The Greatest Knight
The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, the Power behind Five English Thrones
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Beschreibung des Verlags
‘A rip-roaring new life of Marshal … [a] splendid account of a great medieval life' Dan Jones, author of Crusaders
‘A thoroughly entertaining account of England’s most colourful and courageous medieval knight’ Sunday Times
Drawing upon an array of contemporary evidence, renowned historian Thomas Asbridge’s authoritative and dramatic account brings to life the often overlooked figure of William Marshal, a man who not only served at the right hand of five English monarchs but also helped negotiate the terms of Magna Carta.
Charting the unparalleled rise to prominence of a man bound to a code of honour, yet driven by unquenchable ambition, this knight's tale lays bare the brutish realities of medieval warfare and the machinations of the royal court, and draws us into the heart of a formative period of our history: when the West emerged from the Dark Ages and stood on the brink of modernity.
Friend of Richard the Lionheart and the infamous King John and, ultimately, regent of the realm, this is the story of one remarkable man and the forging of the English nation.
‘Skilfully done...a powerful cast of characters that fascinates still’ TLS
‘The medieval world...at last comes touchingly to life’ Spectator
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
