William Marshal
England's Greatest
Knight
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke
William Marshal, born in medieval England around 1146, was the son of a minor nobleman.
As a child he was a hostage of King Stephen who threatened to hang him and pretended to launch him from a pierrière which is a sort of trebuchet in order to make his father surrender his castle. In response, his father replied, "I still have the hammer and the anvil with which to forge still more and better sons!"
William was a crown hostage for many months until the civil war of succession between Stephen and Matilda had ended.
As the younger son of a minor nobleman, William did not stand to inherit either lands or fortune. He would have to make his own way in life. At the age of 12 he was sent to learn the ways of knighthood with his mother’s cousin in Normandy.
In 1166, at around 20 years old, he was knighted while on campaign in Upper Normandy and in 1167, he was sponsored by William de Tancarville in his first tournament, where he found his true calling and began to develop skills that later made him a renowned tournament champion.
The next year he was part of an escort protecting Queen Eleanor (Eleanor of Aquitaine) when they were ambushed by Guy de Lusignan who wanted to kidnap the queen. William was wounded and captured but the queen escaped and later ransomed the young knight who continued to serve in her household for taking part in tournaments and increasing his reputation as a chivalrous knight.
Tournaments were dangerous, often deadly, staged battles in which money and valuable prizes were to be won by capturing and ransoming opponents, their horses and armour. Marshal became a legendary tournament champion: on his deathbed, he recalled besting 500 knights during his tournament career.
William served under five different kings and when serving under the Young Henry, he was accused of having an affair with Henry’s wife, Margaret of France. He was later acquitted of all charges.
He was covering the flight of Henry II when he encountered Henry’s third son, Richard (the Lion-hearted) who fought against his own father. William unhorsed Richard (the only man ever recorded to do so). He could have killed the prince but didn’t.
Nonetheless, after Henry's death Marshal was welcomed at court by his former adversary, now King Richard I, apparently recognising that Marshal's loyalty and military accomplishments were too useful to ignore, especially for a king who was intending to go on Crusade.
The old king had promised William a marriage with the great heiress, Isabel de Clare and Richard I made William the same offer. At the age of 47, William married the 17 year old Isabel. The marriage transformed the landless knight from a minor family into one of the richest men in the kingdom, a sign of his power and prestige at court.
They had five sons and five daughters and even though the marriage was a reward for his political and military services, and despite the significant age difference, the couple appear to have had a real love and affection for each other. It is also notable that there is no evidence that Marshall ever took a mistress, which was commonplace for nobles and often widely discussed and reported.
Upon the death of King John, William Marshal was named by the king's council to serve as protector of the nine year old King Henry III, and regent of the kingdom.
In spite of his advanced age (around 70) he prosecuted the war against Prince Louis and the rebel barons with remarkable energy.
Renowned for his unparalleled martial prowess and unwavering loyalty, Marshal served under the banners of five kings including Henry the Young King, Richard the Lionheart and King John, earning fame and accolades on the battlefield. His steadfast commitment to chivalry and honour earned him the epithet "the Greatest Knight."
Marshal's political acumen was as sharp as his sword, navigating the treacherous waters of medieval politics with finesse. Following his death in 1219, he left behind a legacy that resonates through the annals of English history, revered as a paragon of knightly virtue and a key figure in the shaping of medieval England.
