Pembroke Castle as it looks today.
To read of the history of the castle and William Marshal's involvement, CLICK HERE.
photograph provided courtesy of the Castles of Wales web site Copyright © 1994.

 
This part of William's life is of the greatest transition. Now nearly fifty, William has earned the respect of the people, knights and kings as a great warrior knight. But as soon as he weds Isabel, the damsel of Striguil, only the second richest heiress in all of England, William left the world of Knight-errant and entered what would be today, the world of politics. But politics of William's day had a bloodier outcome if it got ugly.
 
It was 1189, Henry II was dead and Richard was King, though the coronation hadn't officially taken place, and William was seen leaving Paris "riding off at a breakneck speed " to take possession of his bride to be. Before leaving, as part of Richard's royal counsel, William was instructed to go to England and guard Richard's lands and rights. During his crossing of the channel, the deck broke under his feet and William broke his leg. Without hesitation, he finishes his trip, and crosses to England, stopping to pay a call on the newly married Queen Eleanor. Once in London, he meets with resistance from Isabel's guardian, who at first is combative with William, but with threat to his life and limb, releases Isabel to William.
 
With blood like fire, William "burns" for Isabel, wishing to deflower her immediately. But the wedding must take place on the land that she had inherited, knowing that her family was jealous of someone outside the bloodline taking the land. Showing affirmation, and great celebration to boot, the wedding took place. Then William, in a local inn, took his wife — having to borrow a bed from a friend, Sire Engerrand de Abernon to do so.
 
The day had finally come; William Marshal was married, the owner of a vast estate and several fiefs in Ireland. He was no longer a knight-errant. He was now Earl of Pembroke.
 
Out of great affection and possibly concern over losing his beautiful young wife to a younger suiter, William took Isabel with him wherever he went, whether to royal court or to battle.
 
During his reign as King, Richard spent very little time in England. So much of this period, William spent protecting Richard's lands and assets as well as blossoming his relationship with his bride at the castle in Pembroke. But it was also during this period that John now plotted, with help from Philip of France, to steal the throne from Richard. Richard had been captured and taken hostage in Germany, being held in a pauper's dungeon. Now, not unlike the tales of Robin Hood, John did try to take Windsor Castle. But it was NOT Robin and his Merry men that stopped greedy old prince John, but William Marshal, his knights and army that held John at bay until Richard's safe return.
 
Still, relations between William and John were not all bad. Though William hated John, he knew he was a prince as well as King of Ireland. He would at times, while Richard was away, assist John in some of his needs.
 
This would later serve to help William gain some of his properties in Ireland he'd been promised.
 
In 1199, a message came to William that Richard was dead. Killed by infection from a crossbow bolt wound. Richard's last official command was for William to be placed in control of the royal fortune, perhaps to keep John from immediately spending what was left. Richard, by funding his wars, had drained England into a financial depression. John would not have the fortunes to spend as was the usual for a king.
 
After he was crowned, England suffered many set backs. The barons, realizing the King's financial woes, began to turn to Philip of France. John had been overtaxing them. England was on the verge of falling to the Norman crown.
 
John sends William and John d'Erley as emissaries to speak with Philip. He makes a deal with Philip for England, owing him a favor in return. John feels betrayed by this bargain, and claims William a traitor. William, who holds only one thing above his duty to the crown, his honor, answers the claim with a challenge, throwing down his gauntlet before King John. With an abundance of young knights eager for John's favor, none take up the challenge to fight the old knight. The King retracts his claim and William's honor is restored.
 
In 1214, with his loyalty to the crown, but his heart with the barons, William pushed for an agreement between the barons and John, knowing it would be the only way to hold England together. A location was agreed upon and John and his mesnie, including William, went to meet the barons at Runnymeade. There William signed along with John Magna Carta. William's eldest son, also called William, signed for the barons.
 
1216 came, and King John took ill. Knowing that he is dying, he calls on the bishop to speak with William to take charge of John's son, Henry, knowing that Henry is too young and inexperienced to be King. Honored to be asked, William declines. John d'Erley tells William this could help the country and all the knights and barons if he accepted, not to mention the almost St. Christopher-like duty he would have in bearing the young King on his shoulders. But William still was not convinced. Not until the bishop promised William that he would be absolved of all his sins, killing in combat, did William finally agree. For in this day, no God-fearing man would balk at absolution, especially one with the death toll that had fallen at William's skilled warrior hands. John is relieved to hear William has accepted. On his deathbed, John makes his first act of contrition. In that he apologizes to all whom he has wronged in his life, William Marshall as the first and foremost of those whom he has wronged. With almost no one present, John dies quietly.
 
William is now Regent of England. With enemies all around, William leaves to protect the new young King. He travels to Malmesbury Plain, and finds the boy Henry in a sergeant's care. When he arrives, the child greets William, weeping. He begs to be taken into God's and William's care. Everyone present weeps. Even William wept tenderly, holding him as if he were his own. William also realizes Henry may be a child but he was still King and had to have a sword. He dubs Henry, who was hastily fitted into a robe, and made "a knight small and fine" that day.
 
Soon, in Gloucester Cathedral, Henry had his coronation.
 
In the summer of 1217, Philip sent his son, Louis, to lead an invasion into England at Dover. With Count du Perche as his general, Louis attacked England. William, as Regent, decided to lead the battle against the invading forces.
 
The armies met in Lincoln.
 
There, outflanked due to his not trusting his Engish advisors, Louis and Perche are overrun. During the battle, William, now nearly 75 years of age, is seen charging at the head on his steed, without a helmet and looking like a knight half his age. So fast was his horse that he was quickly upon Perche, whom William wished to take hostage. But Perche decides to trade blows with William, a man nearly 35 years his elder. A splinter from William's lance during the exchange slides over part of his helmet and pierces Perche's left eye, killing him, making Perche's death the only knightly death that day.
 
Honoring his relationship with Philip from years before, William escorts Prince Louis and his officers to a ship set for France rather than taking them hostage. This act by some was considered wrong, and later young King Henry III would refer to it as an act of betrayal. But, those who knew William also knew it was an act of honor and there was never any choice in it. The battle was won, England was safe from the invaders and William had been victorious in what would be his last battle.
 
He now returned to his duties as Regent as well as his duties as husband and father.
 
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Read the Bibliography for the William Marshal Web site.