Pierre Basile

Pierre Basile (died April 6, 1199), also named Bertran de Gurdun and John Sabroz was a French boy famous for shooting King Richard I of England with a crossbow at the siege of Châlus-Charbrol on March 26, 1199. King Richard, who had removed some of his chainmail, was not mortally-wounded by Basile's bolt; however, the wound resulted in gangrene, and Richard's subsequent death occurred on April 6 of the same year.

Basile was one of only two knights defending the castle and was renowned amongst the English attackers for his appearance: the castle was so ill-prepared for King Richard's siege that Basile was forced to defend the ramparts with cobbled-together armour and a makeshift shield constructed from a frying pan, much to the mirth of the English besiegers. It is perhaps this dismissive attitude that led to Richard taking little precaution on the day he was shot.

It is said that King Richard ordered that Basile suffer no punishment (and, in fact, that he be paid 100 shillings). Nevertheless, after Richard's death, mercenary captain Mercadier disregarded his orders and Basile was flayed alive and then hanged.

'Peter Basili' or 'Pierre Basile' is not believed to be his real name, since it variates with the names 'John Sabroz' and 'Bertran de Gurdun' as the name of Richard's killer. In truth, it is considered unlikely that contemporary chroniclers knew his real name.

References

Meade, Marion, "Eleanor of Aquitaine"