Heirs to Merlin Chapter Seven: The Nobility
See Also
- The Ars Magica Reference Document
- The Heirs to Merlin Open Content page
- The Heirs to Merlin product page on this wiki
Chapter 7: The Nobility
The nobility are at the top of the feudal hierarchy. Most of the nobility of England are descended from men who came over with William the Conqueror, and some of them still speak Norman French as their first language. It should be remembered that Henry is also lord of a large portion of France and Ireland, and a number of English nobles hold, or held, land across the seas. This is less common than it was before 1204, when Philip of France expelled John from Normandy. All landholders were required to choose their English or French lands, and many families split into two branches, appointing a younger brother as lord of one set of holdings. There were a few exceptions, most notably William Marshal, who managed to hold on to both sets of land.
The only noble title in England is that of earl. Anyone who holds land directly of the king is a baron, even if he holds only a single manor, and other landholders are knights or lords. An earl (count, if his lands are in France — either way, his wife is a countess) holds extensive lands directly of the king, and has been granted the title by his liege lord. The title is not hereditary, although the lands are, and it is common for the king to grant the title to an earl's heir. The title of earl entitles you to a third of all royal fines imposed in the county, but grants no special legal authority.
There are three important foreigners who hold land in England. Their English fiefs tend to be used to provide political leverage, either by the holders or by those who want to influence them. For example, the English king can
threaten to confiscate the lands if the holder acts against England. Alexander II, king of Scotland, holds the earldoms of Cambridge, Northampton, and Huntingdon, and his cousin John holds them as his vassal. Peter de Dreux, duke of Brittany, claims the title of earl of Richmond, and Aimory de Montfort, count of Montfort and Toulouse, claims the earldom of Leicester.
Daily Life
Diet
Bread and ale form the basis of the aristocratic diet just as of the peasant's. The nobility eat white bread and drink good ale, and both are normally prepared at the noble's residence. The nobility differ from the peasantry in the amount of meat and fish that they consume; at least one will be served at every meal. Fish is eaten on Fridays and Saturdays, and often also Wednesdays, during the six weeks of Lent, and on the days before major feasts (the vigils). Otherwise, meat is eaten. This means that fish and meat are eaten in approximately equal amounts over the year.
Fresh meat is eaten all year round, as the aristocracy can afford to keep animals alive over the winter, although some salted meat is also consumed. Roughly half the meat eaten is beef, a quarter pork, and an eighth each for mutton and poultry. The animals slaughtered are generally older ones, except in the case of pigs and poultry, which are often slain after one year. Thus, the meat is often quite tough.
Game, such as rabbits and game birds, provides an important prestige component to the diet. Venison, in particular, while not eaten in large quantities, is very important as a mark of status, as it is only eaten by those who can afford to maintain a deer park, and then hunt them.
All households maintained a stock of preserved fish, dominated by "white" (salted) and "red" (smoked) herrings, along with salted or dried white fish, such as dried cod ("stockfish"), ling, or winterfish. Salt salmon and salt eels are also stored. These stores are supplemented by regular purchases of fresh fish. Fresh sea fish is available anywhere in the country, as no part of England is very far from the coast and fishmongers are skilled at keeping their wares fresh for transport. Whitefish, shellfish, crustaceans, and marine mammals such as porpoises are all consumed on a regular basis. Freshwater fish, such as eels and dace, form a basic part of the diet, while the larger species, such as pike and bream, serve as prestige dishes.
Wine is mainly imported from Gascony, and is thus quite expensive. Only the richer magnates can afford to drink it on a regular basis, while knights holding a single manor have to settle for occasional indulgence at feasts.
Spices are also eaten, and the term covers two types of food. First, there are dried fruits (currants, dates, figs, prunes, raisins), almonds, and rice. These are relatively cheap, and consumed in some quantities by all levels of the aristocracy. Second, there are the condiments, such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, pepper, and sugar, which are used mainly by the higher nobility. Saffron is in an expensive class of its own, and is restricted to the very highest nobility. The lower nobility often substitute locally produced flavorings, such as onions, garlic, salt, vinegar, and mustard, for the more expensive imported spices.
