-
Course begins April 15, 2026
-
Live weekly sessions with the instructor from 1:00 to 3:00pm Eastern U.S. time.
-
All sessions are recorded so you can watch them at your convenience.
Session 1
The Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal
The course begins with a focus on the principal source for William Marshal’s life: L’Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal. Consisting of 19,000 lines of Anglo-Norman French verse, this text is the earliest biography of a medieval knight. This session will discuss the survival of this remarkable text, central themes such as chivalry, and whether the information in preserves can be trusted.
Session 2
From landless knight to royal servant
This week we will look at the life of William Marshal from his childhood, training as a knight, and success on the tournament circuit. We will also discuss how he became noticed by the Angevin family and his close friendship with and service to Henry the Young King.
Session 3
The Marshal and the king – serving Henry II of England
With the death of the Young King in 1183, Marshal was once more without a patron. But such a valuable knight would never be out of work for long. This week we will look at William’s time in the Holy Land and his subsequent employment in the household of King Henry II of England, which elevates the Marshal to a landed knight of England.
Session 4
The Marshal and the Lionheart
We next investigate the Marshal’s life during the reign of Richard the Lionheart. We will discuss Marshal’s roles in government while the king was on crusade, his efforts to stem the tide of French assaults on Angevin territory, and his service to the king upon Richard’s return.
Session 5
The Marshal, ‘Softsword’, and the Loss of Normandy – Surviving the Collapse of the Angevin Empire
With the accession of King John, William Marshal was at the height of his power. This week we will investigate the Marshal’s role in defending the king’s lands in France and how his relationship with John deteriorated, resulting in the earl’s disgrace and self-imposed exile in Ireland.
Session 6
From Earl to Regent – William Marshal, John, and Henry III
In our final session, we will continue investigating the relations between William Marshal and John. We will discuss the Marshal’s unswerving loyalty to a disloyal king, his role in the creation of Magna Carta, and his elevation to regent of the realm and guardian of the child King Henry III.
Meet Your Instructor
James Barnaby
Dr James Barnaby is an historian of central and later medieval England, with a focus on the Angevin Empire, the medieval church, and conflict. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and previously lectured at the University of East Anglia. He is currently a visiting fellow at the University of Southampton and the series editor for the Anthem Impact in Medieval Europe book series.
He has published articles on the rebellion against King John, the cult of Thomas Becket, and monastic legal disputes. His book Religious Conflict at Canterbury Cathedral in the Late Twelfth Century: The Dispute between the Monks and the Archbishops, 1184-1200, investigates legal disputes at Canterbury cathedral during the period of the three Angevin kings and how it influenced the reigns of the three Angevin kings. He is currently writing a book investigating the use of the cult of St Edmund of Bury in warfare.
NOTE:
Each week we will look at primary sources connected to the life of William Marshal. This will be provided by the course to be read prior to each session. The reading is not compulsory although you might have a more enjoyable experience in the sessions if you were to read it.