The Knight Who Saved England: William Marshal and the French Invasion, 1217 by Richard Brooks

Final Rating: 3.9/5

   The Knight Who Saved England: William Marshal and the French Invasion, 1217 is a balanced, factual and comprehensive reference to the life and times of a man who was said to embody prowess, loyalty and wisdom. Opening with a pivotal scene that captures The Second Battle of Lincoln that then launches into a broad scope of the maelstrom of politics and key opponents of England and France during the 12th century and early 13th century, the historical enthusiast is sure to learn something from this work. Whether the reader is more interested in the politics, hierarchy of battle and knights, major points illustrated from the height of the jousting tournament circuit, or just has a desire to learn about the knight named William Marshal; there is a portion dedicated to your interest.

   The Knight Who Saved England: William Marshal and the French Invasion, 1217, removes the romantic notions of William Marshal and concentrates on the battle prowess and prudent loyalty toward four kings and demonstrates these for the reader with a collection of battles, sieges and exploits in a detailed manner that breaks momentarily with fascinating photographs and ends with a useful glossary of terms. Although the facts can overwhelm, become a little dry and this collection may not be necessarily suited toward a novice of this time period (it may help those interested to please explore some historical fiction titles/series such as: Sharon Kay Penman's Plantagenet Series or even Elizabeth Chadwick's William Marshall series (if the reader desires more of the romanticized version of the chivalrous knight) to spark an interest for these complicated centuries, acquaint themselves with the key players of the strive and politics of the era, build a character and mental image for a name before attempting more detailed examinations with nonfiction titles such as this one). A wonderful journey of discovery awaits the reader if they wish to start with this small and incomplete list of reads (there are so many to explore), and then the trove of trivia will continue if the reader comes back to this title. Still from front to back this reference is a wonderful addition for those interested in the history of combat and strategy (concentrated on the 12th century to the early 13th century), medieval enthusiasts or those who wish to learn more details about a man who went from a child hostage who entertained a king with playing jackstraws who then grew into a young knight who dominated the tournament circuit for 18 years who finally became a legendary figure who saved England (by intelligence, courage and character) and helped shape futures and liberties of generations; this is your next read.

* I would like to thank Osprey Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy The Knight Who Saved England: William Marshal and the French Invasion, 1217