The reluctant crusader and a murder in the Tower

On May 21st, 1172, Henry made peace with the Church at Avranches after Becket’s murder. His enemies must have been very disappointed that he was able to slide out from under this with so little damage. He had to promise, among other things, to take the cross, which does not seem ever to have interested him very much. He was reprieved by his sons’ rebellion and did not keep this vow. He would later be ambushed with the French king by the Archbishop of Tyre, who’d come to preach a new crusade after the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin. The Archbishop got the crowd so aroused that Henry saw he and Philippe (another reluctant crusader) had no choice but to take the cross, too. This was done before thousands of eye-witnesses, but I am not convinced Henry would have followed through with it. His failing health and death at Chinon got him off that particular hook. But Philippe had to honor his own vow, made all the worse for him because he had to accompany the Lionheart to the Holy Land and while Philippe hated every moment of the experience, Richard was born for such a grand stage and took gleeful pleasure in eclipsing the French king at every opportunity.
May 21st, 1471 was the death date of the last Lancastrian king, Henry VI, who died suddenly in the Tower of London. Edward put it about that poor Henry had died of grief and melancholy upon learning of the death of his son at Tewkesbury. If you believe that, I have some swamp land in Florida that I’d love to sell to you.