The book by British historian Thomas Asbridge is dedicated to the greatest knight of the Middle Ages, William Marshal (1147–1219). A brilliant expert on the history of England during the Crusades, the author recreates the era of the reign of the Plantagenet dynasty, which coincided with the age of gallant chivalry, of which William Marshal was a prominent representative. Asbridge traced the life path of a noble husband from early childhood to old age, creating a fascinating story about how a landless knight from a noble but impoverished family gained fame as an unsurpassed warrior, winner of knightly tournaments, crusader and confidant of five English kings: Henry II, Henry the Young , Richard the Lionheart, John and Henry III. The true story of William Marshal provides us with a window into the world of the medieval knight and allows us to witness the emergence of a new class of military elite during one of the most difficult periods in English history.