One of the biggest irritants, however, was the case of Phillip's sister, Alais. Sent to the English court as a child of seven, she was to marry Richard when she was old enough. Richard had no interest in her, being much dedicated to chivalric pursuits, and preferring boys as well. Alais didn’t waste much time worrying about that, however, because as she entered puberty, she caught the eye of Henry II himself. Thus began an affair that lasted throughout the years of Eleanor's captivity.
Needless to say, Richard had no interest in marrying his father's mistress, and as soon as he became king he repudiated the marriage treaty. He sent her packing back to France as soon as his father was buried, wanting to put an end to the whole sordid mess. Phillip Augustus never forgave the insult to the family - and made sure his sister was respectably married as soon as a willing courtier could be found. She married William, Count of Ponthieu in 1195, and died five years later, at the age of 30.
Phillip also had a deep jealousy of his famous co-crusader, and wasn't interested in helping him gain more renown in the Holy Land. Phillip's preference was for Richard to be defeated (and possibly killed) in battle, making the repossession of England's French holdings much easier. To this end, the French king was plotting with Richard's sole surviving brother, John, and sowing trouble for the English king among the German Crusaders.
Before arriving in the Holy Land, Richard's fleet had been blown off course in a savage storm. Three of his ships were driven to the coast of Cyprus, where the survivors were taken prisoner by the self-styled Emperor, Isaac Commenus. A fourth English ship reached the harbor of Limassol bearing Richard's youngest sister Joan, Dowager Queen of Sicily, and Berengaria of Navarre, his intended bride. Isaac was trying to get the princesses to land when Richard, with the rest of the fleet, reached the port. Outraged by Commenus' treatment of his shipwrecked subjects and the insults offered to Joan and Berengaria, Richard disembarked and promptly conquered Cyprus after a great slaughter.
