KING RICHARD AND KING JOHN
Book ID/图书代码： 07160005B10244
English Summary/英文概要： The usual Hollywood cliché, known to us from Robin Hood movies, is that of good King Richard and bad King John. Frank McLynn began his research intending a revisionist ‘take’ on this stereotype but found, to his alarm and gratification, that the historical facts were even more supportive of the cliché than he could have imagined.
King John, it turns out, despite his modern defenders, was a disaster both as a king and human being, whether we deal with his calamitous marriage to Isabel of Angouleme, or the many fiascos that overwhelmed him as monarch, including the papal interdict, Magna Carta and the loss of the crown jewels in the Wash. Richard, on the other hand, has only one serious black mark against him: the slaughter of the Muslim prisoners at Acre.
The contrast between Richard and John can be pinned down accurately by John Stuart Mill’s ‘method of difference’. Just consider this: Richard was able to maintain his continental dominions against the inroads of King Philip of France even while he was away in the Holy Land, fighting the Saracens. John, by incompetence and idleness, lost Normandy to Philip when he had no other distractions. The pattern is repeated throughout his reign. All his defenders can say is that John spent more time in England than Richard. Well, big deal. Surely it all depends on what he was doing!
Frank McLynn therefore finds John guilty as charged and Richard even more impressive than in the myth: without doubt the finest warrior in the Western world in the period 1000-1300.
Frank McLynn is currently Visiting Professor in the Department of Literature at Strathclyde University. He is a full time writer.
Chinese Summary/中文概要： 从罗宾汉电影中我们了解到了好莱坞式的那一套东西，就是理查王是好人，约翰王是个大坏蛋。Frank McLynn开始研究的时候，对这样的固定模式持修正主义的态度，但是随着调查的深入，让他大吃一惊的是，历史的真实资料更验证了这样的说法。
事实上，虽然有很多现代历史学家为他说尽好话，但约翰王不管是当国王还是作为平民百姓而言，都是一个悲剧，他和伊莎贝尔多灾多难的婚姻、还是在作君主时遇到的一场又一场的失败，教皇的禁令、真名法典，王冠宝石的丢失。而相比较，理查王的人生只有一个比较严重的污点：就是在Acre屠杀了穆斯林囚犯。
用约翰·穆勒的求异法来研究理查王和约翰王之间鲜明的差异恐怕再合适不过了。看看这个吧：理查王远在圣地与撒拉逊人战斗，但同时面对法国菲利普国王的进攻却还能若无其事，把自己的领土收地牢牢的。而约翰王则无能的够厉害，无所事事，在没有任何烦心事的前提下，居然还把诺曼底输给了菲利普国王。在他统治的若干年里，这样的情景周而复始。所有为他说好话的人都这样说，约翰王在英国待的时间可远比理查王多。好家伙，这可要看他到底在干些什么呢！
所以Frank McLynn发现约翰王确实像大家指责的那样罪有应得，而理查王比传说中的更伟大：毫无疑问在1000年到1300年期间他是西方世界最伟大的骑士。
Awards/获奖情况：
About the Author/作者介绍： Frank McLynn现在是英国斯查莱德大学的访问教授，全职作家。
Format:HARDCOVER
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