König Löwenherz - Ein König in der Falle

When Emperor Henry VI and the French king decided to seize Richard the Lionheart, they set in motion an episode of politics and personal grudges that changed European power balances. This documentary pieces together that seizure, tracing the tangled motives of revenge, wounded pride and realpolitik that led two monarchs to capture a rival king. Through expert commentary, archival material and dramatic reenactments, the film reconstructs how the event unfolded and why it mattered for medieval diplomacy, while leaving the exact outcomes for viewers to discover. Actors portray the key figures, giving a human face to a story usually reduced to dates and treaties.

Directed by Fritz Kalteis and released in 2019, the film mixes historical scholarship with staged performances, featuring Philipp Hochmair as Richard, Krista Stadler as Eleonore of Aquitaine, and a small ensemble bringing medieval courts to life.

Among history buffs and German-speaking audiences the documentary prompted renewed interest in the episode of Richard's captivity, encouraging discussions in podcasts and online forums about ransom, sovereignty and medieval justice. It helped highlight lesser-known players, such as Baldwin von Bethune and regional politics that framed the abduction.

Critics and viewers have praised the film's attention to archival sources and its use of dramatization to clarify complex motives. With an 8.0 average from a small number of votes, responses note strong performances and clear exposition, even if some viewers wished for broader international context. Thematically, the movie looks at how personal honor, dynastic rivalry and opportunism intersected, and it asks how much agency kings had when tangled loyalties and ambition shaped decisions. The result is an accessible, research-minded portrait of one of medieval history's most audacious political acts.