Episode Details

The life of Sir William Marshal reads like a medieval story book. Starting out as a landless squire whose only possession was family connections, Marshal rose from household knight to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful nobles in early thirteenth century England. Ultimately, he was chosen by his peers to be the guardian and regent of a boy king, during a French invasion abetted by a baronial revolt. William Marshal's remarkable rise was due to the qualities that made him, in the words of both friends and foes, “the finest knight in all the world,” his prowess, his acumen in both war and court politics, and, above all, his reputation for unshakeable loyalty.

In this episode Richard and Ellen retell stories about William Marshal’s life as a landless household knight. A follow on episode explores his career as a baron and his complicated relationship with King John of Magna Carta and Robin Hood notoriety. The focus of both episodes is on the key to William Marshal’s success, his practical chivalry