jacey | Booklog 80/2019: Elizabeth Chadwick: Templar Silks

As William Marshal lays on his death bed at the age of 72, his mind wanders back to a turbulent time in his youth when he was Marshal for the young prince 'King' Harry (Henry II's eldest son who was given too much, too soon and rebelled against his father before dying of dysentery). Commanded by Harry he does something he deeply regrets. As a penance he undertakes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to absolve not only himself and his knights, but also the (now dead) young king of all their crimes against God. Little is known about William's adventures in Outremer so Ms Chadwick has a free hand with the story.

After the Mahelt story in To Defy a King, this is Ms Chadwick back on form with a three year slice of William the Marshal's life story examined in detail. It's a novel, of course, not a history, so it's a 'what-if' wrapped around actual events. I still prefer The Greatest Knight and The Scarlet Lion, but this is for the completists and well worth reading.