King, crusader, prisoner: Hardly any historical figure from the Middle Ages combines as many myths as Richard the Lionheart. At the end of the 12th century, the English king and crusader was captured by the Babenberg Duke Leopold V on his journey home from the Holy Land and initially imprisoned at Dürnstein Castle near Krems. This hostage-taking is probably the most spectacular kidnapping in history. “Everyman” Philipp Hochmair explores the myth of the Lionheart in the “Universum History” documentary “Richard Lionheart: A King in the Trap” by Fritz Kalteis on Friday, August 9, 2024, at 10:35 p.m. on ORF 2 and on ORF ON the events surrounding his capture come to life again. In addition to the game scenes – Krista Stadler, Raphael von Bargen, Christopher Bond, Florian Feik, Tobias Ofenbauer, Alexander Knaipp and Dennis Cubic act in other roles – John Gillingham, Robert-Tarek Fischer, Annette Kehnel, Knut Görich, Michael Korth and Fanny Madeline teamed up with a top-class team of scientists to create a differentiated picture of Richard the Lionheart. The film was shot in Lower Austria in Hainburg an der Donau, in the Marienkirche Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, at Hardegg Castle and at original locations in Austria, Germany and England.
The film paints a holistic picture of the king based on historical facts, which also includes the less winning sides. “Richard has created powerful enemies for himself through his arrogant nature. “He’ll realize that later,” says director Fritz Kalteis. The turning point of the story is an incident that is still an integral part of history lessons today: After Richard conquered the port city of Acre in the Crusade, the Austrian Babenberg Duke Leopold V also announced his claim to the loot. Richard then has his red-white-red flag trampled into the dirt. A little later, the Duke, who had deeply offended his honor, took revenge. He takes Richard into custody on the outskirts of Vienna on his return journey.
In fact, in the winter of 1192, Richard the Lionheart fell victim to an international plot in which, in addition to Duke Leopold, Richard’s mortal enemy, the French King Philip II Augustus, the Roman-German Emperor Henry VI. and Richard’s brother Johann Ohneland are involved. Unexpected character traits of the warrior Richard the Lionheart also emerge in captivity: he writes a song – apparently in deep depression. In it he not only laments his fate, but also uses it to his advantage. With the help of the fastest media channel of his time, the Troubadours, Richard’s call to contribute to the ransom goes “viral” within a very short time. The ransom that Richard has to raise for his release – around three billion euros in today’s money – has left its mark in Austria to this day: the cities of Wiener Neustadt and Friedberg were founded, Vienna and Enns were fortified and a huge fortress in Hainburg on the Danube built. This “Heimenburg” was – along with Hardegg Castle in the Waldviertel – one of the main filming locations for the elaborate scenes in this “Universum History” production. The fortress served, among other things, as a backdrop for Acre and for the imperial cities of Speyer and Mainz, where Richard was finally released in February 1194 after 13 months of captivity.
Actress Krista Stadler embodies Richard’s mother, Eleonore of Aquitaine, in the game scenes – a role that became close to her heart: “Eleonore absolutely does not fit the clichés of the tolerant and passive medieval woman. She was probably the most influential ruler of the Middle Ages and held the reins in Richard’s absence. She was courageous, she was vain, she was conscious of power”. Raphael von Bargen (“The Dead from Lake Constance”) takes on the role of Richard’s closest confidant, Baldwin von Bethune.
Director Fritz Kalteis on the subject of Lionheart and the cast with Philipp Hochmair: “The challenge was to extract the core of the truth from the legend”; “Hochmair my ‘dream lionheart’”
“For me as a Lower Austrian, Richard the Lionheart is the great myth that I encountered in elementary school: the imprisonment in the Dürnstein ruins, the dungeon, the loyal singer Blondel, the construction of Wiener Neustadt with the silver treasure that pays for his release had to become. So I knew there were millions of Löwenherz experts in Austria alone. The challenge was therefore to extract the kernel of truth from the legend. And the pleasant surprise: the reality of the largest blackmail affair of the Middle Ages far exceeds the imagination. I consider it a special honor that the greatest actors in German-speaking countries are now showing interest in taking part in our historical documentaries. With Philipp Hochmair, it is his unique ability to explore the extreme highs and lows of a character that makes him my ‘dream Lionheart’. For me, Krista Stadler is the embodiment of the grande dame she plays. Richard’s mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was one of the most unusual and strong women in history.”
Philipp Hochmair on his role as Richard the Lionheart: “It was a childhood dream of mine, even as a little boy I wanted to be Richard the Lionheart”
“Löwenherz is an Austrian myth, including the surroundings, with Dürnstein and the singer Blondel. It was a childhood dream of mine; even as a little boy I wanted to be Richard the Lionheart. It is of course a great joy that I can now play Lionheart as an adult. I traveled, so to speak, to the early Middle Ages and tried to approach the role: I allowed myself to be locked up in Dürnstein for a long time, spoke to specialists, and only ate what was eaten in the Middle Ages.
“Richard Lionheart – A King in the Trap” is a co-production by Interspot Film, ORF, ZDF and ARTE, funded by TV Fund Austria, the State of Lower Austria, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the Collecting Society for Audiovisual Media in collaboration with ORF-Enterprise.