William Marshal: The medieval knight who became more powerful than kings

Born around 1146 into a minor noble family in southwest England, William Marshal’s early prospects were ordinary.

He was the fourth son of John Marshal, a turbulent Anglo-Norman baron, which meant William had no inheritance to expect. 

As a child, William’s fate nearly ended in disaster. During the civil war known as The Anarchy, a brutal succession crisis between King Stephen and Empress Matilda that raged from 1135 to 1153, young William, then only about five or six years old, was taken hostage around 1152 by King Stephen’s forces.

His father, who was under siege, had no intention of surrendering, famously stating that he would see his son hanged before yielding his castle.

Instead of executing him, Stephen spared William and sent him back, possibly amused by the boy’s bravery.

William was sent to Normandy in his teens to train as a knight. His formal knighthood came in 1166, and he quickly made a name for himself on the tournament circuit.

At a time when tournaments were dangerous mêlées that mimicked real warfare, William gained fame for his great skill.

He won dozens of tournaments and ransomed countless opponents, which brought him wealth and a strong reputation.

According to L’Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal, William unhorsed over 500 knights during his career.

Some chroniclers even dubbed him "the best knight who ever lived." 

By the 1170s, William had entered the service of Henry the Young King, son of King Henry II.

Though technically crowned in 1170, the Young King held no real power and grew frustrated with his ceremonial role.

William served as his mentor and household knight, and he accompanied him across France alongside other prominent knights of the Angevin court.

However, in 1183, the Young King died of dysentery during a campaign in Aquitaine.

On his deathbed, he asked William to fulfil a vow to go on pilgrimage and carry his cloak to Jerusalem.

William honoured this promise and returned from the Holy Land around 1185 after he had spent several years abroad during a period of growing unrest within the Angevin regions. 

Following his return, William entered the service of King Henry II and later his son, Richard the Lionheart.

His loyalty during the last years of Henry II’s reign earned him trust and rewards, including marriage in August 1189 to Isabel de Clare, a powerful heiress and daughter of Richard de Clare, known as Strongbow.

This marriage propelled William into high ranks of the nobility. Through Isabel, William gained vast estates in Wales, Ireland, and England, and acquired the title of Earl of Pembroke.

The lordship of Pembroke was a key marcher territory on the Welsh border, adding to William's importance in royal affairs. 

Under Richard I, William remained a loyal servant who served as a royal representative and military commander.

When Richard left for the Third Crusade, William helped govern the kingdom and defend it against threats, including Prince John's plans.

Although William briefly accepted John’s authority during Richard’s imprisonment, he returned to the king’s side upon Richard’s release.

Despite John's uprising during Richard’s absence, William refused to break his oath to the king.

This careful neutrality served him well when John eventually became king in 1199. 

King John relied heavily on William’s loyalty during his troubled reign. John’s conflicts with the barons, his loss of Normandy, and his excommunication by Pope Innocent III in 1209 left him politically isolated.

William was one of the few nobles who stayed loyal. He tried to act as a go-between during the barons' revolt that led to the sealing of Magna Carta in June 1215.

When civil war broke out after John went back on his promises, William supported the crown against the rebel barons and the invading French forces under Prince Louis. 

Upon John’s death in October 1216, England faced a dangerous crisis. John's nine-year-old son, Henry III, had no power or following.

The support for the king was falling apart. William, by then about seventy years old, was named protector of the kingdom and guardian for the young king.

His leadership had a clear effect. He reissued Magna Carta in Henry’s name in 1216 and again in 1217, which helped secure the loyalty of wavering barons.

In May 1217, he led the army that defeated Prince Louis at the Battle of Lincoln, a crucial victory that restored royal control in England.

This success was strengthened by the naval Battle of Sandwich in August 1217, which helped drive French forces from the country. 

William continued to govern until his death in May 1219. He ruled justly, upheld royal authority, and managed an unstable peace.

He died at the Temple Church in London, where he was buried as a Templar knight, having taken the order’s vows on his deathbed in a symbolic act.

His tomb still lies there, near the heart of the legal quarter of the city. 

Historians have often remarked on the rare unity that combined military brilliance with political skill, backed by personal honour, that William Marshal demonstrated.

His contemporaries viewed him as the ideal knight, a model of loyalty and courage.

The 13th-century biography L’Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal, commissioned by his family, paints a clear picture of a man who rose through pure ability and held power over kings without ever claiming a throne.

At over 19,000 lines, it remains the longest known biography of a medieval knight. 

William’s story did not end with his death. His descendants continued to hold influence, but none matched his reputation.

He had served five English kings: Henry II, Henry the Young King, Richard I, John, and Henry III.

At various points, particularly during his regency for Henry III, he held more practical authority than any of them.

William Marshal became one of the few men to carve out his own greatness in the violent and changing world of medieval Europe.