His chief ambition as king was to join the Third Crusade

The seizure of Jerusalem by the Muslim ruler Saladin in 1187 served as the impetus for this objective. Three years later, Richard made his way to the Middle East after selling sheriffdoms and other positions to collect money for his journey. In June 1191, one month before Acre fell, he finally made it to the Holy Land.

Richard had already taken the cross as Count of Poitou in 1187. His father and Philip II had done so at Gisors on 21 January 1188 after receiving news of the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin. After Richard became king, he and Philip agreed to go on the Third Crusade, since each feared that during his absence the other might usurp his territories.

Richard's performance during the Third Crusade was a bit of a mixed bag, despite his reputation as the great "Crusader King." Although he presided over some significant successes, Jerusalem—the Crusade's ultimate goal—always escaped him. After a year of deadlock between the opposing sides, Richard and Saladin reached a truce in September 1192, and the following month, Richard set off on his voyage home.