Richard the Lionheart

Episode 1

Long Live the King

Training soldiers off in the countryside, Prince Richard is unaware that his father the King is ill. A messenger is sent to tell him, but scheming Prince John has him killed and a false message sent that causes Richard to go off to make a treaty with the unpredictable Lady Catherine. In the mean time, the King dies and John insists that in Richard's absence, he should become the new King.

Episode 2

The Lion and the Eagle

Back in London in 1189, Richard and his men receive no welcome, only to find his brother Prince John has kidnapped their mother, Queen Eleanor and is intent on installing himself as the new King. Searching for the Queen, the Lionhearts find a trail of her jewelry in the forest.

Episode 3

The Robbers of Ashdown Forest

Having returned to London to prepare for his coronation, Richard discovers that his brother Prince John has fled the country - taking with him Queen Eleanor, as hostage.

Episode 4

The Wolf of Banbury

In defiance of Richard's orders, Baron Giles gives protection to fugitives from justice. To add insult to injury, he abducts the Lady Rosalie, recently betrothed to Sir Geoffrey.

Episode 5

School for a King

Anxious to learn the plight of his subjects at first hand. Richard sallies forth in disguise - and soon finds himself arrested for not paying his taxes.

Episode 6

Crown in Danger

Having sent several of his friends in pursuit of three escaped prisoners, Richard is concerned when he hears that they have taken refuge in the castle of a knight who feeds his foes to his wild animals.

Episode 7

The Pirate King

Believing himself to be Richard's equal, Forked Beard, a self-styled 'King', seeks a treaty between himself and the English king. Having rejected his proposal, Richard is taken prisoner.

Episode 8

The Alchemist of Rouen

Lady Rosalie's appeal to Richard to help her father, whom she believes she has fallen under the spell of Villanus, an alchemist, almost costs Richard his life.

Episode 9

The King's Champion

Led by a bogus pretender to the English throne, a Black Knight issues a challenge that Richard, with too few knights at court, must accept - or forfeit his throne.

Episode 10

King Arthur's Sword

Richard leads his men to capture the thieves who have stolen King Arthur's sword Excalibur, from Arthur's tomb at Glastonbury Abbey, But danger dogs blocks his path.

Episode 11

The Challenge

Zara and her brother Umbaldo issue a challenge to Richard. He must choose a champion to defeat Umbaldo. Should Umbaldo win, Richard will pay service to Zara - should he be defeated, Zara will become Richard's bride.

Episode 12

The Bride

Urged by his counsellors to take a bride, Richard sets out in disguise to visit the court of Prince Frederick, to take a cautious look at his daughter.

Episode 13

The Strange Monks of Latroun

In Lebanon, Richard and his men find a dying boy near a supposedly friendly abbey with monks renowned for helping pilgrims and travelers. The monks have in fact been replaced by a band of murderous thieves who have assumed the robes of the friars. Richard infiltrates by posing as a fellow cutthroat.

Episode 14

The Great Enterprise

Queen Berengaria, honeymooning with her new husband, is unaware that someone is plotting treachery at Richard's court - returning home, she faces a charge of treason.

Episode 15

The Norman King

Unaware that King Tancred of Sicily and King Philip of France are plotting his death, Richard accepts their invitation to a banquet given in his honour.

Episode 16

When Champions Meet

Pursuing his plot to have Richard killed, King Philip joins forces with Richard's brother, Prince John. Together they challenge Richard to face Saladin, in a 'friendly' tournament.

Episode 17

The Warrior from Scotland

Determined to join Richard's Crusade, Kenneth, a young Scottish warrior, arrives at Richard's castle. While attempting to impress Richard. he loses the King banner - and sentenced to death.

Episode 18

The Conjurer

Ali, a Saracen youth with a flair for conjuring - bit a fear of killing - is ordered to infiltrate Richard's camp and slay the monarch.

Episode 19

The Lord of Kerak

Arnold, master of Kernak Castle, is a Crusader in name only. So when he hears that the King is travelling to query his absence from court, he plans to have Richard killed.

Episode 20

The Saracen Physician

Gravely ill with fever, Richard is taken to the camp of his allies where, unknown to his friends, the attendant physician is in the pay of Saladin -= Richard's enemy.

Episode 21

A Marriage of Convenience

On the pretence of Lady Edith's marriage to Sir Kenneth, Richard sends his confidant to Saladin to propose that the Moslem leader consolidate the peace between them marrying the girl.

