While his father visited his lands from Scotland to France, Richard probably spent his childhood in England. His first recorded visit to the European continent was in May 1165, when his mother took him to Normandy.<ref>Gillingham, John (1979), p 32.</ref> He was [[wet-nurse]]d by a woman called Hodierna, and when he became king he gave her a generous pension.<ref>{{harvnb|Gillingham|2002|p=28.}}</ref> Little is known about Richard's education.<ref>{{harvnb|Flori|1999|p=10.}}</ref> Although born in Oxford and raised in England up to his eighth year, it is not known to what extent he used or understood English; he was an educated man who composed poetry and wrote in [[Limousin (dialect)|Limousin]] ([[lenga d'òc]]) and also in French.<ref>{{harvnb|Leese|1996|p=57.}}</ref> A number of authors have speculated that Richard did not know the English language, however the evidence available to historians does not provide a definitive case for this assumption. There are no contemporary accounts that state that Richard was ignorant of the language. Indeed, during Richard's captivity English prejudice against foreigners was used in a calculated way by his brother John to help destroy the authority of Richard's chancellor, [[William Longchamp]], who was a [[Norman people|Norman]]. One of the specific charges laid against Longchamp, by John's supporter [[Hugh Nonant|Hugh, Bishop of Coventry]], was that he could not speak English. This indicates that by the late 12th century a knowledge of English was expected of those in positions of authority in England.<ref>Prestwich, J.O., p, 76.</ref><ref>Stafford, P. ''et al.'' pp.&nbsp;168–169.</ref>

Marriage alliances were common among medieval royalty: they led to political alliances and peace treaties, and allowed families to stake claims of succession on each other's lands. In March 1159 it was arranged that Richard would marry one of the daughters of [[Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona]]; however, these arrangements failed, and the marriage never took place. Richard's older brother Henry was married to Margaret, daughter of [[Louis VII of France]], on 2 November 1160.<ref>{{harvnb|Flori|1999|pp=23–25.}}</ref> Despite this alliance between the Plantagenets and the [[House of Capet|Capetians]], the dynasty on the French throne, the two houses were sometimes in conflict. In 1168, the intercession of [[Pope Alexander III]] was necessary to secure a truce between them. Henry II had conquered Brittany and taken control of [[Gisors]] and the [[Vexin]], which had been part of Margaret's dowry.<ref>{{harvnb|Flori|1999|pp=26–27.}}</ref> Early in the 1160s there had been suggestions Richard should marry [[Alys, Countess of the Vexin|Alys]] (Alice), fourth daughter of Louis VII; because of the rivalry between the kings of England and France, Louis obstructed the marriage. A peace treaty was secured in January 1169 and Richard's betrothal to Alys was confirmed.<ref>{{harvnb|Flori|1999|pp=25, 28.}}</ref> Henry II planned to divide his and his wife's territories between their sons, of which there were three at the time; Henry would become King of England and have control of Anjou, Maine, and Normandy, while Richard would inherit Aquitaine from his mother and become Count of Poitiers, and Geoffrey would get Brittany through marriage alliance with Constance, heiress apparent to the region as the daughter, and only child, of [[Conan IV, Duke of Brittany]]. At the ceremony where Richard's betrothal was confirmed, he paid homage to the King of France for Aquitaine, thus securing ties of vassalage between the two.<ref>{{harvnb|Flori|1999|pp=27–28.}}</ref>

After the conclusion of the war, the process of pacifying the provinces that had rebelled against Henry II had begun. He travelled to Anjou for this purpose and Geoffrey dealt with Brittany. In January 1175 Richard was dispatched to Aquitaine to punish the barons who had fought for him. According to Roger of Howden's chronicle of Henry's reign, most of the castles belonging to rebels were to be returned to the state they were in 15&nbsp;days before the outbreak of war, while others were to be razed.<ref name="Gillingham 2002 52">{{harvnb|Gillingham|2002|p=52.}}</ref> Given that by this time it was common for castles to be built in stone, and that many barons had expanded or refortified their castles, this was not an easy task.<ref name="Flori 41">{{harvnb|Flori|p=41.}}</ref> Gillingham notes that Roger of Howden's chronicle is the main source for Richard's activities in this period, although he notes that it records the successes of the campaign;<ref name="Gillingham 2002 52"/> it was on this campaign that Richard acquired the name "Richard the Lionheart."<ref name="Flori 41"/> The first such success was the siege of [[Castillon-sur-Agen]]. The castle was "notoriously strong," but in a two-month siege the defenders were battered into submission by Richard's siege engines.<ref>{{harvnb|Flori|pp=41–42.}}</ref>

<blockquote>The King of England was struck with great astonishment, and wondered what [this alliance] could mean, and, taking precautions for the future, frequently sent messengers into France for the purpose of recalling his son Richard; who, pretending that he was peaceably inclined and ready to come to his father, made his way to [[Chinon]], and, in spite of the person who had the custody thereof, carried off the greater part of his father's treasures, and fortified his castles in Poitou with the same, refusing to go to his father.<ref>