"It is January 1, 1190. Richard Pantagenet is the mightiest king in Christendom, nobles vie to increase their power, tensions simmer beneath the cover of an alliance with the king of France, and the Third Crusade against the Saracen has begun. This is the world of Lionheart. A world where good and evil are seldom clearly defined; where priests are sometimes corrupt and venal, and chivalric knights are often brutal and evil killers. A history of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to 1190 is included, but the heart of the test is an encyclopedia of towns, abbeys, castles, personalities, myths, and customs of the late twelfth century. Also included is a beautiful colour map of the British Isles in 1190, which locates all places listed in the encyclopedia. Everything, from the map to the social and cultural descriptions are as faithful to the period as possible.