The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, the Power behind Five English Thrones

By Thomas Asbridge

‘A rip-roaring new life of Marshal … [a] splendid account of a great medieval life' Dan Jones, author of Crusaders
‘A thoroughly entertaining account of England’s most colourful and courageous medieval knight’ Sunday Times
 
Drawing upon an array of contemporary evidence, renowned historian Thomas Asbridge’s authoritative and dramatic account brings to life the often overlooked figure of William Marshal, a man who not only served at the right hand of five English monarchs but also helped negotiate the terms of Magna Carta.

Charting the unparalleled rise to prominence of a man bound to a code of honour, yet driven by unquenchable ambition, this knight's tale lays bare the brutish realities of medieval warfare and the machinations of the royal court, and draws us into the heart of a formative period of our history: when the West emerged from the Dark Ages and stood on the brink of modernity. 

Friend of Richard the Lionheart and the infamous King John and, ultimately, regent of the realm, this is the story of one remarkable man and the forging of the English nation.
 
 ‘Skilfully done...a powerful cast of characters that fascinates still’ TLS
 ‘The medieval world...at last comes touchingly to life’ Spectator

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Jan 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781471139512

Thomas Asbridge

Thomas Asbridge is Reader in Medieval History at Queen Mary, University of London, and the author of 'The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, the Power Behind Five English Thrones' (2014), 'The Crusades: The War for the Holy Land' (2010) and 'The First Crusade: A New History' (2004). He studied for a BA in Ancient and Medieval History at Cardiff University, and then gained his PhD in Medieval History at Royal Holloway, University of London. Thomas wrote and presented a BBC documentary, 'The Greatest Knight: William Marshal', and a landmark three-part documentary series 'The Crusades' for the BBC, filmed on location across the Near East and Europe. He has also appeared in many other internationally broadcast television documentaries and radio programs, and has worked as a historical consultant for HBO and Company Pictures. He now lives in southern England.

Reviews for The Greatest Knight

[egrant5329 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed feelings about this book and debated a 3 vs 4 star rating. The story of William Marshal is very interesting and I learned a lot about the history, development and evolutions of knights, but I found this a slow book to read. I am not sure, given the paucity of information, how the author could have written it better, but I think someone like David McCullough would have done a better job. It was still an interesting that I would recommend to history buffs as it will most likely change your perception of knights and give you a lesson on the kings of that time.

[jrissman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"The Greatest Knight" by Thomas Ashbridge is a stellar biography of a William Marshall, a landless younger son who became a knight and achieved an unprecedented rise in influence and power in 12th and 13th-century England. Ashbridge does an excellent job placing Marshall in the context of the times, giving you a feel for what it was like to live, marry, govern, and fight in the early Middle Ages. Marshall was a remarkable man whose reputation came to define, at least in part, the concept of knightly chivalry- though the real man also had an acquisitive streak and did not hesitate to use cunning on the battlefield and in tournaments (reminding me at times of the Greek hero Odysseus). Marshall played an influential role in the reigns of a number of monarchs, ranging from the politically savvy Henry II to the cruel and short-sighted King John. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the colorful aristocracy of England and France, the trials and aspirations of leading knights like William Marshall, and how Marshall himself overcame financial, political, and military challenges to forge a legacy.

[bezoar44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book offers a lively history of the life - and times - of William Marshal, who started as a minor squire but grew into an exemplar of the chivalric code and, as a major lord and caretaker of the throne for the child King Henry III, likely saved England from becoming a part of France. Along the way, Marshal went crusading to the Holy Land, was a star on the jousting tournament circuit, and helped engineer the Magna Carta. Asbridge's telling provides plenty of fascinating context, using Marshal as a window on the period, not just his own life.

[keith.g.richie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Being a typical American, I don't know nearly as much English history as I should. I admit I had never heard of William Marshal before picking this book up.

Marshal was a knight in service to Henry II, Henry The Younger, Richard I (the Lionhearted), King John, and finally to Henry III. He rose from being a second son in a quite minor family to not only being one of the most prominent magnates of his day, serving as close advisor to the above named kings, but eventually serving as Guardian of the Realm (essentially regent and de facto ruler of the kingdom for the boy King Henry III).

Toward the end of his life, he played a major part in the negotiation and acceptance of The Great Charter, or Magna Carta.

