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| Pevensey Castle: Barbara van Cleve, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
A biography of the uncle of Eleanor, the Queen of King Henry III of England, who built a palace on the Strand in London where the Savoy hotel now stands.
Henry III had a long but troubled reign. He inherited the throne from his father King John in the middle of a baronial revolt and French invasion. He was forced to re-concede the Magna Carta and, later in his reign, cede absolute rule to a council of barons headed by his arch-enemy and brother-in-law Simon de Montfort.
Pierre de Savoie, was the younger son of Thomas I, Count of Savoy. His sister's children included four daughters who, at some time, became queens: of France, of England, of the Romans and of Sicily. Pierre spent some of his time in Savoy where he ruled lands that later became the French-speaking cantons of Switzerland, and some time in England, trying to secure the succession of his sister's son, Lord Edward, who would eventually become Edward I of England. He was part of a wave of Savoyards who held offices under Henry III (his brother Boniface became Archbishop of Canterbury) eventually leading to a wave of xenophobia that helped Simon de Montfort gain power over Henry.
This biography chronicles Pierre's life and traces the far-reaching consequences.
It is clear that, as is common with biographers, the author hero-worships his subject. Nothing he does is viewed in anything but a positive light. Matthew Paris, the chronicler, a key primary source, is repeatedly castigated as biased and xenophobic. Simon de Montfort, whose influence on English politics can scarcely be denied, is depicted as self-serving and villainous, principally for having the temerity to challenge a king.
But my principal criticism of this book is the number of times I found it confusing. One expects difficulties when records are ambiguous or incomplete and when several people are named the same (for example, both Henry III and his brother Richard of Cornwall had a son called Edmund), but a good historian should resolve these problems. Instead, I found Marshall added to them. For example:
- “In 1229, at Lausanne, Pierre began a career that would lead eventually to being one of a council ruling England and Count of Savoy, under the tutelage of the provost, Conon d’Estavayer” who had been educated at Paris. (p 14). The final part of the sentence doesn't make it clear whether the tutelage was in Lausanne or England. Furthermore, the data of 1229 is contradicted on the next page when he is recorded as a canon in Nov 1226.
- “One of his tasks concerned Englishmen of the locale who had not been to church within the prescribed forty days, something that will no doubt have made him popular.” (pp 26 - 27) But we aren't told what he did nor nor why this action should have made him popular. Perhaps it's irony.
- On page 41 I became very confused as to exactly where Richmond and its castle were, given that three roads are mentioned and two castles; I resorted to Google Maps.
- On page 45 the author lists the Cinque Ports. He says there are five, he names six. A little research suggested that in Pierre's time there were 7.
There were other examples. I ought to be able to read a history without having to resort to Google and wikipedia to clear things up.
In addition, on page 167 Marshall repeats the description of the London cook shop and London’s trade already quoted on pp 72 - 73. This looks suspiciously like padding.
There's a great deal of interest in this book; it was a fascinating chapter in the political history of England. But the writing detracted from the reading experience.
Selected quotes:
- “In England the genie was out of the bottle; many had rather liked the idea that the king ruled with the consent of his people.” (Ch 8)
September 2025; 188 pages plus extensive appendices and notes
Published in 2023 by Pen and Sword History
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