The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Before 29th November 1310 [his father] John Mowbray 2nd Baron Mowbray and [his mother] Aline de Braose Baroness Mowbray were married. She by marriage Baroness Mowbray.
On 29th November 1310 John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray was born to [his father] John Mowbray 2nd Baron Mowbray and [his mother] Aline de Braose Baroness Mowbray at Hovingham.
Before 26th February 1322 John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray and Maud Holland 3rd Baroness Holand, Baroness Lovel were married. The marriage was later declared void.
On 16th March 1322 the rebel army led by Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln attempted to cross the bridge over the River Ure (between Ripon and York) at Boroughbridge Bridge. Their path was blocked by forces loyal to the King led by Andrew Harclay 1st Earl Carlisle. Bartholomew Badlesmere 1st Baron Badlesmere, Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March, John Botetort 1st Baron Botetort and John Maltravers 1st Baron Maltravers fought for the rebels. Roger Clifford 2nd Baron Clifford, Nicholas Longford, Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln, [his father] John Mowbray 2nd Baron Mowbray were captured.
Warin Lisle was hanged after the battle at Pontefract.
Following the battle Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester and his wife Margaret Clare Countess Gloucester were both imprisoned. He in Nottingham Castle and she in Sempringham Priory.
John Clinton 2nd Baron Clinton, Ralph Greystoke 1st Baron Greystoke, William Latimer 2nd Baron Latimer of Corby, Robert Lisle 1st Baron Lisle, Domhnall Mar II Earl of Mar and Peter Saltmarsh fought for the King.
Adam Everingham 1st Baron Everingham of Laxton was captured.
Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex was killed. John Bohun 5th Earl Hereford 4th Earl Essex succeeded 5th Earl Hereford, 4th Earl Essex.
Piers Grandison 2nd Baron Grandison fough for the rebels, and was captured.
Hugh Audley 1st Baron Audley of Stratton Audley surrendered before the battle and was imprisoned in Wallingford Castle for the rest of his life
John Giffard 2nd Baron Giffard Brimpsfield was captured.
Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March was imprisoned at Tower of London.
On 23rd March 1322 at York..
Roger Clifford 2nd Baron Clifford was hanged. Robert Clifford 3rd Baron Clifford succeeded 3rd Baron de Clifford.
[his father] John Mowbray 2nd Baron Mowbray was hanged. He was buried at Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire. John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray succeeded 3rd Baron Mowbray.
Around March 1340 [his brother-in-law] Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent and Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales were married in secret. It isn't clear whether the marriage was canonical given the secrecy; there were no witnesses. She twelve years old. A subsequent investigation by papal commissioners confirmed it as valid. She the daughter of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and Margaret Wake Countess Kent.
Before 24th June 1340 John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray and Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray were married. She by marriage Baroness Mowbray. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.
On 24th June 1340 King Edward III of England attacked the French fleet at anchor during the Battle of Sluys capturing more than 200 ships, killing around 18000 French. The English force included John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Warwick, William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton, Henry Scrope 1st Baron Scrope of Masham, William Latimer 4th Baron Latimer of Corby, John Lisle 2nd Baron Lisle, Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford, [his brother-in-law] Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster, Walter Manny 1st Baron Manny, Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer and Richard Pembridge.
Thomas Monthermer 2nd Baron Monthermer died from wounds. Margaret Monthermer Baroness Montagu 3rd Baroness Monthermer succeeded 3rd Baroness Monthermer.
On 24th June 1340 [his son] John Mowbray 4th Baron Mowbray Baron Segrave was born to John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray and [his wife] Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray at Epworth. He married 25th March 1349 Elizabeth Segrave 5th Baroness Segrave Baroness Mowbray, daughter of John Segrave 4th Baron Segrave and Margaret Plantagenet 1st Duchess of Norfolk, and had issue.
Around November 1340 William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury and Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales were married. She was already married albeit secretly to [his brother-in-law] Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent. The subsequent investigation found her marriage to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent to be valid. She the daughter of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and Margaret Wake Countess Kent. He the son of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.
