Lion Knight History – Conclusion
I have to admit that after studying the Lion Knights in detail for the past 2-3 weeks that it has taken to research this unofficial history, I am ever so slightly disappointed…
As a faction, they roared into life in 1984 with their huge castle and various knights and other pieces of equipment, but they faded to a whimper within 8 years and disappeared from sight. For many of us, this was the period of our childhoods, and we had the delight of seeing the rise of the Lego Castle factions, and we played with the sets that we could get hold of. By the time I was moving into my teenage years and therefore my Lego dark age, the legendary Castle factions were disappearing, and I wouldn’t return back to them for another 30 years. I do remember finding the online instructions in my early 20’s and being reinspired by the glory days of the 1980’s, but it was another 2 decades before I was able to really invest in the great sets of my childhood dreams and develop the ideas in this article.
When we look at the Lion Knights closely, we find a huge variety of troops – some of whom were only represented in a single set that was released. It has been suggested that means that we can change things around in a playing environment – some have even suggested that the Lion Knights were changing their trousers a lot, so were the cleanest of the factions in LEGOLAND Castle – but it makes it hard to create a group of similar troops when displaying them. That might create a huge level of realism in portraying the Medieval armies that are represented, but it makes it very hard to work out who belongs in each set when you are collecting them!
For me, the key period for the Lion Knights was 1984-86 when the knights were supreme, and where the foot soldiers simply supported the higher ranked troops. However, the knights seem to fall out of favour at the end of this period, and they are replaced with various levels of infantry and archers and other armoured infantry, which is why I suggest that the knights charged into battle against the Falcons in a desperate, but ultimately pointless, sortie and disappeared. Perhaps that was more in line with the English armies of the time (noting the impact of the archers in the Battle of Agincourt). After the golden age of Lego Castle architecture in 1986, the Lions reverted more to artillery and naval forces, and it felt as if they didn’t receive much more investment. New factions were being developed and created, and once the Forest People arrived, followed by the Black Knight, the days of the Lion Knights were numbered.
It does feel, when looking into the sets of the late 1980’s, that the Lion Knights were forced into retreat. They received only their second full castle in 1990 (noting that the Black Falcons received two in the space of 3 years in 1984 and 1986 respectively), but that was a result of the longevity of Castle Lion which lasted into the 1987 catalogues, so had one of the longest shelf lives of the sets. By 1990, the new armour was coming into play, but the Lions received hardly any troops, and the fact that the last two sets in 1991 and 1992 didn’t even make it into the mainstream catalogues makes it clear that the Lions were no more – which leads into my suggestion that they were hunted down and captured.
I have been very pleasantly surprised – as have so many other fans of this era – by the emergence of the Black Falcons faction again in 2020 and 2021. This gives some of us a small amount of hope that the Lions might one day roar again…
Appendix 1: Minifigure descriptions and set appearances
| Minifigure Description | Sets | Year | Sets |
| CAS092: Peasant – Light Gray Legs, Brown Hood | 1 | 1984 | 6010: Supply Wagon |
| CAS186: Breastplate – Blue with Red Arms, Black Legs with Red Hips, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, Red Plume | 1 | 1984 | 6021: Jousting Knights |
| CAS238: Crusader Axe – Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard, Quiver | 1 | 1984 | 6022: Horse Cart |
| CAS111: Crusader Axe – Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 2 | 1984 1987 | 6022: Horse Cart 6062: Battering Ram |
| CAS111A: Crusader Axe – Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1985 | 6055: Prisoner Convoy |
| CAS089: Blacksmith – Black Legs and Hips, Yellow Torso and Arms, Black Hands, Black Cowl, Brown Plastic Cape | 1 | 1984 | 6040: Blacksmith Shop |
| CAS108: Crusader Axe – Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 6 | 1984 1985 1987 | 6040: Blacksmith Shop 6061: Siege Tower (x2) 6080: King’s Castle (x4) 6103: Castle Figures (as an archer) 6102: Castle Mini-Figures 6062: Battering Ram |
| CAS189: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, Red Plume | 1 | 1984 | 6061: Siege Tower |
| CAS189A: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, Red Plume, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1985 | 6055: Prisoner Convoy |
| CAS288: Crusader Axe – Blue Legs with Black Hips, Black Chin-Guard, Quiver | 1 | 1984 | 6061: Siege Tower |
| CAS192: Breastplate – Red with Black Arms, Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, Blue Plume, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1984 | 6080: King’s Castle |
| CAS193: Breastplate – Red with Black Arms, Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, Red Plume, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1984 | 6080: King’s Castle |
| CAS190: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, White Plume, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1984 | 6080: King’s Castle |
