The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion (William Marshal) Paperback – Illustrated, September 1, 2009

Elizabeth Chadwick mostly writes fiction set in Medieval times. In this book: "The Greatest Knight: the Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion" she tells the true story of William Marshal, (who in his own era would have been called "Guillaume le Marechal") the man who was the exemplar of chivalry, honor and the knightly virtues as they were meant to be lived; not as they so often really were.I don't want to give away much of the plot and will try not to. In summary, this was a real person who lived over 800 years ago, in England, during the rule of the wonderful Eleanor of Aquitaine and her husband, King Henry II of England. Marshal's life is so well documented due to a lengthy poem written after his death as a commemoration of his life; arranged for and paid for by his sons. There were still many living people at the time the poem was written, who had known Marshal well, and so most of his life could be accurately described.The poem, by pure chance, survived in its' entirety, and shows us the reality of the Medieval world in the time of the Plantagenets. Also, it is, according to the Medieval historian Georges Duby, written in "the dialect of Western France" (Angevin) "hence, this poem, which was composed on the banks of the Thames, is one of the first monuments of French literature". Duby's history of the life of William Marshal should be read before or after Chadwick's book, for a more complete look at the man and his times. Chadwick, like Duby and the other historians who have written about Marshal, have all used this poem or "chanson" as the basis of their writing.Marshal, though the son and grandson of the King's "marechal" (marshall) of his household, a fairly high ranking position, and from which our word for marshall comes, was illiterate---probably typical of most men, even upper class, noble men, of his time. That hereditary position also gave him his last name. Marshal did not speak the form of English which the native English would have spoken then. As with all nobleman of his time in England, he spoke what is sometimes called Norman French, or Angevin, the language of their ancestors, the invaders who had come with William the Conquerer in 1066 and become rulers of England.William Marshal's mother was the sister of the Earl of Salisbury and therefore of much higher noble rank than William's father. His father, John Marshal, was, however, a supporter of Queen Matilda in the civil war which pitted her against her cousin King Stephen, for the crown of England, and Matilda's side won the war, which set the Marshal family on the road to greatness and wealth.During that era of fighting between Queen Matilda and King Stephen, John Marshal, leading troops in a fight against King Stephen's, was asked to give as a hostage (in a truce) one of his sons. John Marshal handed over the five-year old William, his fourth son, therefore, in that era, a superfluous child. In very many cases during the Middle Ages and through the War of the Roses much later in time, hostages were routinely executed if their family broke their word. John Marshal broke his word to King Stephen.The supporters of King Stephen wanted to kill the child, and warned John Marshal, who said essentially, it didn't matter, "I still possess the hammer and the forge to produce another such, even finer" (from Duby's history). According to the history written by Georges Duby, based on the poem, the king "took the child in his arms"... (refused) "the (men)..."because the boy wanted to play with the javelin of a knight escorting him to the gallows" (and) "wanted to swing on the catapult" (which would have thrown his dead body over the wall to his father's side)...and "because he kept asking what the game was while" (men) "strove to make the preparations for his execution"...."Marshal, summoning his earliest memories, also said...while he remained hostage, (he and the king) played together on the flower-strewn (tent) floor, enjoying games of skill and chance---all of which the child won, of course". (Duby, pp63-65).This event, which must have forever stayed in Marshal's memory, and once he was old enough to realize how close he had come to death, and that it was all due to his own father's choice...one wonders what effect that had on him through his life? I wish Chadwick had explored it more in depth, and given it more life...frankly, Duby's short sentences carry more of the "feeling" of that episode, the innocence of the child, and his obvious frank, friendly, outgoing personality which won over the king and likely saved his life, where a child screaming and crying for his mother might have been quickly done away with. As a younger son Marshal did not inherit anything from his father, for custom and law then decreed that only the oldest son would inherit the title, the home, the lands, and the wealth, except for perhaps a small pittance given to younger sons who were expected to "make their own way" in the world. In the case of William Marshal, starting as a simple squire in the household of a distant relative of his mother's, he rose to become a knight errant, that is, a landless knight, who made his livlihood by participating in tournaments, in which capturing other knights, or even better, the higher nobility, their horse and belongings they had on them, and ransoming them, earned money and fame. Tourneys were THE important activity in which knights and nobles of all ranks participated, and which were how honor, chivalry, prowess with weapons, horsemanship, were all exhibited to their peers.William Marshal, in his long life, was never defeated in a tourney, this put him into the class of the super athlete, the super celebrity of his time. Because of his fame, he was named by the English king, Henry II, to be the arms instructor (combat) and instructor in knightly values for his heir, the younger Prince Henry. For all of Prince Henry's life, from childhood on, William Marshal was his mentor, his friend, companion and role model. It was William Marshal that Prince Henry asked to knight him, before a battle, not someone of higher rank in the nobility, or his father. (Being knighted was perhaps the most important ceremony of a nobleman's life, highly symbolic, ritualistic, and tied in with religious faith and a life of battle in most cases. No nobleman could take up a profession (other than the Church), so only knighthood, and attempt to rise in the ranks to higher wealth, fame and nobility were the only choices left to the great majority, those who were not first-born sons).William Marshal was also close friends with Queen Eleanor of England, the former French Queen, usually known as "Eleanor of Aquitaine" the greatest heiress of the age. This woman, so fascinating in her own right, respected and trusted William Marshal as she did few others. It was due to her influence, it is believed, that he eventually was raised to the higher nobility (as well as his own status among his peers, and the respect in which most of the members of the Plantagenet family held him.)In early middle age he made a pilgramage to the Holy Land, a duty considered important for any Christian of the time who could manage to do so. During that period he met the Knights Templars, then in an important position in ever-ongoing Crusades of the day, and apparently fought with them there, as well as being very impressed by their doctrines and beliefs.Afterwards, in the vicious power struggle between King Henry II and his sons (if anyone remembers the old movie: "The Lion in Winter") : it was during that time period when Eleanor and Henry were estranged, and their sons tried to gain the throne---William Marshal was pulled in various directions. His sworn loyalty was to Henry the young prince, then to King Henry...at this point in time the second son Prince Richard, known as Richard the Lion-Hearted or Coeur de Lion, went on Crusade and was captured by enemies and held for a huge ransom that nearly bankrupted England. In his absence his younger brother Prince John, had gone into open revolt against his father. John was the prince famous in the "Robin Hood" stories, and also known as "John Lackland"...as a younger son, he too had no great legacy of land and wealth to expect when his father died.To reward William Marshal's loyalty and bind him closer to the Plantagenet family, he was given lands and eventually the title of Earl of Pembroke.I do not want to go further at this point, as the Chadwick book ends here, and is completed in the sequal "The Scarlet Lion".This is good historical fiction that holds the reader's interest. In comparison with Duby's biography, it is clear Chadwick puts much more emphasis on Marshal's various "loves" than is perhaps true for that time period when all marriages were arranged. In reality the tourneys, the battles, the politics of the court, would likely have been more important to him.In his lifetime his fame was so overwhelming, in England and in Europe--anywhere that chivalry, knighthood and feudal society existed---that it is difficult to find anyone to compare him with now. Never defeated; always true to his honor and his sworn word; a loyal vassal of the Plantagenet family even in the difficult time of open civil war within that family, he was praised and sung of throughout the western world. Yet it is also apparent he remained modest, kind, and served his king without an any wish for gain of wealth or title, though he did receive those, finally.I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Medieval world, to those who loved Sharon Kay Penman's Plantagenet series: (ASIN:B001RNI1UU]The Devil's Brood" and others; and those who are fascinated by Eleanor of Aquitaine and the cult of romantic but pure love of a knight for a lady."[[ASIN:0674242548 " Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings" (Harvard paperbacks)by Amy Kelly.)I would also recommend Georges Duby's[ASIN:039475154X) "William Marshal: The Flower of Chivalry" a short but incisive look at his life and the importance of the "chanson de geste" or "estoire" written about him after his death.