Eggs are eaten in substantial numbers, often with fish, but dairy produce and vegetables play a minor role in the diet. Fresh fruit, mainly apples and pears, is occasionally used to make delicacies, but garden produce is generally associated with poverty and penance.
The aristocratic diet is maintained throughout the year, and despite anything short of the most major famine. It also draws on recipes from all over Europe, so that the nobility in England eat similarly to those in the Holy Roman Empire or southern France. There are regional differences, but a noble traveling to other households would find much that was familiar.
Clothing
Both sexes wear linen undergarments, a shirt and shorts for men and a long smock for women. Men's shorts are held up with a cord, to which stockings and even pouches are attached.
Men wear tunics, either short, reaching to the knee or calf, or long, reaching to the ground. A girdle is usually worn, and the tunic hitched through it to raise the hem. There are two main styles of sleeve, both tight at the wrist, but one opening all the way from the shoulder to the waist at the top, and then narrowing rapidly. The skirt is usually slit in front up to the girdle.
Over the tunic, men wear either a tabard or a herygoud. The tabard consists of two panels, front and back, reaching down to calf level or lower. The neck is wide, and the two panels are sewn or clasped together for a short distance at the waist. The herygoud is a voluminous garment, hanging to the ankles or just below the knees. It has large tubular sleeves, reaching well below the hands, with vertical slits in the upper part through which the wearer can put his arm. It is usually hooded. Cloaks are sometimes worn over this layer, and these are often lined with fur, and hooded for traveling.
Short and long stockings are worn, and they may have feet, stirrups, or open ends. Short stockings are often decorated at the upper border, while long ones are generally attached to the shorts tie. Shoes and boots are both worn, shoes often being open over the top of the foot, and cut high behind the ankle.
On their heads, men often wear separate hoods, which sometimes extend into a gorget covering the shoulders. The coif, which fits close to the whole head, closing under the chin, is also popular, as are hats with large brims, especially for traveling. Men wear their hair with a center parting or fringe, and waved to the nape of the neck, with moderately long beards and mustaches. Young men wear their hair shorter and bobbed, and are clean-shaven.
The highest ranks wear gloves, which reach either to the wrist or the elbow. They are often decorated with a broad band of embroidery, reaching down the back to the knuckle, and royal gloves may be jeweled. Gilded or silver buttons are used as ornaments, and all garments may be decorated by bands of embroidery, or by patterns dyed into the cloth.
Women wear a kirtle, which is very long, often with a train, and belted with a girdle. The neckline is around the collarbone, or has a V-shaped opening which is closed at the throat with a brooch. Over the kirtle they wear a voluminous surcoat, which has a wide neck opening. If it has sleeves, they end at the elbow and are very wide, but a sleeveless version is common. The surcoat is often lined with fox or squirrel fur. Women's cloaks are very long, with a train, and are often hooded for traveling. Stockings, generally reaching to the knee and kept up by ties, are worn. Long stockings are not, because women have nothing to tie them to at the top. Shoes are similar to those worn by men.
Headwear is quite varied, but women must wear something on their heads. The veil is a piece of cloth placed on the head so that a straight edge hides the hair on the forehead, while the rest drapes over the head and neck, and is crossed in front of the neck. The wimple, made of fine white linen or silk, covers the neck, and drapes down over the bosom. The ends are drawn up to frame the face, and pinned to the hair over the ears, generally under the veil. Alternatively, women may wear a barbette, a linen band passed under the chin and pinned on top of the head. The hair is kept under the barbette by a hair net, and a fillet, a stiffened linen circlet of varying width, is worn over the top. A gold circlet or coronet is often worn inside the fillet. Hair is generally invisible in married women, turned back from the forehead and twisted or plaited into a roll at the back of the head. Unmarried girls, however, wear it long and loose, often with a chaplet of flowers or gold.
Gloves are often worn, to protect the hands from sunburn, and chaplets, bracelets, rings, necklaces, and ornamental buttons are popular forms of jewelry.
Very young babies are swaddled (wrapped in bands of material), and young children are dressed like women, whatever their sex. From the early teens, they dress similarly to adults of their own sex.