Episode 22

Queen in Danger

26 mins

Fearing for her safety, Richard orders Queen Berengaria to return to England, so she takes her entourage yet tries to travel in disguise. She's captured not by Saladin or Muslim raiders, but by unscrupulous rival crusader Conrad of Montferrat.

Episode 23

The Castle of Prince Otto

Prince Otto's castle is the only barrier in the Crusader's path. He insists on being paid before he'll allow anyone to pass - including the British sovereign.

Episode 24

The Vision Fades

Within sight of Jerusalem and victory, Richard readies for a final battle with the Muslim forces, but he realises his erstwhile allies are undependable. The Austrian King is losing interest because he won't get enough glory, and the French King and his troops outright leave the crusade, just as word is received the enemy forces are about to abandon the city.

Episode 25

The Fugitive

The sole survivor of a shipwreck, Richard scrambles ashore to safety. Unfortunately he's landed on the land of Duke Leopold - his sworn enemy.

Episode 26

Knight Errant at Large

Following his knight's vows, Richard helps a young woman in distress - and quickly finds himself a prisoner of the tyrannical Lord Rudolph.

Episode 27

Guardian of the Temple

With his new friends, Hugo and Marta, Richard stops at a market-town to purchase fresh mounts - and finds arrested as an enemy spy.

Episode 28

Capture

Within sight of escape from Austria, Marta collapses from fatigue, Though he risks capture, Richard refuses to continue until she has recovered.

Episode 29

A King's Ransom

Hearing that Leopold demands a price of 150,000 marks for Richard's release, Queen Berengaria commands Sir Gilbert and Sir Geoffrey to raise the money.

Episode 30

The Devil Is Unloosed

Told by a fortune-teller that Richard is dead. Prince John makes plans to proclaim himself King. He has reckoned without Robin Hood and his Merry Men - Richard's loyal subjects.

Episode 31

The Little People of Lyntor

The "Little People" of the subtitle are the tax payers of outlying counties. They've been dunned for four large payments and are nearly bankrupt. Richard finds they have been tricked into paying by false documents backed by Prince John's soldiers.

Episode 32

The Raiders

Out hunting, Richard and Gilbert find the body of a murdered man - a discovery which leads them to a castle of a murderous knight, responsible for several killings.

Episode 33

An Eye for an Eye

Richard finds himself abducted by a knight with a grievance against the English throne. Put on trial for treason, Richard is sentenced to be hanged.

Episode 34

The Caveman

In a small backward town, Richard finds the local peasants living in fear of a hermit living in a nearby cave, who blackmails them with threats of invoking a supernatural power over their water supply. After seeing the beautiful Lady Diane, the hermit insists she be forced to marry him, or the land will go dry. The King investigates the cave to find the source of the supposed wizardry.

Episode 35

A Year and a Day

After a desperate man steals Richard's horse, the squire of Fitzgeorge castle takes him in. He can't see the man's son though he served gallantly in a crusade with him. The serving maid tells of a plot, where it was actually a serf that fought alongside the King, and the real scion of Fitzgeorge hid back in England.

Episode 36

The Crown Jewels

A young knight in training is Miguel from Navarre. His days are spent under Richard's tutelage, but nights find him deeply in debt to disreputable owners of a gambling den in town. They threaten him with complete disgrace by exposure, unless he conspires with them in a plot to steal the crown jewels.

Episode 37

The Man Who Sold Pardons

A charlatan posing as a monk named Nicholas goes from town to town selling indulgences, and bearing a forged document of authority from King Richard, intends blackmailing nobles who supported Prince John's attempted coup. Richard seeks whoever is behind the phony friar, and pursues him to a country inn.

Episode 38

The Heir of England

Arthur, the young prince of England, is to visit his uncle, King Richard, from his home in Brittany. But the knight that's to escort him is waylaid and a kidnapper takes his place. To find the outlaws, Richard goes under cover as a lowly sailor to find out where their hideout is.

Episode 39

The People's King

As Richard's coronation in Westminster Abbey draws near, great importance is placed on the clothes to be worn by important guests to the ceremony. One such costume is smuggled out so that one of the lords, who will lose his status if Richard comes to full power, can disguise himself and get close enough to kill him so exiled Prince John will come to the throne.