Who were the major leaders of the Third Crusade?

The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was led by three prominent European monarchs who sought to retake the Crusader states in the Levant following the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin in 1187.12

The major leaders of the expedition were:

• Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) of England: A brilliant military strategist who became the central figure of the Crusade after the departure of other leaders.342
• Philip II (Philip Augustus) of France: An adept politician who focused on siege warfare but eventually returned to France in 1191 to attend to his own domains.342
• Frederick I (Frederick Barbarossa), the Holy Roman emperor: He led the largest army of the Crusade but died in 1190 while attempting to cross a river in Turkey, which significantly diminished the German contribution to the campaign.152

While these kings were the primary leaders, other figures such as Leopold V of Austria and Conrad of Montferrat also played notable roles in the military efforts in the East.52