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John (The Marshal) Fitzgilbert

John, known as The Marshal, was born about 1105 in Pembroke, Wales.¹ The Marshal's father was Gilbert le Mareschal and his mother was Marguerite de Venuz. His paternal grandparents were Geoffroi de Bec and <Unknown>; his maternal grandparents were Geoffrey de Venuz and <Unknown>. He was an only child. He died in 1164 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales.²

General Notes
- # Note: Rose to power when Matilda invaded England to depose King Stephen.
  
  # Note: Switched sides from Stephen to Matilda.
  
  # Note: His father was made the Marshal of King Henry Ist's horses.
  
  # Note: Initially "marshal" was a title. The family subsequently took it as a surname.
  
  # Note:
  
      His son William was about 6 or 8 years old when the following story began to unfold. When Stephen found out that John switched allegiance to Matilda, he sought him out at Newbury Castle in 1152. Stephen granted a truce to John while he confered with Matilda. As security, Stephen requested one of John's sons. John surrendered his youngest son William. When John used the respite to provision and garrison the castle, Stephen threatened to hang little William unless John surrendered.
  
  # Note:
  
      John defied him sending word that he, "had the anvils and hammers with which to forge still finer sons." The boy was led out to be hanged, but his innocent confidence so touched the king's heart that he picked him up and carried him back to camp. Later someone suggested that they catapult William over the castle wall, but Stephen forbade it saying, "William will never be harmed by me."
  
  # Note:
  
      The civil war ended in 1153 and after spending two months as prisoner, was returned to his parents. Stephen made a treaty with Matilda that ensured his reign as ruler for the rest of his life. Stephen died the following year and was succeeded by Henry II, son of Matilda.

Ancestor Pedigree Chart
- Crispin de Bec ^*
  - b.~  0955 in Bec, Eure, Normandy, France
  
  Rollo de Bec
  - b.~  1018 in Bec, Normandy, France
  
  Heloise de Guines ^*
  - b.~  0958 in Normandy, France
  
  Goisfried de Bec le Mareschal de Normandy
  - b.~  1036 in Bec, Normandy, France
  
  Geoffroi de Bec
  - b.~  1056 in Bec, Normandy, France
  
  Gilbert le Mareschal
  - b.~  1096 in Beck, Staffordshire, England d.~  1130 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales
  
  John (The Marshal) Fitzgilbert
  - b.~  1105 in Pembroke, Wales d.1164 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales
  
  Miles de Venuz
  - b.1020 in Venoix Caen, Calvados, Normandy, France
  
  Ralf de Venuz
  - b.1040 in Venoix Caen, Calvados, Normandy, France
  
  Geoffrey de Venuz
  - b.~  1066 in Venuz, Normandy, France d.1157 in East Worldham, Hampshire, England
  
  Marguerite de Venuz
  - b.~  1096 in Venuz, Normandy, France
  
  ^*There are earlier generations for the ancestor(s) indicated. See their page(s) for details (click name)

Personal Timeline

Click here for details of The Marshal's family with Aline Pipard

Click here for details of The Marshal's family with Sibyl D'Everaux

¹ http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=tamer&id=I6433&style=TABLE
² http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=michaelrneuman&id=I026677&style=TABLE
Sources/Citations http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=michaelrneuman&id=I026674, http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=clcaldwell&id=I026674