Henry was getting old. The previous French king to whom he had made obeisance so many times, however much he was powerful enough to choose to conquer him instead, was in the past. Philip-Augustus, his son, was intent to return the power to the French throne.
While Philip was a wily adversary, it was Henry's aggressive family who were disassembling his accomplishments. He was miserly to his family in royal terms. Perhaps in an attempt to keep their uncontrollable aggressive tendencies under-funded. They were tired of waiting for him to die and took turns joining Philip's and each other's various invasions of Henry's domains.
The eldest, Henry the Young King, died of dysentery easing matters up. Of the three sons left, the middle son, Geoffrey, died in a tournament. Actually, Geoffrey, had eventually agreed to be satisfied to be made the Duke of Brittany through marriage to Constance the Duchess of Brittany.
Richard and John, however, were hatching new plans as the holidays approached. Richard continued, with ever greater importunity, to demand to be officially named as Henry's heir. Henry may have held his youngest son, John, in reserve should Richard go too far. Little did he know that John had secretly joined with Richard.
Nevertheless, Henry managed to persevere. In 1187, a knight name William Marshal, recently returned from the crusades, had become his closest advisor and sturdiest combatant. Marshal had served Henry's eldest son — called The Young King Henry — until the young heir to the throne died in 1183. He promised the young man to carry his cross to Jerusalem. Now he was back.
Marshal's reputation
was already high before he entered the older Henry's service. He was
more than a match for the king's sons in diplomacy and in the field.
In fact, he was in the process of becoming a legend in his own time.
In 1188, Richard finally chose to do homage to Philip. The two intended to combine forces against the aging English king to take his vast french possessions from him. Henry appointed William to represent him in negotiations with the french king. Others he sent to England to muster forces to meet the attacks of the new alliance.
Negotiation proved to be fruitless. Henry had already been ill for some time and may have lost his edge. He answered a french army by sending William with a small reconnoitering force to meet it. That force was shortly tasked with covering the retreat of Henry's household. In the process William is credited with one of the many feats of arms for which he would become legendary.
The always impetuous Richard had ridden ahead of his forces in pursuit of his father. Suddenly he found himself facing Marshal's scouting force without having his cavalry weapons at hand. He was completely vulnerable — completely at Marshal's mercy.
|
Quant il vit si venir lor gent; A lei d'ome averti e saive Prist tost sun escu e son gleive, Des espérons feri tôt dreit Al conte Richard ki veneit. E quant li quens le vit venir Si s'escria par grant haïr: “Por les gambes Dieu! Mar., “Ne m'ocïez; ce sereit mal. “Ge su[i] toz desarmez issi.” E li Mar. respondi: “Nenil ! diables vos ocie ! “Car jo ne vos ocirai mie.” Si feri sor son cheval lors De sa lance parmi le cors, Qu[e] il morut en es le pas ; |
When he saw their company come He turned like a man toward them. Quickly taking up his shield and lance, He spurred straight at Count Richard As he was approaching And when he saw him coming He cried with great fear: “By god's feet! Marechal, “Do not kill me; it would be base. “For I am totally disarmed here.” And the Marechal responded: “No such thing! Let the devil kill you. “For I will not kill you myself.” He struck on his horse then With his lance in the body Killing it where it stood.1 |
Henry II died on July 6th of the year. The attack against Henry's french possessions ended with Richard taking possession of them by alternative means, then.
William Marshal was tasked with burying his lord. That done he presented himself to Richard without hesitation. His fealty to the head of the family of Henry II was absolute. The new king accepted his homage and his valuable services. Both were simply too valuable to forego. William would be the most esteemed counselor of the Plantagenet kings Richard, John and Henry III. A long road lay ahead.
1 Meyer, Paul. l'histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal (1891). 318-9.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
The Dukes of Normandy and the Rise of Mont St. Michel. June 7, 2024. “In 1154 Henry took the English crown back for the Duchy of Normandy.”
Batman upon Barthelme: On Dragons. April 30, 2024. “The Elephant séeing the Dragon upon a tree, busieth him to break the tree to smite the dragon...”
Some Curious Facts About Mumming. December 3, 2023. “Not only were usurping kings in potential danger from mummers,...”
- Rocco Bonetti's Blackfriars Fencing School and Lord Hunsdon's Water Pipe. August 12, 2023. “... the tenement late in the tenure of John Lyllie gentleman & nowe in the tenure of the said Rocho Bonetti...”
- Check out the Medieval Topics Article Index for many more articles about this fascinating time.
- Check out the Queen Elizabeth I Biography Page for many other articles.
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