Training soldiers off in the countryside, Prince Richard is unaware that his father the King is ill. A messenger is sent to tell him, but scheming Prince John has him killed and a false message sent that causes Richard to go off to make a treaty with the unpredictable Lady Catherine. In the mean time, the King dies and John insists that in Richard's absence, he should become the new King.
Back in 1189 London, Richard and his men receive no welcome, only to find that Prince John has kidnapped their mother, Queen Eleanor, and is intent on installing himself as the new King.
Having returned to London to prepare for his coronation, Richard discovers that Prince John has fled the country with the Queen as hostage.
In defiance of Richard's orders, Baron Giles gives protection to fugitives from justice. To add insult to injury, he abducts the Lady Rosalie, recently betrothed to Sir Geoffrey.
Anxious to learn the plight of his subjects firsthand. Richard sallies forth in disguise – and soon finds himself arrested for not paying his taxes.
Having sent several of his friends in pursuit of three escaped prisoners, Richard is concerned when he hears that they have taken refuge in the castle of a knight who feeds his foes to his wild animals.
Believing himself to be Richard's equal, Forked Beard, a self-styled 'King', seeks a treaty between himself and the English king. Having rejected his proposal, Richard is taken prisoner.
Lady Rosalie's appeal to Richard to help her father, whom she believes she has fallen under the spell of Villanus, an alchemist, almost costs Richard his life.
Led by a bogus pretender to the English throne, a Black Knight issues a challenge that Richard, with too few knights at court, must accept – or forfeit his throne.
Richard leads his men to capture thieves who've stolen Excalibur from Arthur's tomb at Glastonbury Abbey, but danger dogs block his path.
Zara and her brother Umbaldo issue a challenge to Richard. He must choose a champion to defeat Umbaldo. Should Umbaldo win, Richard will pay service to Zara — should he be defeated, Zara will become Richard's bride.
Urged by his counsellors to take a bride, Richard sets out in disguise to visit the court of Prince Frederick, to take a cautious look at his daughter.
In Lebanon, Richard and his men find a dying boy near a supposedly friendly abbey with monks renowned for helping pilgrims and travelers. The monks have in fact been replaced by a band of murderous thieves who have assumed the robes of the friars. Richard infiltrates by posing as a fellow cutthroat.
Queen Berengaria, honeymooning with her new husband, is unaware that someone is plotting treachery at Richard's court — returning home, she faces a charge of treason.
Unaware that King Tancred of Sicily and King Philip of France are plotting his death, Richard accepts their invitation to a banquet given in his honour.
Pursuing his plot to have Richard killed, King Philip joins forces with Prince John. Together, they challenge Richard to face Saladin, in a 'friendly' tournament.
Determined to join Richard's Crusade, Kenneth, a young Scottish warrior, arrives at Richard's castle. While attempting to impress Richard. he loses the King banner - and sentenced to death.
Ali, a Saracen youth with a flair for conjuring – bit a fear of killing – is ordered to infiltrate Richard's camp and slay the monarch.
Arnold, master of Kernak Castle, is a Crusader in name only. So when he hears that the King is travelling to query his absence from court, he plans to have Richard killed.
Gravely ill with fever, Richard is taken to the vamp of his allies where, unknown to his friends, the attendant physician is in the pay of Saladin, Richard's enemy.
On the pretence of Lady Edith's marriage to Sir Kenneth, Richard sends his confidant to Saladin to propose that the Moslem leader consolidate the peace between them marrying the girl.
Fearing for her safety, Richard orders Queen Berengaria to return to England, so she takes her entourage yet tries to travel in disguise. She's captured not by Saladin or Muslim raiders, but by unscrupulous rival crusader Conrad of Montferrat.
Prince Otto's castle is the only barrier in the Crusader's path. He insists on being paid before he'll allow anyone to pass – including the British sovereign.
Within sight of Jerusalem and victory, Richard readies for a final battle with the Muslim forces, but he realises his erstwhile allies are undependable. The Austrian King is losing interest because he won't get enough glory, and the French King and his troops outright leave the crusade, just as word is received the enemy forces are about to abandon the city.
The sole survivor of a shipwreck, Richard scrambles ashore to safety. Unfortunately, he's landed on the land of Duke Leopold – his sworn enemy.
Following his knight's vows, Richard helps a young woman in distress — and quickly finds himself a prisoner of the tyrannical Lord Rudolph.
With new friends Hugo and Marta, Richard stops at a market-town to purchase fresh mounts – and finds himself arrested as an enemy spy.
Within sight of escape from Austria, Marta collapses from fatigue. Though he risks capture, Richard refuses to continue until she has recovered.
Hearing that Leopold demands a price of 150,000 marks for Richard's release, Queen Berengaria commands Sir Gilbert and Sir Geoffrey to raise the money.
Told by a fortune-teller that Richard is dead, Prince John makes plans to proclaim himself King. He has reckoned without Robin Hood and his Merry Men – Richard's loyal subjects.
The "Little People" are taxpayers of outlying counties. They've been dunned for four large payments and are nearly bankrupt. Richard finds they have been tricked into paying by false documents backed by Prince John's soldiers.
Out hunting, Richard and Gilbert finds the body of a murdered man — a discovery which leads them to a murderous knight responsible for several killings.
Richard finds himself abducted by a knight with a grievance against the English Throne. Put on trial for treason, he is sentenced to be hanged.
In a small backward town, Richard finds the locals living in fear of a hermit living in a nearby cave, who blackmails them with threats of invoking a supernatural power over their water supply. After seeing the beautiful Lady Diane, the hermit insists she marry him, or the land will go dry.
After a desperate man steals Richard's horse, the squire of Fitzgeorge Castle takes him in. He can't see the man's son though they served gallantly in a crusade. The serving maid tells of a plot, where it was actually a serf that fought alongside the King, and the real scion of Fitzgeorge hid back in England.
Under Richard's tutelage is knight in training Miguel of Navarre, but nights find the lad deep in debt to disreputable owners of a local gambling den. They threaten him with complete disgrace by exposure, unless he conspires with them in a plot to steal the crown jewels.
Nicholas, a charlatan posing as a monk, goes from town to town selling indulgences, with forged documents of authority from Richard. His intention is to blackmail nobles who supported John's attempted coup. Richard seeks the phony friar, and pursues him to a country inn.
Arthur, the young prince of England, is to visit his uncle Richard from his home in Brittany. But the knight that's to escort him is waylaid and a kidnapper takes his place. In pursuit of the outlaws, Richard goes undercover as a sailor to find their hideout.
As Richard's coronation draws near, great importance is placed on the clothes to be worn to the ceremony. One such costume is smuggled out so that a lord, who will lose his status should Richard come to full power, can disguise himself and get close enough to kill him so the exiled John will be crowned.