Major Nobility
Main Holdings in England
Ranulf, earl of Chester (absent on Crusade)
William de Albini, earl of Arundel (absent on Crusade)
William de Beauchamp of Bedford
Henry de Beaumont, earl of Warwick
Roger Bigod, earl of Norfolk
Humphrey de Bohun, earl of Hereford
Gilbert de Clare, earl of Hertford and Gloucester
Henry de Coleville of Bytham
William de Ferrers, earl of Derby (absent on Crusade)
William de Fors, count of Aumale*
Walter de Lacy of Ewias Lacy and Meath
William Longespee, earl of Salisbury
William de Mandeville, earl of Essex
Roger de Quency, earl of Winchester
Baldwin de Redvers, earl of Devon†
Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford
Robert de Vieuxpont, lord of Westmoreland
William de Warenne, earl of Surrey
Main Holdings in Wales
Reginald de Braose
William Marshal, earl of Pembroke
John of Monmouth
Hugh de Mortimer of Wigmore\* The county of Aumale is in Normandy, and was seized by Philip of France. William de Fors retains the title, but not the land.
† Baldwin is two years old, so the county is ruled on his behalf by Falkes de Bréauté.
Property
Nobles, naturally, own particularly fine versions of all the necessities of life: furniture, tableware, and so on. The main areas of extravagant consumption are in textiles, silver, and buildings. Elaborate tapestries are a popular form of decoration, and are used as bed covers, or as hangings around the bed. Silver items come in many forms, in particular, bowls, jugs, plates, and spoons. Both of these sorts of things vary enormously in value depending on the craftsmanship, and, in the case of silver, the weight. Silver is often bought as a good way of storing surplus wealth, and thus is often sold when times are hard, or when the noble otherwise needs ready cash.
Most members of the nobility do not live in castles, which are reserved for the highest ranks and the most wealthy. The houses for most nobles are built around a great hall, usually with the private, or solar, wing at one end, and the kitchen wing at the other.
The hall itself is usually approximately twice as long as it is wide, and divided into three aisles by two rows of pillars, which support the roof. These pillars define a number of bays, normally three to five. The largest halls are around one hundred and twenty feet long, although a length of around fifty feet is more usual. The walls normally reach at least two floors, or about twenty feet, in height, and the roof is pitched, rising another ten to fifteen feet. Ceilings are rarely installed, so the beams are visible, and these include large beams across the width of the central aisle, supported on the pillars. These beams support a small central pillar, the crown post, which in turn supports the ridge of the roof.
The solar wing contains the private quarters of the lord and his family. It extends at least the width of the hall, often extending beyond to form a wing, and has at least two floors, to match the height of the hall. Three floors are common. The rooms in this wing are usually about half the size of the great hall, with lower ceilings, and are often provided with fireplaces. Latrines are usually built into the corners of the structure, sometimes extended out a little way to reduce the smell. The ground floor is sometimes vaulted in stone, and only accessible from the lord's chamber above, forming a secure storeroom for valuables and records. The kitchen wing is at the other end of the great hall, and generally has only two floors.
The main entrance to the building is in the great hall, at the kitchen end. Sometimes, there are two doors opposite each other, in which case some kind of screen is normally built to reduce drafts, creating an entrance passage. Doors are normally topped with a pointed arch, while ground-floor windows are often little more than slits in the wall. Higher windows generally have two lights, separated by a pillar, and the tops of the windows are normally in the form of a rounded trefoil. Both lights may be surrounded by a pointed arch, in which case the space above and between them is often pierced, either with a circle or some more elaborate shape, such as a quatrefoil. Glass is still very rare, even in the richest houses.
Floors may be tiled, covered with rushes, made from wood, or flagged in stone, but they are never carpeted, as such textiles are far too valuable to be walked on. Walls are usually painted with scenes drawn from legends or religious texts, although richer households will hang tapestries.
Noble Incomes
Noble incomes are derived almost exclusively from land. An annual income of £5 or more from rents on land makes you a minor member of the gentry, and an income of £20 qualifies you for knighthood. The incomes of the greatest nobles can reach several thousand pounds per year.
