And the youngest, John. Vindictive, self-serving, but undoubtedly clever. Henry saw in him perhaps the only prince who could properly inherit the government. Between them, Richard and John managed to undo in their own spectacular ways, not only the prospects of the kingdom, but in the space of 15 years, the entire empire their father had so skilfully constructed. It was on Richard that Eleanor pinned her hopes. She was even prepared to go as far as to encourage an alliance between Richard and her husband's bitterest enemy, the King of France. So in 1189, Richard declared war on his father. This time, Henry faced defeat, forced to watch as his barons defected to Richard. The beleaguered Henry had no choice but to negotiate and agree terms which humbled him before his own son.