The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen’s Champion cover art

The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen’s Champion

William Marshal, Book 2

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The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen’s Champion

By: Elizabeth Chadwick
Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
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About this listen

Royal protector. Loyal servant. Forgotten hero.

12th century, England: A penniless young knight with few prospects, William Marshal is plucked from obscurity when he saves the life of Henry II's formidable queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. In gratitude, she appoints him tutor to the heir to the throne, the volatile and fickle Prince Henry. But being a royal favorite brings its share of danger and jealousy as well as fame and reward.

A writer of uncommon historical integrity and accuracy, Elizabeth Chadwick resurrects the true story of one of England's greatest forgotten heroes in a captivating blend of fact and fiction. The Greatest Knight restores William Marshal to his rightful place at the pinnacle of the British Middle
Ages, reflecting through him the triumphs, scandals, and power struggles that haven't changed in eight hundred years.

Fans of Phillipa Gregory, Susanna Kearsley, or Diana Gabaldon are sure to recognize The Greatest Knight as exceptional historical fiction, bringing medieval Britain to brilliant life.

"The best writer of medieval fiction currently around."—Historical Novels Review

©2005 Elizabeth Chadwick (P)2024 Recorded Books
Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Medieval Royalty Inspiring

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Amazing story

Fabulous I think really Marshall story should be made into a film, especially these books once again fantastic

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Triumph again

All the books about William Marshal are full of interesting history and create a cracking good read and listen . I was pleased to listen to The Irish Princess to better understand his very modern wife .
Cirencester is an Abby not a Cathedral

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Love all things William Marshal

Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
I like Elizabeth Chadwick’s historical fiction, and this is a listen to a book I’ve previously read, but it’s a story I like, a fictionalised version of the real-life William the Marshal (1146-1219), a younger son who rose to serve not only Eleanor of Aquitaine, but also five kings of England from Henry the Young King (son of Henry II), Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, John and John’s son, Henry III, for whom he was guardian and regent when Henry became king at the age of nine. This is the second book featuring William (the first being focused on his father) and this follows William through his early training as a knight in Normandy, his success on the tourney field, his positions in the households of Henry the Young King, Henry II and Richard the Lionheart, for whom he held England while the Lionheart was off playing at crusaders. On marrying Isabel de Clare, more than twenty years his junior, he took over the extensive de Clare lands but wasn’t made Earl of Pembroke until later. The story ends while Richard is still alive and the next part of the story is picked up in The Scarlet Lion (which I read some years ago). And the very end of his story, plus the backstory of his time in Jerusalem is told in Templar Silks. Rosalyn Landor is a decent narrator.

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Wonderful........but......

I have loved this story for most of my life.....EC has written a truly unrecognised masterpiece in The Greatest Knight. It's scope, historical accuracy (as far as can be determined) and her perfect prose IMHO makes this one of the bestr books I have ever read.

However the narrator is awful.....her intonation is more suited to a Jilly Cooper novel, she has no emphasis or real sense of drama. Such a shame as this book deserves so much better

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