Noble Prices
Good Ale 1/2d per gallon Wine 2d – 6d per gallon Wine is often bought in pipes (120 gallons) and tuns (240 gallons). Spices - Dried fruit, almonds, rice 1d – 3d per pound - Cinnamon, etc. 1s – 3s per pound - Saffron 10s per pound Feeding a lord 3d – 1s per day Maintaining a horse 1/4d – 3d per day Warhorse £20 – £80 Riding Horse £10 Draught Horse 10s "Chariot" £2 A large, four wheeled coach drawn by five or six horses. Barge £2 Tallow candles 1/2d per pound Wax candles 2d per pound A play, or similar entertainment 3s This is the total cost of production, not a "ticket price". A suit of armor £6 Tapestries 10s – £6 Bed clothes 5s – £1 per bed Silver bowl/jug etc. 10s Silver cutlery 2s per piece A book 10s Fur trimmings for one set of clothes £1 – £1 10s Manor gatehouse (stone) £15 Manor gatehouse (timber) £7 Manor house (timber) £10 Manor house (stone) £20 Castle (timber) £20 Minor castle (stone) £500 Moderate castle (stone) £1500 Major castle (stone) £10000 Castle maintenance £40/year Castle wall tower (stone) £100 Marriage of a daughter One and half years' income Funeral of a lord One year's income
Household
All lords have a household, and its size and splendor are an important way of maintaining position. The lord's immediate family — his wife and children — form the nucleus of the household, and the wife might have considerable influence, especially if her husband is absent. A widow might well take control of the whole household, especially if she has no adult sons.
The other members of the household fall into three groups: the knights, the clerks, and the servants. Household knights are normally landless, supported by the lord from his own income. This usually involves some cash payment, but also the provision of robes at great holidays, particularly Christmas and Whitsun, and of horses and armor. This group of knights, known as the mesnie, is expected to be totally loyal to the lord, and since their careers depend entirely on him, they usually are. Only the richer members of the nobility can afford to support knights, and the very largest mesnies, with the exception of those in the royal family, have about a dozen members.
All households also have a group of clerks, both in minor and major orders. While a few, the chaplains, are responsible for the spiritual needs of the lord and household, the others, simply called clerks, are responsible for book-keeping, drafting letters, and monitoring legal cases. Written records are of increasing importance in law and the management of estates, and many lords can read and write their native language (sometimes English, usually still French). However, they are rarely able to read Latin, and could not, if great lords, handle all their business in person anyway, so the retention of clerks is essential. Even the lowest nobles generally employ at least one clerk, and the highest can have as many as a dozen.
Both the mesnie and the clerks can be close friends of the lord, as well as his employees. They generally expect to profit from their association, and lords who acquire influence are expected to use it to benefit their household. Genuine loyalty and affection are fairly common, although antagonism between the knights and the clerks is equally frequent.
The servants are not in the confidence of the lord, but no less essential to the household. They cook, clean, and maintain the lord's property. A major lord would have several dozen servants, with maybe two dozen traveling with him while the others remain at his various seats to keep them in good shape. A minor lord might have only a handful.
In the larger households some members may be appointed to positions of authority over the others. In general, the marshal is in charge of the mesnie and the servants, while a chancellor may be appointed to keep an eye on the clerks. Seneschals are appointed to look after castles or manors while the lord must be elsewhere, and are drawn from the knights if fighting is expected, and the clerks otherwise, since the clerks are more familiar with the details of administration.
Pastimes
There are two main noble pastimes: hunting and tournaments. These are both acceptable as they are seen as preparation for war. Feasting and entertainment from minstrels and players are very important, but are accorded less emphasis. They are seen as accompaniments to another event, rather than as entertainments in their own right. Feasts are held at tournaments and hunts, and when other nobles visit, or someone gets married, or on religious holidays.
Hunting takes place on horseback, with hounds, and chases various animals: red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, wild boars, and hares. Much of the land in England is reserved for the royal hunt, and this land is the forest. It need not be wooded, but it is protected by harsh laws which place the interests of deer above those of people. The right to hunt in a certain area of forest can be given to members of the nobility by the king, and this is a valued privilege. Hawking is also popular, and many nobles maintain a master of hounds and a master of hawks as important members of their household.
