fficulties began to arise between him and
Philip. This, indeed, might have been easily foreseen. It was
perfectly certain that, so soon as Richard should enter the camp of
the Crusaders, he would immediately assume such airs of superiority,
and attempt to lord it over all the other kings and princes there in
so reckless and dictatorial a manner, that there could be no peace
with him except in entire submission to his will.

This was, accordingly, soon found to be the case. He began to quarrel
with Philip in a very short time, notwithstanding the sincere desire
that Philip manifested to live on good terms with him. Of course, the
knights and barons, and, after a time, the common soldiers in the two
armies, took sides with their respective sovereigns. One great source
of trouble was, that Richard claimed to be the feudal sovereign of
Philip himself, on account of some old claims that he advanced, as
Duke of Normandy, over the French kingdom. This pretension Philip, of
course, would not admit, and the question gave rise to endless
disputes and heartburnings.

Presently the quarrel extended to other portions of the army of the
Crusaders, and the different orders of knights and bodies of soldiers
espoused, some one side and some the other. The Knights Hospitalers,
described in a former chapter, who had now become a numerous and very
powerful force, took Richard's side. Indeed, Richard was personally
popular among the knights and barons generally, on account of his
prodigious strength and the many feats of reckless daring that he
performed. When he went out every body flocked to see him, and the
whole camp was full of the stories that were told of his wonderful
exploits. He made use of the distinction which he thus acquired as a
means of overshadowing Philip's influence and position. This Philip,
of course, resented, and then the English said that he was envious of
Richard's superiority; and they attempted to lay the whole blame of
the quarrel on him, attributing the unfriendly feeling simply to what
they considered his weak and ungenerous jealousy of a more successful
and fortunate rival.

However this may be, the disagreement soon became so great that the
two kings could no longer co-operate together in fighting against
their common enemy.

Philip planned an assault against the town. He was going to take it by
storm. Richard did not join him in this attempt. He made it an excuse
that he was sick at the time. Indeed, he