Blurb
The William Marshal Series – Book 3
Bound by deep loyalties to the House of Anjou, William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, stands by the despotic King John as he is driven out of his hereditary lands on the continent by Philippe of France and is compelled to yield to the demands of the Barons at Runnymead in 1215.
England is divided. Repudiating Magna Carta, John’s disastrous reign reaches its climax as he loses his Crown and Treasure in the Wash and dies at Newark, leaving his nine year-old son Henry as King.
There is only one man who can save the realm from anarchy as the Barons sense their moment has come and invite Prince Louis of France to invade and take the throne.
Ever faithful, William Marshal takes on the burden. As Guardian of the Realm and at the age of seventy-two he charges into Lincoln and hurls the French out of the city in an epic pell-mell battle, driving Louis across the Channel in a war of cut and thrust, securing the throne for Henry III.
My Review
Working for the devil’s brood seems to have been the most thankless task on the planet, but William Marshal was made of stern stuff. Even when King John fell into malicious behavior, William refused to betray his loyalty to the crown despite his personal disinclination. Indeed, he was one of the few nobles to stand behind his monarch. Although his peers despised his actions, they couldn’t help but respect his honorable intentions. Not so the king, who constantly questioned his loyalty. This volume takes us through John’s treacherous last years, when his perfidies drove his barons to invite Louis, the Dauphin of France to take the crown, challenging William to defend the indefensible John. Only the king’s ill-advised escape over the fens leading to his welcome death turned the tables and gave the English motivation to shun the deceitful Dauphin. But William’s thankless task wasn’t over. It fell to him to take his place as Guardian of the Realm and he still had to deal with the French invaders:
Prince Henry was nine years old and the news of John’s death would already have reached London, immensely strengthening Louis’ position. With the Dauphin at the head of an army quartered in the Kingdom the future of Prince Henry was bleak. Given the opportunity, Louis would almost certainly dispose of him, just as John had disposed of Arthur of Brittany. Nor was William’s own future much brighter, though he might retreat into Leinster, and he must secure Isabelle’s safety, along with that of his children.
No, he couldn’t take the easy way out. It wasn’t in his nature. And young Henry needed his help. Getting rid of Louis didn’t happen right away, and the other barons took a lot of convincing to appreciate the situation they had inflicted on the country. But William’s reputation and strength of character finally overcame all obstacles, though the toll on his health was fatal. He was over seventy years old by then—a venerable age in the 13th century. By any standards he was truly the greatest knight, and this series gives him the recognition he deserves. Very well written.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Realm-Richard-Woodman-ebook/dp/B07G9HLVZN
