Richard MARSHAL, 3rd Earl of Pembroke

Notes:

Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke. He returned to England upon the decease of his brother, and repairing to the king, then in Wales, offered to do homage for his inheritance, but Henry, at the suggestion of Hubert de Burgh, justiciary of England, declined receiving it, under the plea that the late earl's widow had been left in a state of pregnancy, and the king, at the same time, commanded Marshal forthwith to depart the realm within fifteen days; upon which he repaired to Ireland, where his brother then were, who, with the army, received him cordially, and, delivering up the castles to him, did their homage. He immediately afterwards took possession of the castle of Pembroke, and prepared to enforce his rights by arms; but the king, fearing to disturb the public tranquillity, accepted his fealty, and acknowledged him Earl of Pembroke. This reconciliation was not, however, of long endurance, for we find him soon afterwards in open hostility to the king, defending his own castles, storming and taking others, fighting and winning pitched battles, until his gallant career was finally arrested by the treachery of his own followers in Ireland, where, being inveigled, under the pretext of entering into a league of amity, he was assailed by superior numbers, and mortally wounded. Described by Matthew Paris as the "flower of chivalry", he died in 1234, and was buried at Kilkenny. As he was unmarried, his estates and honors devolved upon his brother, Gilbert.