ALL MY TUDORS...history chat

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I have often wondered about William Marshall, who, along with being the most perfect knight in Christiandom ... was also the original successful middle manager.

Now, obviously, he worked for Henry II, who could afford to pay him and commanded his loyalty. Which, who knows, might have been freely given.

BUT ... Eleanor could have afforded to pay Sir William as well ... and, she also could have commanded loyalty.

Now, Sir William managed to maintain his position throughout the vagaries of Eleanor and Henry ll's marriage, AND, was around to advise their sons.

Was Sir William truly the King's Man ... or was he ALSO the Queen's knight. Being the epitome of chivilry of the time ... was he more afraid of her, or fascinated by her. I think he certainly would not have been above slipping a message for the Queen now and again throughout her imprisonment. Or, would he?

Any other insights would be enjoyed! DameBudgie

I am not entirely sure on this one. He was a landless knight until Henry II granted him lands in recognition of his service to the Young King, so there was definitely loyalty & gratitude on William's part for having his status raised. Richard I, in further recognition of the close bond, betrothed him to Isobel, the great de Clare heiress, making him one of the greatest landowners & magnates in the realm. For supporting John over Arthur of Brittany after Richard's death, William received the earldom of Pembroke. Even when John in one of his more paranoid moments demanded hostages of William's family & imagined he was being schemed against by him, the Marshal remained steadfast & loyal, supporting John in his troubles with both the papacy & the barons. He took fealty to one's lord to a new level, as I am sure had he joined the baronial ranks, the outcome would probably have been very different for John. His word was such that he was acclaimed as regent for the nine-year-old Henry III after John's death, as all knew he was a man who could be trusted to do right by the boy king. The Plantagenet menfolk had the power to raise him to power & did so.

On the other hand, William once saved Eleanor's life at the expense of his uncle's when their party was attacked in France; when William was captured, Eleanor was the one who paid his ransom. Supposedly this is how he came to the notice of Henry II in the first place. So perhaps Eleanor's favor was the reason he advanced?

By the way, there is a really nice site about him:

Not so strangely, William Marshall and King John were not insimpathetico, and John caused The Marshall a lot of trouble. Despite this William Marshall turned the other cheeck and continued to be a dutiful and loyal knight; so much so that John dropped his antagonism. William Marshall was obviously not an egocentric man, his fine upbringing has carried him through history. -Echo

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