Sir William Marshal

Sir William Marshal,1st Earl of Pembroke.

23rd great-grandfather 

The Marshal, arguably the greatest Knight that ever lived according to Archbishop Stephen Langto, and also living at the time.

In his career William Marshal served five Kings: King Henry II,Young King Henry, King Richard I, King John, King Henry III. 

Game of Thrones fans will recognise the Marshals life achievements with those of the character Sir Barristan Selmy, the commander of the Kings-guard. 

William Marshal was born in the year 1146 Pembroke Shire, Wales; the younger son to Sir John Fitzgilbert Marshal and  Lady Sibilla De Salisbury. Being the youngest and last in line for any inheritance from his fathers wealth, and also of low family station in his fathers eyes, William had little prospect of achieving any notoriety in his life. 

In the year 1153 Williams father Sir John was in command of the garrison defending Newbury Castle against King Stephen.

The King demanded that the Castle be given up to him to which the captain of the defending garrison replied  "No", let me consult with my commander to which the King agreed and gave one day truce for the consultation with the commander John Marshal. The following day after the truce the captain of the defending garrison requested an extension to the truce so as the commander John Marshal may consult with the Empress Matilda. 

King Stephen granted an extension  but demanded to take a son of the Commander as hostage as surety to the surrender of the Castle. John Marshal gave up his son William to the King as hostage. John fortified the garrison at Newbury Castle further and after the truce expired, he refused to give up the Castle to King Stephen risking the life of his son William. 

On learning of the possible fait of his son, hanging or being catapulted to the Castle wall; John Marshal replied I have the Hammer and I have the Anvil to make more like him. 

King Stephen having seen the innocents and bravery that the young boy showed through-out his ordeal, relented in his plan to do the boy any harm. So the young William Marshal survived his first brush with possible death, he remained hostage for some months after.

As the youngest son of John Marshal William had no or very little claim to inheritance from his father and was destined to make his own way in life from the very beginning. At the age of twelve when his fathers career was winding down. William was sent to Normandy to be brought up by his mothers cousin William De Tancarville were he received paratactical lessons and training in chivalry as a knight.

Young William was showing good aptitude in all his studies and gathering number of enemies in the Court of Tancarville.

In the year 1166 he was engaged in his first battle in Upper Normandy with mixed Reviews as to his success, he was nighted during this his first campaign.

At the age of twenty-one in the year 1167 he was sponsored by William De Tancarville in his first Tournament, here he found his calling and began his training that put him on the road towards becoming the Tournament champion.

In the year 1168 William Marshal served in the household of his maternal uncle Patrick Earl of Salisbury. The same year William was a part of an escort to Queen Eleanor moving near the border of her Provence of Aquitaine. The party was ambushed by Guy De Lusignan, Queen Eleanor escaped the ambush her brother Patrick Earl of Salisbury was killed during the melee and William was taken for ransom with a wound to his thigh. While in custody William was delivered fresh clean dressings for his wound concealed in a loaf of bread. A kind act that may have prevented infection taking hold due to his wound. Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine met his ransom, and William remains in Eleanors household for a further two years, building on his reputation as a chivalrous Knight during this time.

William was appointed tutor in arms to the son of Eleanor and King Henry II Plantagenet, Henry the young King in the year 1170. 

William and Henry the young King gained approval to travel Europe taking part in tournaments up against other nights and soon the young King was gaining prestige for himself from winning his tournaments, under the guide of the Marshal, 1176 -1182. Tournaments were dangerous gatherings of Knights where mock battles took place between teems and single Knight to Knight contest. It is said that William Marshal on his death bed recalled that he had personally defeated five hundred Knights in his tournament career.   

Depiction of Mounted Battle the the Tournament

In the year 1182 William was accused of having an affair with Margaret of France and wife to the Young King Henry. An allegation that he was cleared of by 1183. During the investigation William was removed from the Young Kings service, and returned to his service by May 1183.

January 1183 the Young King Henry declared war on his brother Richard the Lionheart, their father Henry II sided with Richard.

The Young King became ill in May 1183 and died on 11th June 1183.

On his death bed the Young King asked William to go on crusade on his behalf, to fulfil the promise that the Young King had made in 1182. After receiving the blessing of Henry II to take up his sons dying wish he left for Jerusalem in the Holy Lands late in the year 1183. There are no records of Williams crusade in the Holy Lands, we know he fulfilled the vow of the Young King; he was away for two years and had returned in 1185 -1186. On Williams own death bed we know he was committed into the order of the Knights Templar.   

Depiction of a Knights Templar

On his return William takes up the position of Captain in the court of King Henry II, he is given a large royal estate of Cartmel. 

William continues to serve with un questionable loyalty to the Kings, and in sorting out many of their differences he is trusted in having their backs when needed. 