The tournament is a miniature war, held at an agreed time and place. Two teams are drawn up, generally of knights from certain areas, and areas are roped off where the combatants can retreat to safety. The two teams then fight until the end of the day, roaming the area as they wish. The participants try to avoid killing each other, but sneaky tactics are entirely legitimate, and injuries are common and expected. During the tourney knights try to take one another prisoner, claiming the loser's horse, armor, and a ransom if they succeed. It is therefore possible for a poor knight to make his fortune at the tournament. The two sides often contain several teams, which dress in matching colors. These are led by the richer knights, and often consist of their mesnie.
Unexpected Guests
A covenant built in a royal forest and protected by The Shrouded Glen would be almost immune from discovery. However, The Shrouded Glen is a Mentem spell and so does not affect animals. If a hunted deer fled towards the covenant, the hunters would be able to follow it, thus stumbling across the covenant. If this was handled right, the covenant could become known as a faerie castle, impossible to find under normal circumstances. If handled wrongly, it could be disastrous.
Rules for Households
Frequently tell both high and low to obey all your orders fully, promptly, and eagerly, without grumbling or contradiction, unless the orders go against God.
Inquire often and carefully whether any member of your household is disloyal, ignorant, vile, indecent, habitually drunk, or not useful. If anyone is so, or reputed to be so, turn him out.
Order your knights and gentleman who wear your livery to do so every day, especially at the table and in your presence.
Allow your household as little leave as possible to visit their families, and give them only short leave when you do.
Forbid people to eat outside the hall in hiding-places or chambers, as this leads to waste and brings no honor to you.
— From Robert Grosseteste's Rules
The amount of pageantry surrounding a tournament is gradually increasing. Feasts are now common before and after, and the melee is often preceded by challenges to single combat between two knights. Occasionally, tournaments are held in fancy dress, particularly Arthurian dress, under the influence of the romances. This usually involves nothing more than carrying "Arthur's" coat of arms, but can be more elaborate.
It is not uncommon for knights to die at a tournament, often by being dragged behind their horse after being knocked off in a lance charge. If the victim is important enough, the tournament may be brought to a close prematurely.
Tournaments are very popular with the nobility, less so with other authorities. The church has repeatedly condemned and prohibited them, and kings are not always happy about allowing them. It was not until the reign of Richard the Lionheart that tournaments were legal in England, and during the minority of Henry III very few licenses have been issued. Neither of these prohibitions stops the nobility from holding them, and they can be used as an opportunity to plan rebellion.
Social Role
Chivalry
Chivalry is beginning to be rather more than simply the skill of fighting on horseback. Knighthood is commonly seen as an "order," even for laymen, and by fulfilling its duties a man can enter heaven just as well as a clerk. It is important that a knight be brave, strong, and skilled at arms, but he must also be courtly — capable of hiding his emotions, and dealing with the intrigues of court. They should defend the weak, but in time of war they cheerfully burn crops in the fields and whole cities, even if they will also help women and children to escape the flames they themselves set.
The entry into knighthood, dubbing, is acquiring more ceremony. There are three essential elements: spurs and a sword are given to the aspirant, and placed on him, and then he is struck a symbolic blow by the officiating individual. Any knight can make a knight, but the more important the man who dubs you, the higher your status. Thus, there is a strong motivation to be knighted by a king. Kings and other high nobles make the dubbing of their sons into a major event, and often knight many other men at the same time.
This elevation of knighthood is making it more expensive to maintain. As well as his expensive armor and warhorse, the knight must maintain servants, and a particular standard of living. This expense is leading more men to avoid the honor, and this tendency is causing some concern in royal circles, as mounted warriors are essential to the defense of the realm.
Tournament Assistance
The local lord approaches the covenant and asks for magical assistance for an upcoming tournament. He argues that since it is merely an entertainment, not a serious battle, such assistance would not be in breach of the Code, and suggests that it might stop him from denouncing the magi. If the covenant do assist him, he takes advantage of the melee to kill an old rival, and one of the covenant's rivals hauls them before the tribunal for interfering with mundanes.