Thomas Asbridge writes a very readable history of Marshal's life, including a large amount of history of England, Wales, Ireland, and the lands then held in what is now France (Brittany, Normandy, Aquataine, etc). Asbridge draws heavily on the only surviving copy of a contemporary biography of Marshal that was commissioned shortly after his death by his son William The Younger. Using this and many other sources, Asbridge is able to make the period come alive. In the years before full plate armor, when knights wore mainly chain mail and when tournament fighting had not yet developed into the more refined jousting contests of later, we learn these kinds of facts that help visualize what life was like for these men and women, as apart from our current popular ideas of "knights in shining armor" and pretty maidens cheering for their champions.

I don't believe I've read one of Asbridge's book before, but he's on my shopping list now.

[jcbrunner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a good account of the life of William Marshal that suffers from the common defect of most biographies of the era. The source material just isn't sufficient to produce a full biography of persons who are not kings themselves. At times, therefore, the main protagonist almost disappears and a general history of the era is produced. It is interesting to learn about the activities of the different kings William Marshal served but it would be even more so to learn about Marshal's own activities. Perhaps the thematic approach chosen by Georges Duby is a more valid one. Duby is also not constrained by upholding English national myth and decorum. The bombastic subtitle "William Marshal, the Power Behind Five English Thrones" just is not a fair rendering of actual history. Only in case of the minor Henry III does William Marshal play the crucial role in adapting Magna Carta into a workable compromise document and preserving Henry's throne against challengers.While Asbridge is not as guilty as some of his colleagues, he still presents the 1217 conflict as a French vs. English one whereas in reality it was between Capetian French and Norman-Angevin French. The English proper were mere spectators of the fights between French-speaking knights. Prince Louis was already in charge of London. Had he prevailed, his forces would now be described as "the English". Instead, William Marshal turned the table by winning the skirmish/ambush of Lincoln against the unorganized besiegers.Overall, the biography would have benefited from tighter editing but is quite readable. If you have a chance, read also Duby's great account of Marshal's last days.

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The greatest Medieval knight of the High Middle Ages (1000-1300), what is not to love. Asbridge does a yeoman's job filling in the story of Marshal, and the broader context of the period in France and England. Marshal lived through the death of 5 kings so there is a lot of famous history of the second half of the 12th century and first few decades of the 13th. Barons Wars and rebellions, Magna Carta, Second and Third Crusades, Richard the Lionheart, King Henry II and III. King Stephen and John. Rise and fall of the Angevin Empire. Tournaments. This was the high of the High, a golden age that later generations would try to recapture and emulate, even to this day. I usually find Medieval political history to be a series of dry contingencies, but when told through the eyes of a single individual main character, and with proper context and writing skill, it's possible to appreciate in a way that is understandable and immediate. Recommended even for the non-Medievalist.

[medievalgirl-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

William Marshall is a popular subject for biography. I know of at least four such titles- mostly with a different focus or perspective.
Richard Brooks 'The Knight Who Saved England' (2013), had an emphasis on battles and military history. David Crouch's 'Knighhood, War and Chivalry' is a more academic work.

Thomas Asbridge's offering is a timely and accesible work, revealing much about Marshall's 'life and times', as well as his famous role in the events surrounding the creation of the Magna Carta, and the aftermath.

I also liked the information about Knighthood and the role of a retainer in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In some ways, there seemed to be more focus on this than William's later career as a major Magnate, the Earl of Pembroke and Lord of Striguil.
In the course of the narrative, something was revealed of what it meant to try to adhere to the code of Chivalry, which Marshall was hailed as a paragon of, but tends to be disparaged today.

Marshall was perhaps not the most Romantic or Charismatic of heroes- indeed sometimes he comes across as a rather plain and ordinary chap, who life was coloured by his involvement with the major events and figures of the age, and his tendency to ride the tide of politics and intruige, but generally come out on top.
More than once on the wrong side and embroiled in rebellion, sometimes reckless, and not always making good choices, the flawed man comes through- and also the virtues (that he seems to have believed in) such as loyalty to his Lord- even if that Lord's cause seemed to have been hopeless.

Some have drawn attention to a few translation and technical errors (is it more correct to say hearing mass, or going to mass?), but this was still an informative, useful work and a good read. I want more than evern to read some Transcription of the 'The Life of William Marshall' (what a shame the only surviving copy is owned by America).

Some may accuse the author of having fallen into what some regard as the age-old biogaphers trap of growing to love and admire his subject to an undue degree, and so losing objectivity. Yet, perhaps, that admiration is not wholly undeserved.
Marshall may not have been the best warrior, or the most astute politican, but the contemporary adage of 'The Greatest Knight' seems well deserved.