Like the other legitimate children of Henry II Plantagenet, Richard shows little respect for his father and lacks long-term foresight and a sense of responsibility.
In 1170, his brother Henry “the Younger” was crowned King of England, before his father died. He is so called to differentiate him from his father, since he does not reign yet. Around 1170, Richard received the county of Poitiers and the duchy of Aquitaine, during investiture ceremonies in Saint-Hilaire de Poitiers, then in Limoges. In 1173, Richard joined his brothers Geoffroy II of Brittany, husband of Constance of Brittany, and Henry the Younger in their revolt against their father. Already endowed with fiefdoms by their father, they hope to effectively replace him in power, pushed into this by their mother. Henry II invaded Aquitaine twice, and at seventeen, Richard was the last of his sons to stand up to him. Eventually, he refuses a face-to-face fight, and asks for her forgiveness. In 1174, Richard renewed his vows of submission to his father.
After his failure, Richard will quell the discontented nobles of Aquitaine, especially in Gascony. He founded Marmande in 1182, settled there and built many fortified castles in the surrounding area (Soumensac). He carves out an ugly reputation for cruelty, with numerous accusations of rape and murder. The rebels hope to dethrone Richard and call on his brothers for help. Henry II is afraid that this war between his three sons will lead to the destruction of his kingdom, and he sends his army to his aid. On June 11, 1183, Henry the Younger died, and his father Henry II is still on his throne.
Richard has a major reason to oppose his father. The latter took as mistress Princess Adèle, daughter of King Louis VII, when she was promised to him. This makes marriage with Richard technically impossible in the eyes of the Church. But Henri, wanting to avoid a diplomatic incident, does not confess his misconduct. As for Richard, he did not renounce the marriage until 1191