Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Marshal
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| 5th Earl of Pembroke | |
Arms of Marshal by Matthew Paris
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| Born | 1199 Leinster |
| Died | 27 November 1245 Goodrich Castle |
| Noble family | Marshal of Hamstead |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret de Quincy, Countess of Lincoln |
| Father | William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke |
| Mother | Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke |
Walter Marshal (born in 1199 and died on November 27, 1245) was an important English nobleman. He held the title of the 5th Earl of Pembroke. Walter was the fourth son of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, a famous knight and leader. His mother was Countess Isabel. Walter was part of the powerful Marshal Family, who played a big role in English history.
Contents
Walter's Early Life and Family
Walter Marshal was born in 1199, or perhaps early in 1200, in a place called Leinster in Ireland. He was one of ten children born to William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and his wife Isabel. Walter was the fourth son in the family.
His three older brothers had all been Earls of Pembroke before him, but they sadly died young without having children of their own. This meant that the title would eventually pass to Walter. When he was a young man, around 1226, people said he was a "very promising youth" even though he wasn't a knight yet.
Growing Up and Learning to Fight
Walter became an adult in the summer of 1231. His father, in his will, left Walter some important lands. These included Goodrich Castle in Herefordshire, and large estates called Bere Regis and Sturminster Marshall in Dorset.
As a child, Walter lived for a time with Richard Siward. Richard was a well-known knight who served Walter's oldest brother, William. This was a common way for noble children to learn about knightly duties and life at court.
A Knight in Training
As a young man, Walter Marshal became a knight. He served in the households of his older brothers, Earl Richard and Earl Gilbert. This was how young knights gained experience and proved their skills.
In 1234, Walter fought alongside his brother Richard at the Battle of the Curragh in Kildare. Even though his brother's side was defeated, Walter managed to escape being captured. Later, in 1240, Walter was put in charge of his brother Gilbert's military campaign in west Wales. He was successful in ending Welsh control in areas like Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
Walter was also with his brother Gilbert at a knightly competition, called a tournament, in Ware on June 27, 1241. Sadly, Gilbert was badly hurt during this tournament and later died from his injuries.
Becoming the Earl of Pembroke
Since Gilbert had no children who could inherit his title, Walter became the next Earl of Pembroke. However, becoming earl was not easy for him. King Henry III was angry with Walter. This was because Walter had gone against the king's orders by taking part in the tournament at Ware, which the king had forbidden.
Dealing with the King
Knowing the king was upset, Walter quickly went to Wales after his brother's funeral. He made sure his castles were ready for defense so that the king's officials couldn't take them over. Even though the king was very angry, he didn't see this as a full rebellion.
Walter and the king met in July 1241 at Llanthony Priory, near the border of Wales. The king expressed a lot of his anger towards the Marshal family. However, he eventually allowed Walter's people to legally take control of the castles. After a period where Walter showed his loyalty at court, the king officially gave him the earldom on October 28, 1241. A week later, Walter also had his important role as marshal of England confirmed.
Marriage and New Lands
On January 6, 1242, Walter married Margaret de Quincy, Countess of Lincoln. Margaret was a wealthy widow. In 1243, after her mother died, Margaret inherited the important lands of Bolingbroke in Lincolnshire. This added more wealth and power to Walter's family. However, Walter and Margaret did not have any children together.
Serving the King
Earl Walter made sure to follow the king's court for several months after he became earl. He quickly answered the call to join the king's military campaign in Gascony in the summer of 1242. He provided ships and knights for the king's army.
On his way back from Bordeaux in October, his ships, along with those of his nephew and other earls, were caught in a big storm in the Atlantic Ocean. They had to find shelter on the Scilly Isles. In 1244, Walter was sent to deal with the military threat from Prince Dafydd ap Llywelyn of Wales in the southern March.
On June 6, 1244, Walter made a final agreement at Westminster. This agreement ended the serious conflict that had existed between the Marshal family and Maurice Fitz Gerald. This conflict had started because Maurice was involved in the death of Earl Richard Marshal in 1234.
Walter's Death and Legacy
Walter traveled to Leinster in Ireland at the end of 1244 and stayed there until the early summer of 1245. During this time, he took care of his family's business in Ireland. After landing back in Haverfordwest, he moved to his lands in Gwent. It seems he became very ill by July.
Walter Marshal died after a long illness on November 27, 1245, at Goodrich Castle. He was buried next to his mother in the church of Tintern Abbey. Since Walter had no children, the title of Earl of Pembroke passed to his younger surviving brother, Anselm.
Walter's widow, Margaret, received a large share of the Pembroke lands and wealth. This included the county of Kildare in Ireland. Her share was even bigger than the individual shares received by the thirteen people who eventually inherited parts of the Marshal family's estate after Anselm's death.
Images for kids
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Arms of Marshal by Matthew Paris
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Keep of Goodrich Castle, where Walter died