In or before 1344 [his son-in-law] Roger la Warr 3rd Baron de la Warr and [his daughter] Eleanor Mowbray were married.
14th December 1344 Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey and Isabel Despencer Countess Arundel marriage annulled by Pope Clement VI on the grounds that he had never freely consented to marry Isabel. He, at this time, is believed to be having an affair with her first cousin [his sister-in-law] Eleanor who he married four months later.
In or before 1345 Ralph Ufford and [his sister-in-law] Maud Plantagenet Countess Ulster were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.
On 5th April 1345 Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey and [his sister-in-law] Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey were married at Ditton Church, Stoke Poges. She by marriage Countess Arundel. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster and Maud Chaworth. He the son of Edmund Fitzalan 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel and Alice Warenne Countess Arundel.
On 22nd September 1345 [his father-in-law] Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster died at Leicester Castle. [his brother-in-law] Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester, 4th Earl Lancaster.
On 17th October 1346 at the Battle of Neville's Cross at the English inflicted a heavy defeat on the Scottish army that had invaded England in compliance with their treaty with the French for mutual support against England.
The English army included: William Deincourt 2nd Baron Deincourt, Henry Scrope 1st Baron Scrope of Masham, Ralph Hastings, Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby, Archbishop William Zouche, Henry Percy 10th and 2nd Baron Percy and John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray.
Of the Scottish army King David II of Scotland, John Graham Earl Menteith and William "Flower of Chivalry and Knight Liddesdale" Douglas 1st Earl Atholl were captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Neil Bruce, John Randolph 3rd Earl of Moray, David Hay 6th Baron Erroll and Edward Keith of Sinton were killed.
In June 1347 John Warenne 7th Earl of Surrey died. Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey succeeded 8th Earl Surrey. [his sister-in-law] Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey by marriage Countess Surrey. Conisbrough Castle reverted to the Crown.
On 25th March 1349 [his son] John Mowbray 4th Baron Mowbray Baron Segrave and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Segrave 5th Baroness Segrave Baroness Mowbray were married. She by marriage Baroness Mowbray. He by marriage Baron Segrave. She the daughter of John Segrave 4th Baron Segrave and Margaret Plantagenet 1st Duchess of Norfolk.
On 7th July 1349 [his wife] Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray died in Yorkshire.
In 1352 [his brother-in-law] Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent was created 1st Earl Kent, 1st Baron Holand.
On 26th December 1360 [his brother-in-law] Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent died. He was buried at Blackfriars Friary, Stamford. Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent succeeded 2nd Earl Kent.
On 4th October 1361 John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray died of plague. [his son] John Mowbray 4th Baron Mowbray Baron Segrave succeeded 4th Baron Mowbray.
In or before 1375 John Lovell 5th Baron Lovel, Baron Holand and [his former wife] Maud Holland 3rd Baroness Holand, Baroness Lovel were married. She by marriage Baroness Lovel of Titchmarsh. He by marriage Baron Holand. The difference in their ages was 31 years; she, unusually, being older than him.
On 10th May 1380 [his former wife] Maud Holland 3rd Baroness Holand, Baroness Lovel died. William Lovell 7th Baron Lovel 4th Baron Holand succeeded 4th Baron Holand.
[his daughter] Eleanor Mowbray was born to John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray and Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray. She married (1) Lewis Clifford, son of Roger Clifford 5th Baron Clifford and Maud Beauchamp Baroness Clifford, and had issue (2) in or before 1344 Roger la Warr 3rd Baron de la Warr, son of John la Warr 2nd Baron de la Warr and Margaret Holland, and had issue.
[his daughter] Blanche Mowbray Baroness Poynings was born to John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray and Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray. She married (1) John Segrave, son of John Segrave 4th Baron Segrave and Margaret Plantagenet 1st Duchess of Norfolk (2) before 5th July 1372 Thomas Poynings 2nd Baron Poynings, son of Michael Poynings 1st Baron Poynings and Joan Rokesley Baroness Poynings.