In the year 1188 Henry II summoned William to join him in putting down an attempt by Phillip II to seize the region of Berry, in the letter to William he mentions Williams complaining of little reward for his service to the King, with a little sarcasm. He also then offers William the marriage of Dionisia Lay of Chateauruox, Berry. During this campaign Henry II has a falling out with his son Richard I and Richard sides with Philip II against his father. At this point I could understand William Marshal thinking of banging all their heads together, William didn't take Lay Dionisia as his bride.

Henry's final Campaign 

In the year 1189 William was escorting an extremely ill Henry II, in a litter from Le Mans to Chinon, after a truce conference. The conference collapsed and Phillip II and Richard I staged a surprise attack against Henry, in his failing condition. William Marshal unhorsed Richard I in the melee, the life of Richard was at the end of Williams sward tip and at this moment his life was spared by the only Knight to bring him down. To add to the point William dispatched the mount of Richard in his place. Henry II made his escape wile his sons life was in the hands of William Marshal. Henry died 6th July 1189 of the complications of a bleeding ulcer. 

After the death of King Henry II, William was welcomed into the court of the new King Richard I (The Lionheart) regardless of their past conflicts William and Richard are now besties. And William will now have Richards back.

In the days prior to the death of King Henry II, he had promised the hand and estates of Isabel De Clare to William, but unfortunately had not completed the arrangements. All was not lost because the new King Richard was most happy to honour the arrangement of marriage of William Marshal and Isabel De Clare and the marriage took place August 1189 in London. Though his marriages to Isabel, William Marshal has now arrived financially and in higher status from military captain and Knight; he is now one of the most wealthy men in England. Isabel brings with her large estates in England, Ireland, Normandy and Wales however Pembroke was not included as one of the estates in the marriage; William is now Lord Marshal of England.

King Richard I departed England in 1190 for the Holy Lands and his third Crusade, William was appointed in the council of regency before Richards departure. William was on the side of Richards brother John when he expelled Justiciar William Longchamp from the Kingdom and his duties. William soon discovered that Johns motives didn't correlate to those of the King and he declared War on John along with loyalist to the King 1193. 

In the year 1194 Williams older brother John Marshal was killed while defending Marlborough for John, William was granted his brothers title Earl Marshal and his paternal honour Hamstead Marshal by King Richard on his return to England. William accompanied Richard in his wars against King Philip of France  in the land of Normandy after his return to England, conflict between Richard and Philip had been on going from  the time that Richard broke his betrothal with Philips sister in the year 1191 and the conflict remained on simmer until King Richards death 6 April 1199. Conflicts over laying Conflicts seems to be the ongoing theme of these times.  

King Richard I (The Lionheart) has died and William Marshal is now in support of Richards brother John, being the next King of England. Others in court are supporting Arthur of Brittany the son of John's brother Geoffrey II Duke of Brittany, John was crowned King John of England 27 May 1199.

William Marshal was still involved in the Defence of Normandy against the House of France, (Philip of France) from 1200 to1203.

William and King John abandoned the Duchy in 1203 and had a consequent falling out over the mater, in days that followed. In 1204 William returned with the Earl of Leicester as ambassadors to negotiate a truce with King Philip. William was given special considerations by King John to also pay homage too Philip over his land holdings in Normandy. William should have seen that when dealing with Kings that things can turn sour at the drop of a hat.

When William paid homage too Philip, John spat the dummy and took offence and a row broke out in his court. By1207 the air between William and King John was hostile and John was turning against Irish Barons including William Marshal. During the conflict between King John and the Barons 1207 - 1215 William remained loyal to the King, even after having his own lands in Ireland invaded by Meilyr Fiz Henry on be half of King John, the attack was seen off by Countess Isabel Marshal after considerable property damage.

The Baron's (this time is known as the Barons war) joined united in their quest to get King John to sign a document of agreement, that document being the Magna Carta, singed 15 June 1215 at Runnymede.

Magna Carta Island, Runnymede

19 October 1216 at the age of forty-nine King John died, on his death bed he entrusts in William Marshal to see his nine year old son Henry is crowned King of England. Despite their past on and off relationship King John had total faith in the Marshals total loyalty to the Crown. The Marshal took responsibility for the funeral and burial of the King at Worcester Cathedral. The barons of the Kings council, loyal to King John appointed William to serve as Protector of the nine year old King Henry III, and regent of the kingdom.

William Marshal 1st Earl of Pembroke died 11 March 1220, at his estate, Caversham Manor, Berkshire.

William Marshal Temple Church 

Issue of William and Isabel:

1. William Marshal 1190 - 6 April 1231

2. Richard Marshal 1191 - 1 April 1234

3. Maud Marshal 1192 - 27 March 1248

4. Gilbert Marshal 1194 - 27 June 1241

5. Walter Marshal 1196 -24 November 1245

6. Anselm Marshal 198 - 22 December 1245

7. Isabel Marshal 9 October 1200 - 17 January 1240

8. Sibyl Marshal 1201 - before 1238 

9. Joan Marshal 1202 - 1234

10. Eva Marshal 1203 - 1246

Recommend reading:

The History of William Marshal, by Nigel Bryant.

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.