The second son of John Marshal, Lord Marshal of England during the reign of King Stephen in the 12th century, William is a child whose renown and influence was destined to surpass his father -- yet his name remains lost to the popular, generally taught history of today. I know appallingly little of the Plantagenet kings, other than Richard I and Prince John's famous rivalry, which gave birth to one of my favorite legends -- that of Robin Hood. William's service to the Plantagenets spans four kings, and Chadwick begins her recreation of his life nearly forty years before Richard the Lionheart took the throne. As a child of five William's life was forfeit by his father, in rebellion against King Stephen, and only spared by Stephen's whim. His boyhood was spent apprenticed to his mother's cousin, training as a knight in Normandy.Though his career as a knight had an inauspicious start, riddled by insinuations of favoritism as a relative of his liege, William found his true mettle on the tourney field, winning acclaim and wealth. When the opportunity arose to join his uncle the Earl of Salisbury, in service to Eleanor of Acquitaine's household, his life becomes irrevocably entwined with the Plantagenet princes. The young princes, with stars in their eyes and dreams of power and valor -- dreams fed by William's faithful service, service that will cost the young knight more than he'd ever dreamed, but whose determination to live a life of loyalty and honor will see this second son's star leave an indelible impression on five tumultuous decades of English rule.I've seen glowing reviews of Chadwick's novels throughout the blogosphere, ever since Sourcebooks began re-releasing her novels in the States a few years ago. As I've recently been on something of a Tudor-era fictional kick, I thought it was past time to try one of her works. Roughly the first fifteen to twenty percent or so of the novel -- touching on William's childhood and then covering his youth as a squire in Normandy in more depth -- were a bit of a rough go for me. The narrative seemed sluggishly paced and William's youthful growing pains were frankly less than compelling reading. I confess that my absorption into the novel was somewhat further hampered by an error I made in perusing Chadwick's website, were she goes into some depth into her belief in the "Akashic Record" and her use of a "reader" in her research to tap into the feelings and sensations of those long dead somewhat distracting, as every time William "felt" something I was overcome with the urge to burst out laughing.But, my perception of this methodology as somewhat sketchy aside, I am SO glad I persevered, as The Greatest Knight proved to be a thoroughly absorbing read, and William Marshal a hero I'm most happy to have met within the pages of this novel. Chadwick's narrative gains traction when William finally joins Salisbury's household, his entrée into the rarefied and dangerous world of English royalty. His fine figure, courtly manner, and prowess as a knight earns him the favor of Queen Eleanor, leading to a lifelong friendship destined to weather the storms both endure in and out of royal favor, under-girt by William's unflagging loyalty and Eleanor's savvy judgement and fierce dedication to her sons' futures. I LOVED Chadwick's characterization of the legendary lady of Acquitaine. Her charisma, formidable will, and determination to remain unbowed in the face of imprisonment and warring sons is beautifully sketched on the page -- I couldn't be more thrilled to learn that in Chadwick's latest trilogy, Eleanor takes center stage.William's time as head of the Young King Henry's household, Henry II's heir, proves to be a crucible in which he learn the cost of loyalty and court politics, as Henry II and his heir apparent spend over a decade quarreling over the Young King's desire to exercise his right to rule -- a right his father was loathe to cede to in any measure. The young Henry's death sparks a crisis of conscience in William's life, spurring a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and a personal moral reset. Forsaking the fame of tourney life and artfully playing the game of court politics, William's unflagging loyalty and strength of purpose sees him rewarded with new honors, culminating in marriage to Isabelle de Clare, heiress to the earldom of Pembroke. As a man who had thought never to marry, I LOVED their story. Though over two decades her senior, their marriage appears to have grown into a love match, resulting in ten children and a true marital partnership, the likes of which was rare in the 12th century.Though hampered by a slow start, The Greatest Knight proved to be a rewarding portrait of a refreshingly honest hero. Far from perfect, William Marshal was nevertheless notable for his unflagging loyalty and devotion in the face of persecution and failure. This is likely the most principled man I've ever met within the pages of a book, and though far from perfect through Chadwick's characterization he is nevertheless a refreshingly honorable hero. Chadwick does an excellent job packing the narrative with the flavor of the time period, from descriptions of food and clothing to the political intrigue that would challenge William's honor and resolve time and again throughout his life. I do feel that the book is somewhat hurt by its scope -- even clocking in at nearly 600 pages, to cover over four decades in a life so packed, so well lived, seems rushed. That said, I ultimately found this first volume illuminating William's extraordinary story fascinating, page-turning reading -- the final third in particular is SO GOOD. William Marshal seems to have defined the phrase a life well lived, and I am so looking forward to learning more of this man and his family in Chadwick's sequel, The Scarlet Lion!

