Mortal Monarchs: 1000 Years of Royal Deaths

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Knighted in 1166, he spent his youngeryears as a knight errant and a successful tournament competitor and was eulogised by Stephen Langton as the "best knight that ever lived". On 11 November 1216 at Gloucester, upon the death of King John, William Marshal was named by the king's council (the chief barons who had remained loyal in the First Barons' War) to serve as protector of the nine-year-old King Henry III, and regent of the kingdom. William stayed in Ireland defending his lands in a war with the Braose and Lacy families until being taken back into favour in 1212. All Monarchs of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom since James VI have been descendants of William Marshal through his great-great-grandson Robert the Bruce. William, however, became known as 'the Marshal' and because he was an Earl, the term 'Earl Marshal' was commonly used where this later became an established hereditary title in the English Peerage. William was one of the few English earls to remain loyal to the king through the First Barons' War.