He understood how embarrassing it would be for Richard to remove the standard, so he would not ask him to do that. He would suggest that the Golden Lilies of France be placed side by side with it and the two flags together float over the town. As for the keys of the city which were now in Richard’s hands, these should be put in the custody of the impartial Knights of the Temple and every effort should be made to persuade Tancred to return Queen Joanna’s dowry.