The Tourney of the Virgin
A group of knights were traveling to a tournament, hurrying because it was late afternoon, when they passed a chapel where the priests were about to celebrate a mass to the Blessed Virgin. One of the knights wanted to stop, but his companions refused. "If we stop here, we will miss the tournament." Faced with such obstinacy, the knight told them to go on ahead, and dismounted to enter the chapel.
The knight heard mass, and offered his devotion to the Virgin. Afterwards, he ate a meal with the priests, so as not to be discourteous, and then hurried to leave. To his surprise, the sun was still high in the sky, but when he reached the tournament, he found that it was over. As he rode through the tents people kept hailing him, and, confused, he called back. When he reached his tent he found his squires marshaling strange horses and sorting equipment, while his clerk approached him to ask about a particular ransom.
He was thoroughly confused, and when one of his companions approached to offer his congratulations, he asked what he was talking about. His companion, surprised, said that he had been the best knight at the tournament, taking many prisoners over the three days. The knight protested that he had only just reached the tournament, having stopped at the chapel to offer his prayers to the Virgin.
A search for the knight who had worn his colors yielded nothing, and the knight decided that the Virgin had sent one of her angels to fight in his place, so that he should not lose by his piety.
— From Walter Map, De Nugis Curialium
Feudalism
Feudalism in its pure form is failing. Men still hold land from the king for the service of a number of knights for forty days each year, but that service is required in person less and less often. Indeed, Magna Carta includes a clause specifying that a knight who wishes to perform his service in person must be allowed to do so. Some knights are supported by "money fees," where the lord gives them a certain sum of money every year, rather than settling land on them, while other land is held for various services, such as finding lodgings for a noble when he attends the king in London.
Knights still play an essential part in war, but they are likely to be paid members of the household, or mercenaries, rather than the feudal levy. They also retain a central function in law courts, where most decisions must be made or witnessed by knights if they are to have full legal force. Land is still held in the feudal pyramid, with the tenants-in-chief, or barons, holding of the king, while lesser tenants, vavasours, hold of the vassals. Knights are still expected to be loyal to their liege lords, and to respect their vassals, but other, more personal, ties of loyalty may take priority, particularly for members of a mesnie.
Castles
Castles are the preserve of major lords, because their cost puts them out of reach of the lower reaches of the nobility. They serve two purposes, providing both a military stronghold and accommodation for the lord and his retinue. Thus, most castles include a hall, chambers, and service section, just like a manor house.
In older castles, these are all contained in a single large tower. In castles dating back to the Norman Conquest, this tower may be made of timber, and stand on an earth mound. The mound usually rises about twenty feet, and forms an important part of the defenses. Timber castles are no longer very effective, however, with the development of siege engines, and so all new castles are built in stone, while lords with timber castles are replacing them.
William Marshal
1147–1219, earl of Pembroke from 1199
William Marshal, who died on 14 May 1219, was the greatest knight in Europe, the earl of Pembroke, and, from the death of King John until shortly before his own death, the regent of England. His family were the hereditary marshals of England, and he was known as "the Marshal" from an early age, although he did not inherit the office until his older brother John died in 1194. His career perfectly fulfilled knightly aspirations, raising him from the younger son of a minor lord to the greatest noble in England.
He was born during the anarchy of Stephen's reign, and was sent by his father as a hostage to the king in 1152. His father, John Marshal, promptly broke the terms of his agreement with the king, and Stephen tried to convince John that the boy was about to be executed. This had no effect, and Stephen could not bring himself to kill the child, so the Marshal survived his first brush with royal politics.
In 1160 he was sent to the household of William de Tancarville, in Normandy, to be trained as a knight. By 1167 his training was complete, and war had broken out between Henry of England and Louis of France. Normandy was part of Henry's land, and the Marshal joined Tancarville's forces defending the town of Neufchatel. It was in camp with this army that the Marshal was made a knight. He was enthusiastic for battle, pushing himself to the front of the army and fighting hard before being pulled from his horse, which was killed. However, he failed to secure prisoners and booty, a fact that the other knights mocked him with after the Normans had won. He took this lesson to heart.
