Earl Marshall

The office of royal marshal existed in much of Europe, involving managing horses and protecting the monarch. In England, the office became hereditary under John FitzGilbert the Marshal (served c.1130–1165) after The Anarchy, and rose in prominence under his second son, William Marshal, later Earl of Pembroke. He served under several kings, acted as regent, and organised funerals and the regency during Henry III's childhood. After passing through his daughter's husband to the Earls of Norfolk, the post evolved into "Earl Marshal" and the title remained unchanged, even after the earldom of Norfolk became a dukedom.

In the Middle Ages, the Earl Marshal and the Lord High Constable were the officers of the king's horses and stables. When chivalry declined in importance, the constable's post declined and the Earl Marshal became the head of the College of Arms, the body concerned with all matters of genealogy and heraldry. In conjunction with the Lord High Constable, he had held a court, known as the Court of Chivalry, for the administration of justice in accordance with the law of arms, which was concerned with many subjects relating to military matters, such as ransom, booty and soldiers' wages, and including the misuse of armorial bearings.

Depiction by Matthew Paris(d.1259) of the arms of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke(1194–1219): Party per pale or and vert, overall a lion rampant gules

Arms of "Bigod Modern": Party per pale or and vert, overall a lion rampant gules, adopted by Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk (1269–1306), after 1269 following his inheritance of the office of Marshal of England from the Marshal family

Lords Marshal of England, 1135–1386
Gilbert Marshal ?–1129 (?)
John Marshal 1130–1165 (?)
John Marshal 1165–1194
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1194–1219
William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke 1219–1231
Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke 1231–1234
Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke 1234–1241
Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke 1242–1245
Anselm Marshal, 6th Earl of Pembroke 1245
Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk 1245–1269
Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk 1269–1306
Robert de Clifford 1307–1308
Nicholas Seagrave 1308–1316
Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk 1316–1338
William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury 1338-1344
Margaret, Duchess of Norfolk 1338–1377
Henry Percy, Lord Percy 1377
John FitzAlan, 1st Baron Arundel, Lord Maltravers 1377–1383 (died 1379)
Thomas Mowbray, 1st Earl of Nottingham 1385–1386