| CAS414: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, Yellow Plume, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1984 | 6080: King’s Castle |
| CAS222: Crusader Lion – Red Legs with Black Hips, Black Chin-Guard, Quiver | 2 | 1984 1985 | 6080: King’s Castle (x4) 6055: Prisoner Convoy |
| CAS199: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 2 | 1984 1988 | 6103: Castle Figures 6039: Twin-Arm Launcher |
| CAS093: Peasant – Red Legs, Black Hood | 1 | 1985 | 6055: Prisoner Convoy |
| CAS113: Crusader Lion – Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard | 1 | 1985 | 6102: Castle Mini-Figures |
| CAS113A: Crusader Lion – Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard, Quiver | 1 | 1985 | 6102: Castle Mini-Figures |
| CAS116: Crusader Lion – Light Gray Legs, Dark Gray Chin-Guard, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1986 | 6012: Siege Cart |
| CAS372: Crusader Lion – Light Gray Legs, Dark Gray Neck-Protector, Quiver | 1 | 1986 | 6012: Siege Cart |
| CAS096: Maiden with Necklace – Blue Legs, White Cone Hat | 1 | 1986 | 6023: Maiden’s Cart |
| CAS109: Crusader Axe – Light Gray Legs, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 1 | 1986 | 6023: Maiden’s Cart |
| CAS184: Breastplate – Blue with Black Arms, Red Legs with Black Hips, Black Grille Helmet, Blue Plume, Red Plastic Cape | 1 | 1986 | 6041: Armor Shop |
| CAS197: Breastplate – Red with Black Arms, Blue Legs, Brown Female Hair (6041) | 1 | 1986 | 6041: Armor Shop |
| CAS237A: Crusader Axe – Black Legs with Red Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard, Quiver | 2 | 1986 2001 | 6067: Guarded Inn 10000: Guarded Inn |
| CAS105: Crusader Axe – Black Legs with Red Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 2 | 1986 2001 | 6067: Guarded Inn 10000: Guarded Inn |
| CAS095: Maiden with Necklace – Blue Legs, Cape, Red Cone Hat, Blue Plastic Cape | 2 | 1986 2001 | 6067: Guarded Inn 10000: Guarded Inn |
| CAS200: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 1 | 1987 | 6017: King’s Oarsmen |
| CAS289: Crusader Lion – Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1987 | 6017: King’s Oarsmen |
| CAS198: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Blue Legs with Black Hips, Black Neck-Protector | 1 | 1987 | 6049: Viking Voyager |
| CAS107: Crusader Axe – Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard | 1 | 1987 | 6049: Viking Voyager (x3) |
| CAS115: Crusader Lion – Blue Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 3 | 1987 1988 1990 | 6049: Viking Voyager 6039: Twin-Arm Launcher 6042: Dungeon Hunters |
| CAS119A: Crusader Lion – Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard, Quiver | 1 | 1987 | 6062: Battering Ram |
| CAS119: Crusader Lion – Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard | 1 | 1988 | 6103: Castle Mini Figures |
| CAS201: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Blue Legs, Dark Gray Neck-Protector, Blue Plastic Cape | 1 | 1987 (or 88) | 6016: Knights’ Arsenal |
| CAS553: Peasant – Blue Legs, Black Hood, D-Basket | 1 | 1988 | 6103: Castle Mini Figures |
| CAS195: Breastplate – Red with Blue Arms, Black Legs, Dark Gray Grille Helmet, Yellow Plume, Blue Plastic Cape | 2 | 1988 1989 | 1584: Knight’s Challenge 6060: Knight’s Challenge |
| CAS110: Crusader Axe – Red Legs with Black Hips, Dark Gray Chin-Guard | 2 | 1988 1989 | 1584: Knight’s Challenge 6060: Knight’s Challenge |
| CAS120: Crusader Lion – Red Legs with Black Hips, Black Neck-Protector | 2 | 1988 1989 | 1584: Knight’s Challenge 6060: Knight’s Challenge |
| CAS216: Maiden with Necklace – White Legs, Red Cone Hat | 2 | 1988 1989 | 1584: Knight’s Challenge 6060: Knight’s Challenge |
| CAS220: Peasant – Red Legs with Black Hips, Brown Female Hair | 2 | 1988 1989 | 1584: Knight’s Challenge 6060: Knight’s Challenge |
| CAS121: Crusader Lion – Red Legs, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 1 | 1989 | 6077: Forestmen’s River Fortress |
| CAS169: Breastplate – Armor over Blue, Dark Gray Helmet and Visor, Red 3-Feather Plume | 1 | 1990 | 6042: Dungeon Hunters |
| CAS097: Maiden, Red Cone Hat | 1 | 1990 | 6081: King’s Mountain Fortress |
| CAS112: Crusader Lion – Black Legs with Red Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 1 | 1990 | 6081: King’s Mountain Fortress (x2) |
| CAS147: Scale Mail – Red with Blue Arms, Black Legs with Red Hips, Black Chin-Guard | 1 | 1990 | 6081: King’s Mountain Fortress (x2) |
| CAS170: Breastplate – Armor over Red, Black Helmet, Dark Gray Visor, Red Plume | 1 | 1990 | 6081: King’s Mountain Fortress |
| CAS171: Breastplate – Armor over Red, Dark Gray Helmet and Visor, Red Feather | 1 | 1990 | 6081: King’s Mountain Fortress |
| GEN002: Ghost with 1 x 2 Plate and 1 x 2 Brick as Legs | 7 | 1990 1990 1992 1992 1992 1993 1995 | 6081: King’s Mountain Fortress 6034: Black Monarch’s Ghost 1888: Black Knights Guardshack 6075: Wolfpack Tower 6086: Black Knight’s Castle 1596: Ghostly Hideout 6090: Royal Knight’s Castle |
| CAS148: Scale Mail – Red with Red Arms, Black Legs with Red Hips, Dark Gray Neck-Protector | 1 | 1991 | 1480: King’s Catapult |
| CAS114: Crusader Lion – Blue Legs, Dark Gray Chin-Guard | 1 | 1992 | 1463: Treasure Cart |
Appendix 2: Reference material
- https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Castle/subtheme-Lion-Knights
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Castle#Lion_Knights_/_Crusaders_(1984%E2%80%931992)
- http://www.classic-castle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17810
- http://www.classic-castle.com/sets/oop1984.html
- https://images.brickset.com/library/view/?f=bricksAndPieces/1984-1%20Spring
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