The Greatest Knight

October 27, 2014
Respected medievalist Asbridge (The Crusades: The War for the Holy Land) investigates the life of William Marshal (1147–1219), thought by many to have been the model for the perfect chivalrous knight. Most of William’s life comes from a highly colored biography commissioned by his family shortly after his death; Asbridge uses contemporary sources to flesh out the story and correct the panegyric. The strength of this work is the depiction of the early formation of the concept of knighthood and the unromantic life of a professional warrior. Asbridge also explains the political context of the time in a clear narrative. William, the younger son of a minor lord, grew wealthy and powerful through his military skill, but even more through his loyalty to the members of the family of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine—a rare feat, considering the Plantagenets’ internecine battles. The story of William’s maturation from a freelance fighter to a statesman who managed his property and became the guardian for the young Henry III includes daily life, as well as politics. It is not always clear, however, which anecdotes are drawn from the biography and which are better substantiated; the maddening absence of footnotes spoils an otherwise excellent book.

October 15, 2014
Biography of William Marshal (1146-1219), Earl of Pembroke, the epitome of medieval chivalry, who battled for great kings (Henry II, Richard the Lionheart) and the not-so-great (Henry III).Marshal's reputation stems from a fulsome epic poem commissioned after his death ("In its pages William almost became the living embodiment of the mythical Arthurian knight, Lancelot"), which thrilled scholars when it turned up in 1861. Acknowledging its value as well as its bias-it presented its hero "as the perfect knight"-Asbridge (Medieval History/Univ. of London; The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land, 2010) delivers an intensively researched but lucid portrait of a knight who triumphed in an age much nastier than that of Arthur's mythical kingdom. Son of a minor noble, Marshal matured in a time when England still ruled much of France. After training in the household of a great Norman magnate, he distinguished himself in tournaments, which were exceedingly popular during the day. These were not the formal jousts that proliferated in later centuries but rather brutal battles between groups of knights whose winners ransomed surviving losers. After serving Eleanor of Aquitaine, Marshal joined the court of her estranged husband, Henry II, where he prospered, fought for but occasionally betrayed Henry and his successors, and ended life as England's most powerful royal retainer ("guardian of the realm"). Henry II passed much of his reign fighting the French, when he wasn't fighting one of three ambitious sons anxious to unseat him. Matters did not improve after Henry's death, so Marshal's career comes across as a relentless series of intrigues, battles, atrocities, truces quickly broken, internal revolts and treason that often included Marshal for reasons the author must guess because historical evidence is lacking. A valuable biography of an important figure in a distant, violent, barely comprehensible era.

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July 1, 2014

A medieval scholar noted for writing and presenting the BBC Two series The Crusades, Asbridge tells the story of William Marshal, who lived in such harsh times (12th-century England) that he was condemned to the gallows at age five by his father. He went on to become one of the greatest knights in British history, serving four kings, among them Richard the Lionheart. Yes, another BBC documentary is in the offing.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2014

William Marshal (1147-1219), the subject of this title, will be unknown to most readers. However, the men he served are familiar: Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, and King John. The primary source material for this work is a 13th-century biography commissioned by Marshal's son; however, Asbridge (The Crusades) does not rely solely on this biased document and instead weaves a rich and elaborate tapestry from several contemporary accounts. It helps that Marshal knew and served no fewer than five anointed kings and that his movements can be traced through royal chronicles and official documents, including the Magna Carta. On one level, this is the story of how a second son with few prospects rose to the pinnacle of chivalry, later becoming the most powerful man in England. It is also a story about how medieval knighthood worked; the interlocking web of obligation and fealty, friendship and loyalty that created the fairy-tale world of Arthur and Lancelot. Readers seeking a deeper understanding of early tournaments and the origins of chivalry will be pleased. VERDICT This modern biography of Marshal will appeal to history buffs as well as fans of fiction set in the medieval period. [See Prepub Alert, 6/8/14.]--Cate Hirschbiel, Iwasaki Lib., Emerson Coll., Boston

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2014

William Marshal (1147-1219), the subject of this title, will be unknown to most readers. However, the men he served are familiar: Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, and King John. The primary source material for this work is a 13th-century biography commissioned by Marshal's son; however, Asbridge (The Crusades) does not rely solely on this biased document and instead weaves a rich and elaborate tapestry from several contemporary accounts. It helps that Marshal knew and served no fewer than five anointed kings and that his movements can be traced through royal chronicles and official documents, including the Magna Carta. On one level, this is the story of how a second son with few prospects rose to the pinnacle of chivalry, later becoming the most powerful man in England. It is also a story about how medieval knighthood worked; the interlocking web of obligation and fealty, friendship and loyalty that created the fairy-tale world of Arthur and Lancelot. Readers seeking a deeper understanding of early tournaments and the origins of chivalry will be pleased. VERDICT This modern biography of Marshal will appeal to history buffs as well as fans of fiction set in the medieval period. [See Prepub Alert, 6/8/14.]--Cate Hirschbiel, Iwasaki Lib., Emerson Coll., Boston

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.