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The Lives & Deeds of the Three Richards: The Lion-hearted, the Feeble One & the Tyrant - CED00192C

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  • Department: Centre for Lifelong Learning
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2026-27
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199) entered history as a strong crusading hero. Conversely, Richard II (1367-1400) has often been regarded as a feeble monarch. And the popular image of Richard III (1452-1485) is that of an evil tyrant.  But were they? By studying the lives and deeds of the three king Richards, this module aims to challenge these conventional assumptions. It will consider historical, legal, literary, and architectural sources in order to establish whether historical evidence supports their conventional portrait.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2026-27

Module aims

This module aims to present the traditional 19th and 20th Century interpretations of the lives of the three kings through the study of both primary and secondary sources. By studying the lives and deeds of the three King Richards, this module aims and challenge conventional assumptions of a strong crusading hero, a feeble monarch and an evil tyrant, exploring how these depictions came into being and have been perpetuated. It will consider historical, legal, literary, and architectural sources in order to establish whether historical evidence supports their conventional portraits.

Module learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

  • Critically analyse medieval sources
  • Assess documents and historiography of different periods in order to reach their own conclusions
  • Discern why historians of different periods had proposed different views for the same historical figures.    

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100.0

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100.0

Module feedback

The tutor will give regular individual verbal and written feedback throughout the module on work submitted.

The assessment feedback is as per the university’s guidelines with regard to timings.

Indicative reading

  • Dockray, Keith and P. W. Hammond. Richard III: From Contemporary Chronicles, Letters and Records. (revised reprint) Font Hill Media, 2013.
  • Gillingham, John. Richard I. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999.
  • Saul, Nigel, Richard II. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999.
  • Saul, Nigel. The Three Richards: Richard I, Richard II and Richard III. London: Hambledon, 2005.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.