Peace was made, and it briefly looked as though the Marshal's career had foundered. There was no war, and Tancarville had no further need of him in the household. He was saved by a tournament in Maine, which Tancarville decided to attend, taking the Marshal as part of his team. He did well in the tournament, and afterwards returned to England, taking service with his uncle, the earl of Salisbury. This service took him to Poitou, where the earl was killed in an ambush and the Marshal was captured as he strove to avenge his death.
He was ransomed by Eleanor, queen of England, and entered the royal household, where he remained for many years. At first he was associated with the king's eldest son, Young Henry, leading his mesnie at tournaments and winning great renown, before falling prey to court intrigues in 1182. This fall from favor was brief, as he was recalled to Young Henry's court in 1183 to help in the rebellion against Henry II. During the campaign, Young Henry died of dysentery, having taken a crusading vow. On his deathbed he asked the Marshal to take his cloak to the Holy Sepulchre in fulfillment of the oath, and the Marshal agreed. He spent two years in the Holy Land, returning to England in 1186.
Here, he joined the household of the king. In 1186 he was granted the wardship of John of Earley, the son of the royal chamberlain, and a man who was to remain his loyal knight throughout his life. In 1187 he was granted extensive lands in Cumbria, and in the final war between Henry II and Richard, he got Richard at his mercy, refraining from killing him because he was unarmored. Instead the Marshal killed Richard's horse, and left the man to the devil.
Henry died soon after, and Richard, now the king, summoned the Marshal to his presence. He accused the Marshal of attempting to kill him, and William indignantly responded that if he had been trying, Richard would now be dead. Richard then pardoned him, and married him to Isabel of Striguil, daughter of Richard Strongbow and heiress to major lands in Wales and Ireland. She was to bear him ten children, and took an active part in his affairs, despite being almost twenty years younger than her husband.
After John came to the throne, the Marshal quickly received more lands and castles, being made earl of Pembroke. However, he fell from favor around 1205, and in 1207 found himself recalled from Ireland, where he was trying to pacify his vassals. A rebellion broke out in his absence, but his men, led by his wife and John of Earley, managed to defeat the rebels. By this time John was beleaguered, and he made his peace with the Marshal soon after. William was on the royal side in the wars around Magna Carta, although his eldest son fought with the barons.
After John's death, with Louis of France in the country with an army, the Marshal was appointed regent. He drove the French from the country and restored some sort of order, before he was taken ill early in 1219. He retired to one of his estates, and prepared for death, joining the Knights Templar, and finally being buried in their church in London. He left the county of Pembroke to his eldest son William, while his second son Richard received lands in Normandy and England. Gilbert, the third son, was a clerk and had a benefice in Exeter cathedral. His fourth son, Walter, received some manors in southwest England, and his fifth son, Anselm, lands in Ireland.
A minor castle might consist of nothing but the central keep, but most have a perimeter wall as well. Only major castles have many towers on the outer wall, and gatehouses are found only on the newest structures. The great keep can be over a hundred feet tall, with walls fifteen feet thick. They are usually square or rectangular, and are up to a hundred and fifty feet long on a side. Round towers are coming into increasing use, as it is harder to undermine and batter them.
In newer castles the great keep is falling out of favor, as lords want more privacy. There is an increasing tendency for the lord to build a private tower at one end of the great hall, substituting a small courtyard for the solid tower of earlier castles. Additional rings of walls increase security.
Castles are not always sited in the most defensive locations. Sometimes this is for strategic reasons, such as the need to control a river crossing, but sometimes it is purely for convenience. However, an increasing number of castles are being built on rocky outcrops, to avoid mining and to gain additional defense, or with water-filled moats. A castle is almost always close to a town or village: if there wasn't one when the castle was built, one usually grows to provide goods and services to the inhabitants.
Castles were introduced to England by the Normans, and are used to control the surrounding territory, rather than to defend it. The Tower of London, for example, exists to ensure royal control of the city, not to protect it from invasion. This purpose is less important in England by 1220, but still vital in lordships play a central role in subjugating territory.
