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♞ Knight Who Served 5 Kings During His Lifetime - MedMad > .♞ Greatest Knight Who Ever Lived: William Marshal - Dan Davis > .
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1146 or 1147 – 14 May 1219), also called William the Marshal (Norman French: Williame li Mareschal, French: Guillaume le Maréchal), was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman during High Medieval England who served five English kings—Henry II and his son and co-ruler Young Henry, Richard I, John, and Henry III—as a royal adviser and agent and as a warrior of outstanding prowess.
Sir William Marshal (c. 1146–1219) was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman widely celebrated as the greatest knight of the Middle Ages.
Life and Career
- Early Hostage: Born during the civil war known as The Anarchy, he was held hostage as a young child by King Stephen, who famously spared his life after being charmed by the boy.
- Tournament Champion: He rose from a minor noble with few prospects to an undefeated tournament champion, earning immense renown, wealth, and martial skill across Europe.
- Royal Service: He served five English monarchs—Henry II, Henry the Young King, Richard the Lionheart, King John, and Henry III—over more than five decades.
- Regent of England: Late in life, he saved the English crown from a French invasion and served as protector and regent for the young King Henry III.
- The Greatest Knight: Upon his death in 1219, Archbishop Stephen Langton eulogized him as "the best knight that ever lived".
