ModernChivalry.org
Main => The Library => Topic started by: Timothy on 2013-09-02, 03:46:43
-
Hi all,
I was reading a description of this book on Amazon with a mind toward buying it on Kindle and I found this statement.
"The Greatness of William Marshal: The descendants of the Greatest Knight himself include George Washington and Winston Churchill, as well as the Stuart kings of England and Scotland. He was partly responsible for the Magna Carta. He vowed his body to the Templars and is buried in Temple Church in London."
Did anyone know that Washington and Churchill were among his descendants? Hero's of three different ages and all kin. WOW.
Tim
-
thats such a surprise, I wonder if they even knew of whom they descended from.
-
I have that book, as does Sir William. However, he has read it, whilst I've not made it past the cover...
-
A most excellent read, keeping in mind it is historical fiction and not exactly factual...place names and events are largely taken from history, but all of the dialog and interactions between the characters are largely the result of the author's writing prowess, of which I must say is most prodigious. She's one helluva a writer, and took what she wanted and made up the rest.
-
Sirs,
Thanks
I will add it to the list.
Tim
-
If you like that book, you might find her other books that center in and around that particular period in time (1180 - 1230s), with emphasis on the Marshal's contemporaries; there are two that feature him, the one you mention which deals with his earlier life, and then there's the Scarlet Lion, which deals with the second half of his life, up until his death.
The duology of For the King's Favor and To Defy a King deals primarily with the Bigods, Roger in particular, and later his son Hugh (who marries the Marshal's eldest daughter, called Mahelt in the books) which were also very good reads. Having never experienced true medieval life, one can only go on what references that have been passed down thru the ages - but her prose seems to capture what it might've felt like to live back then.
I just got a teaser on a new book of hers called The Outlaw Knight which deals with Fulke Fitzwarin, yet another Marshal contemporary (the novel begins in 1173, when the Marshal would've been about 27 years of age); will probably pick up the Kindle copy after I finish Outremer, by Richard Allibone (a rousing good read if you like anything to do with the Crusades).
I had recently read The Winter Mantle, also by Chadwick- set in 1066; I need to read it again because I don't recall much of it.
If you're a fan of medieval fiction, you might want to have a look at Bernard Cornwell and Stephen Lawhead; as far as I'm concerned, the two of them are equal to Chadwick in most areas.
There's also
-
I thought William had no desendents?
-
He has countless descendants. Me among them. But! I didn't know that Washington and Churchill were my distant cousins!
-
I thought William had no desendents?
If you're referring to the so-called curse leveled at his family, well- it is true that his male heirs all died w/out issue, but his female children did have children of their own and it is through them that the Marshal's line has continued throughout the ages. It is also worth noting that the Marshal was invested into the Order of the Knights Templar upon his deathbed.
-
Ok, now I just have to go on Ancestory.com and find out if im related lol.
-
He has countless descendants. Me among them. But! I didn't know that Washington and Churchill were my distant cousins!
Truly? That's awesome.
-
After I read some more of the Bernard Cornwell I have already bought I might buy me some Chadwick's series and read it up :)
-
He has countless descendants. Me among them. But! I didn't know that Washington and Churchill were my distant cousins!
Isn't there a theory that true blood relations ends after 6 generations?
-
Sir Nate,
I don't know when true blood ends, but since we all have more than 5 MILLION 20th great grandparents, I'd wager the Marshall and myself share very few chromosomes! ;D
The fun of finding these folks in our family tree is only that, fun. It is meaningless otherwise.
Sir Humphrey
-
Sir Nate,
I don't know when true blood ends, but since we all have more than 5 MILLION 20th great grandparents, I'd wager the Marshall and myself share very few chromosomes! ;D
The fun of finding these folks in our family tree is only that, fun. It is meaningless otherwise.
Sir Humphrey
What if one of the families still bare the name Marshal?
-
Sir Nate,
I don't know when true blood ends, but since we all have more than 5 MILLION 20th great grandparents, I'd wager the Marshall and myself share very few chromosomes! ;D
The fun of finding these folks in our family tree is only that, fun. It is meaningless otherwise.
Sir Humphrey
What if one of the families still bare the name Marshal?
Unrelated in a way. Marshal had no male grandchildren (edit for clarity - *born of his male children*), and his female children would have taken their husband's name. If there is another Marshal in the chain, it's another Marshal family that married into William Marshal's descendants somewhere along the tree.
-
Sir Humphrey need not prove his ancestry or bloodline through the ages. It is enough that he says he is descendant of Sir William Marshall. Now how about pulling some medieval muster with the royals & get me a stay at that Pembroke Palace this summer?? I can have the regency suite, right?? 8)