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When William Marshal 1st Earl of Pembroke was born about 1146, in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England, his father, John FitzGilbert, was 43 and his mother, Sybilla de Salisbury, was 21. He married Isabel de Clare on 8 August 1189, in London, England. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 5 daughters. He registered for military service in 1217.
- Biography
- Research Notes
- Sources
Birth and Parentage
William was the son of John Marshal and Sybil, daughter of Walter de Salisbury. He was probably born in late 1146 or early 1147.His birthplace is unknown - see the Research Notes.
Earlier Life
In 1152, during the siege of Newbury, Berkshire, his father handed him over to King Stephen as a hostage. His father broke the terms of his agreement with Stephen, who expected the surrender of Newbury Castle, but William's life was spared. King Stephen is said to have played in his tent with William instead of, as threatened, catapulting William over the battlements into Newbury Castle.The story goes that William's father, threatened with the death of his hostage son, responded that he had t...
Henry the Young King
In 1170 William Marshal went on to join the household of Henry the Young King whom he trained in arms and chivalry.In 1173 he supported the Young King in his rebellion. In 1174 he was a witness to the subsequent agreement between Henry II and his children. William's relationship with the Young King and the rewards from his participation in tournaments gave him financial independence and the resources to maintain a household of knights. The Young King had made a vow to go on crusade, but died...
Earl of Pembroke
In William's lifetime, no one actually called him 'the 4th Earl of Pembroke' nor did they call him 'the 1st Earl of Pembroke' - "re-created" or otherwise. He was simply the Earl of Pembroke. Whether The Marshal was the 4th or the 1st of Pembroke is a distinction which scholars of modern time debate. Isabel de Clare's father, Gilbert de Clare (Strongbow) was Earl of Pembroke. After her brother died, Isabel became Countess of Pembroke.
William's Birth Date or Location is Unknown
It is doubtful that William was born at Pembroke, which he obtained through his wife's inheritance later in his life, not from William's father. It is doubtful he was born in France, while his father was fighting Earl Patrick and King Stephen for his castles in England. It is likely he was born in England, but it is not stated in a known record.
What was a 'Marshal'?
"Marshal" originally referred to a function of "horse servant", which is what the word meant in the old language of the Franks. By William's lifetime, the work of the king's Marshal had grown far away from its original tasks. There were thus many marshals, but William's family held the highest marshalcy in the royal household. The office became hereditary in the time of William's father. Duties of the Master Marshall "involved the keeping of certain royal records" and the management of "four...
- Male
- Isabel (Clare) Marshal
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William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1146 14 May 1219), also called William the Marshal (Guillaume le Maréchal), was an Anglo Norman soldier and statesman. He has been described as the "greatest knight that ever lived" (Stephen Langton).
May 15, 2018 · The Englishman Sir William Marshal (c. 1146-1219 CE, aka William the Marshal), Earl of Pembroke, is one of the most celebrated knights of the Middle Ages. Renowned for his fighting skills, he remained undefeated in tournaments, spared the life of Richard I of England (r. 1189-1199 CE) in battle, and rose to become Marshal and then Protector of ...
- Mark Cartwright
Apr 16, 2016 · Print. William Marshal (also called William the Marshal), 1st Earl of Pembroke, is one of the most important figures in the history of medieval England. He was a knight and nobleman who lived between the 12th and 13th centuries AD, during which he served five English monarchs – Henry the Young King, Henry II, Richard I, John, and Henry III.
- Dhwty
He received the title of '1st Earl of Pembroke' through marriage during the second creation of the Pembroke Earldom. William's father, John Marshal, supported King Stephen when he took the throne in 1135, but in about 1139 he changed sides to back the Empress Matilda in the civil war of succession between her and Stephen which led to the ...
