John Marshall

John Marshal (also referred to as John FitzGilbert, c. 1105 - d. 22 July 1165) was a minor nobleman of Anglo-Norman origins who served as marshal of England and fought in the 12th-century civil war on the side of Empress Matilda. He is best remembered as the father of William Marshal.

Biography Early life and appointment John was the son of Gilbert Giffard, who held the position of marshal under King Henry I and maybe under King William Rufus. He inherited his father's title sometime before 1130. In that year, but as stated probably starting earlier, he is described himself as a marshal under Henry. Following Henry's death in 1135, John swore fealty to King Stephen and was granted the castles of Marlborough and Ludgershall, Wiltshire during this time. Along with Hamstead Marshal, this gave him control of the valley of the River Kennet in Wiltshire. He also held lands in Somerset and Berkshire, and owned some buildings in Winchester. In 1130, his total lands were assessed, for the purpose of a tax exemption, as 35 hides and 1/4.

Civil war and other conflicts

When Empress Matilda, along with her half-brother Robert of Gloucester and her supporters, landed in Sussex in 1139 to press her claim for the throne, John seems to have only been a nominal supporter of Stephen. His loyalty to the king seems to have been in sufficient doubt that his castle at Marlborough was briefly besieged. In 1140 the castle of Marlborough was also threatened by Robert fitzHubert, who had captured Devizes castle, but John tricked him into imprisonment and sold him to earl William of Gloucester. On the same year, king Stephen tried to appoint a breton governor in Wiltshire, causing the disfavour of both John and the Salisburys. When Stephen was captured at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, John definitively switched allegiance to Matilda.

In September 1141, Matilda fled the siege of Winchester and took refuge in the Marshal's castle at Ludgershall. While covering her retreat from Winchester, John was forced to take refuge from the enemies at Wherwell Abbey. The attackers set fire to the building, and John was seriously injured by dripping lead from the melting roof, to the point that his pursuers thought him dead. Although he was splashed, burnt, and lost an eye, John was not dead and he stumbled back home to Marlborough on foot, in a 25 miles long march.

John Marshal died on 22 July 1165, and he was buried at the Salisbury family foundation of Bradenstoke in Wiltshire. His death was not sudden, as he had time to write a testament. After John, the title of marshal (later Earl Marshal) became honorific and hereditary.

Family

John was the son of Gilbert Giffard. He also had a brother named Walter Giffard, who held a clerical office.

His first wife was Adelina Pipard, the heiress of the baron Walter Pipard. By her, John had two sons: Walter, who predeceased him, and Gilbert, who died shortly after him. John then cast Adelina aside in order to marry Sybil, sister of Patrick of Salisbury. Adelina was subsequently remarried to Stephen de Gay, maternal uncle of Earl Robert of Gloucester.

John's eldest son by Sybil was also called John (II); upon his father's death, he inherited the title of Marshal. When John (II) died, King Richard the Lionheart gave the title to his brother, the well-known William Marshal. As well as John (II) and William, John (I) and Sybil also had Henry, who went on to become Bishop of Exeter, and Ansel Marshal, who served as a knight under his brother William and under his cousin Rotrou IV, Count of Perche. They also had two daughters. Margaret, who married William le Gros: they had a daughter, Margaret, wife of Ralph de Somery, and Matilda, wife of Robert du Pont de l'Arche.