Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke
Encyclopedia
Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke (1196 – 24 November 1245) was the fourth son of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke
and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke who succeeded his childless brother Gilbert
as the 5th Earl of Pembroke and Earl Marshal of England in 1242 a year after the latter's death. He also held the titles of Lord of Striguil and Lord of Leinster.
, known to history as "Strongbow" and Aoife of Leinster, therefore she was one of the wealthiest heiresses in the kingdom when she married Walter's father. Upon William Marshal's death in 1219, the earldom passed in succession to Walter's three elder brothers, William
, Richard
, and Gilbert, all of whom died childless. The latter was killed at a tournament
on 27 June 1241 when his horse threw him and his foot caught in the stirrups. He was dragged for some distance and died of his injuries. Walter was present at the tournament, therefore had witnessed his brother's death. As Gilbert had just one illegitimate daughter Isabel by an unknown mistress, Walter became the next earl of Pembroke. He did not succeed to his titles until 1242 due to King Henry III
's anger towards Walter for having disobeyed royal orders which had forbidden tournaments on the grounds that he did not want any of his subjects killing one another in sport. Walter who had attended the tournament which had killed Gilbert shared in his brother's guilt, so had to wait a year before he was invested with the earldom and hereditary post of Earl Marshal. That same year he accompanied King Henry to Gascony
.
suo jure, the wealthy widow of John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln
and the mother of two children. Margaret did not bear Walter any children, and when he died suddenly at Goodrich Castle
on 24 November 1245, the earldom passed to his younger brother, Anselm Marshal, 6th Earl of Pembroke
, who followed him to the grave a month later. Like his four elder brothers, Anselm was also childless. Walter's widow, Margaret received a dower third
from the Pembroke earldom and lordships, and as such she controlled most of the extensive Pembroke estates as her third outweighed the individual holdings of the 13 different co-heirs of his five sisters.
Walter Marshal was buried at Tintern Abbey
, Monmouthshire
.
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke
Sir William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke , also called William the Marshal , was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman. He was described as the "greatest knight that ever lived" by Stephen Langton...
and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke who succeeded his childless brother Gilbert
Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke was the third son of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke, the daughter of Richard de Clare....
as the 5th Earl of Pembroke and Earl Marshal of England in 1242 a year after the latter's death. He also held the titles of Lord of Striguil and Lord of Leinster.
Inheritance
Walter was born in 1196, the fourth son and one of the ten children of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke suo jure. His mother was the only surviving legitimate child of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of PembrokeRichard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke , Lord of Leinster, Justiciar of Ireland . Like his father, he was also commonly known as Strongbow...
, known to history as "Strongbow" and Aoife of Leinster, therefore she was one of the wealthiest heiresses in the kingdom when she married Walter's father. Upon William Marshal's death in 1219, the earldom passed in succession to Walter's three elder brothers, William
William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke was a medieval English nobleman, and the son of the famous William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.-Early life:William was born in Normandy probably during the spring of 1190...
, Richard
Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke was the brother of William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, whom he succeeded to the Earldom of Pembroke and Lord Marshal of England upon his brother's death on 6 April 1231....
, and Gilbert, all of whom died childless. The latter was killed at a tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
on 27 June 1241 when his horse threw him and his foot caught in the stirrups. He was dragged for some distance and died of his injuries. Walter was present at the tournament, therefore had witnessed his brother's death. As Gilbert had just one illegitimate daughter Isabel by an unknown mistress, Walter became the next earl of Pembroke. He did not succeed to his titles until 1242 due to King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
's anger towards Walter for having disobeyed royal orders which had forbidden tournaments on the grounds that he did not want any of his subjects killing one another in sport. Walter who had attended the tournament which had killed Gilbert shared in his brother's guilt, so had to wait a year before he was invested with the earldom and hereditary post of Earl Marshal. That same year he accompanied King Henry to Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
.
Marriage and death
On 6 January 1242 Walter married Margaret de Quincy, Countess of LincolnMargaret de Quincy, Countess of Lincoln
Margaret de Quincy, 2nd Countess of Lincoln suo jure was a wealthy English noblewoman and heiress having inherited in her own right the Earldom of Lincoln and honours of Bolingbroke from her mother Hawise of Chester, received a dower from the estates of her first husband, and acquired a dower...
suo jure, the wealthy widow of John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln
John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln
John de Lacy was the 2nd Earl of Lincoln, of the fourth creation.-Background:He was the eldest son and heir of Roger de Lacy and his wife, Maud or Matilda de Clere .-Public life:...
and the mother of two children. Margaret did not bear Walter any children, and when he died suddenly at Goodrich Castle
Goodrich Castle
Goodrich Castle is a now ruinous Norman medieval castle situated to the north of the village of Goodrich in Herefordshire, England, controlling a key location between Monmouth and Ross-on-Wye...
on 24 November 1245, the earldom passed to his younger brother, Anselm Marshal, 6th Earl of Pembroke
Anselm Marshal, 6th Earl of Pembroke
Anselm Marshal was the sixth Earl of Pembroke and Earl Marshal of England, the youngest and last of the five sons of William Marshal to hold that post...
, who followed him to the grave a month later. Like his four elder brothers, Anselm was also childless. Walter's widow, Margaret received a dower third
Dower
Dower or morning gift was a provision accorded by law to a wife for her support in the event that she should survive her husband...
from the Pembroke earldom and lordships, and as such she controlled most of the extensive Pembroke estates as her third outweighed the individual holdings of the 13 different co-heirs of his five sisters.
Walter Marshal was buried at Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey was founded by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow, on 9 May 1131. It is situated in the village of Tintern, on the Welsh bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, which forms the border between Monmouthshire in Wales and Gloucestershire in England. It was only the second Cistercian...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
.