Chivalry and Loyalty. These two qualities shine like beacons in the 12th and 13th centuries and were thus valued and observed by Knights of the realm and by decent other folk. Here it follows William Marshall who was fairly ordinarily born but by dint of outstanding skill on the Tournament Circuit, - the equivalent of top sport today but without the interminable replays, - he achieved greatness in the service of Henry 2nd, his son Henry who was crowned in his father's lifetime, and brother Richard 1st. Elizabeth Chadwick paints a multi faceted picture of this Knight and follows his career through the ups and downs of having professed loyalty to rulers who were capricious and often downright ruthless and lethal. She writes with such skill that one is sometimes seduced by the sheer pleasure of the prose used in the service of a thumping good story. This is all based on fact but the author uses poetic license to invent and speculate some episodes around several people. Above all this, William is intensely loyal and devoted to the Queen, Alienor of Aquitaine, here spelt in its original French form, who stands above the egregious acts of sons Henry and later John, soon to succeed Richard as king. Marshall is an unusual and therefore very likeable character. He treats women well and when eventually married to Isobel, an heiress of some substance, he proves a loving father and husband who respects and listens to her advice although she is 20 years his junior. There is everything in this book. It has excitement, plotting and counterplotting and a great deal of political manoeuvring but it also has much humanity and tenderness. It is long, but not a page too many, and it is simply one of the best books I have read for some time. This was a joy throughout and I shall be looking out for Elizabeth Chadwick.