Ranulf de Blundeville, earl of Chester
Earl since 1180
Ranulf is one of the elder statesmen of England, accorded personal respect as well as the respect due to his power. He is also the head of one of the two palatinates in England, the county of Cheshire, within which he has all the authority of the king. (The other palatinate is County Durham, where the bishop of Durham holds the power.) At present he is on Crusade in the Holy Land, something that will only enhance his prestige when he returns.
He is the son of Hugh, the last earl of Chester, and inherited the lands and title in 1180. In 1187 he married Constance, the daughter and heir of Conan, duke of Brittany, and the mother of Arthur of Brittany, and thus became the warden of all the duke's lands. He was in high favor with Henry II and Richard, and carried the crown at Richard's coronation. In 1190 his sister, Maud, married David, the earl of Huntingdon and brother of the king of the Scots, thus linking him to another royal family.
His relations with Constance were not happy, however, and in 1196 he confined her to a castle. Her son, Arthur, raised troops to try to rescue her, but failed. In 1199 she did manage to desert him, and married one of his enemies in France, and Ranulf then married his current wife, Clemence.
His closeness to Henry and Richard meant that John initially suspected his loyalty, but Ranulf attended the coronation, and then served John loyally for the rest of his reign. After the loss of Normandy, he was given the honor of Richmond to compensate him for land he had lost, thus making him lord of a substantial portion of Yorkshire as well as Cheshire.
From 1209 onwards he was in almost constant conflict with the Welsh, and on one occasion he was trapped and besieged in Rhuddlan castle. The siege was lifted by a mob brought from Chester fair by his constable, and his supporters never tire of reminding the Welsh of this.
He remained on John's side throughout the civil war, and supported Henry when he came to the throne. The choice for regent lay between him and the Marshal, and he stepped back, allowing the other man to take on the task. It is possible that he later regretted this, but he certainly never ceased to cooperate. He fought for Henry until the French had been driven out, but then left to fulfill his oath to go on Crusade.
He left England at Whitsuntide 1218, with Earl Ferrers of Derby, and visited Jerusalem as a pilgrim. He then aided in the capture of Damietta, in 1219, and impressed those who were there with him. He is currently making plans to return to England. This could be important, as he has a long-standing (and rather obscure) rivalry with Hubert de Burgh.
William de Longespee, earl of Salisbury
Earl since 1198
William is a bastard son of Henry II, and he was married to Ela, countess of Salisbury, in 1198, and invested with the earldom in the same year. He was close to King John, and in 1200 he was made sheriff of Wiltshire, an office he still holds. In 1208 he was appointed warden of the Welsh Marches, and in 1209 he was sent on an embassy to Germany. Between 1210 and 1212 he was a commander on expeditions to Wales and Ireland, and in 1213 he led part of the forces embarked on John's campaign against the French king.
When he was sailing to the Low Countries, he found Philip of France besieging Ghent, with his fleet moored at Damme. There were so many French ships that they could not all fit in the harbor, and William managed to capture or destroy several hundred that were moored outside. When William moved in to attack the city and the ships in the harbor, however, Philip lifted the siege of Ghent and drove him back. While the military action was not spectacular, it did force Philip to abandon his plans to invade England. This was just as well, as the battle of Bouvines went disastrously for the English. Their army was routed, and William himself was captured, being ransomed in an exchange of prisoners.
In all this time William was so close to John that he was regarded as one of his evil counselors, a man who would do and say anything to retain the king's favor, and act as wickedly as the king himself. Indeed, he remained loyal to John for most of the civil war, only deserting to Louis in early 1216, when the French controlled most of southern England. He was the ambassador Louis sent to try to convince Hubert de Burgh to surrender Dover Castle after John's death. Instead, Hubert reproved him for fighting against a child who was his own nephew. William returned to Henry's side in January 1217, partly as a result of this rebuke, but claimed that he was taking the cross as a crusader, since the papal legate had declared that the war against the French was a Crusade.
William has been in England ever since, disputing for Lincoln with Nicola de Hay (see page 49) and generally trying to increase his own power. He is a ruthless opportunist, and lets no one stand in his way.
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