I first read this fascinating book about William Marshall when it was first published in hardback, but have difficulty in reading the print now. I bought the book in Kindle format so that I could read all of William Marshall' story again, from a Place Beyond Courage to To Defy A King. I fell in love with this man when I first read his life story and I love him still. What a fascinating life he had. He worked hard but until King John's reign, he led a charmed life. He had a bucket load of charisma, he was all that a chivalrous knight should be and loyal until death. It is beautifully written and obviously well researched in true Miss. Chadwick's style. She brought William, Isabelle, Jack and everyone else to life and gave them a voice at last. You could almost see them through the mists of time. Thank you Miss. Chadwick for putting your magical touch to another well written book.

Historical fiction is one thing when its based on fictional people but i struggled reading about a fictional life written with assumption, of a famous knight in history. It was written in a perfect romantic medieval world not true to the way people lived back then. Some trivial events in the book are certainly not worth writing about and not worth mentioning.As to William Marshall himself, a previous review was spot on, i cannot imagine him being so perfect that he would have fitted into the world as it was, he would have constantly had to fight for survival one way or another. He would of had some flaws in his character and a sense of self preservation .

Not necessarily a sequel to 'A Place Beyond Courage' as all Chadwick's books are stand-alones, this is the first part of the story of William Marshall, penniless younger son, who has only his wits and his skill to lift him up out of obscurity. Fortunately he not only has wits and skill in plenty, but he also becomes a favourite of the King's estranged wife, the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose sound advice sets him on the right course to prosper, though not without trials and tribulations as Henry's children jockey for position in the race to take his throne.William's honour and loyalty are tested to the full as son goes up against father, but what sets William apart is his personal integrity. When he gives his word, he doesn't falter. William's worth is recognised even by his enemies and the potential rewards are great - if he survives the royal power struggles to reap them.William Marshall has a special place in history. His skill and prowess on the tourney field in his younger days is legendary, as is his skill in battle his level head and his solid good sense. Above all William is a survivor, eventually outliving his masters to become the greatest knight.

As a bit of a medieval history nut, I have enjoyed most of Elizabeth Chadwick's novels. Not only does she keep to all known facts about her subjects, but her writing makes what could be dry stories about long-dead shadows of the past into dynamic tales of people who - by the ends of her books - we feel we know. William Marshal was of vital importance to the making English society - one of the 'Barons' who forced King John into the signing of the Magna Carta, and this book follows his life from his apprenticeship for Knighthood, through battles, loyalties, love and family until he became protector of the realm when John's young son acceded to the throne. Riveting story, wonderfully written.