# Earl Marshal

Earl Marshal (alternatively marschal or marischal) is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England (then, following the Act of Union 1800, in the United Kingdom). He is the eighth of the great officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Constable of England and above the Lord High Admiral. The dukes of Norfolk have held the office since 1672.
The marshal was originally responsible, along with the constable, for the monarch's horses and stables including connected military operations. As a result of the decline of chivalry and sociocultural change, the position of earl marshal has evolved and among his responsibilities today is the organisation of major ceremonial state occasions such as the monarch's coronation in Westminster Abbey and state funerals. He is also the leading officer of arms and oversees the College of Arms. He is the sole judge of the High Court of Chivalry.
The current earl marshal is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, who inherited the position in June 2002. There were formerly an Earl Marshal of Ireland and an Earl Marischal of Scotland.

## History

The office of royal marshal existed in much of Europe, involving managing horses and protecting the monarch. In England, the office became hereditary under John FitzGilbert the Marshal (served c.1130–1165) after The Anarchy, and rose in prominence under his second son, William Marshal, later Earl of Pembroke. He served under several kings, acted as regent, and organised funerals and the regency during Henry III's childhood. After passing through his daughter's husband to the Earls of Norfolk, the post evolved into "Earl Marshal" and the title remained unchanged, even after the earldom of Norfolk became a dukedom.
In the Middle Ages, the Earl Marshal and the Lord High Constable were the officers of the king's horses and stables. When chivalry declined in importance, the constable's post declined and the Earl Marshal became the head of the College of Arms, the body concerned with all matters of genealogy and heraldry. In conjunction with the Lord High Constable, he had held a court, known as the Court of Chivalry, for the administration of justice in accordance with the law of arms, which was concerned with many subjects relating to military matters, such as ransom, booty and soldiers' wages, and including the misuse of armorial bearings.
In 1672, the office of Marshal of England and the title of Earl Marshal of England were made hereditary in the Howard family. In a declaration made on 16 June 1673 by Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, the Lord Privy Seal, in reference to a dispute over the exercise of authority over the Officers of Arms the powers of the Earl Marshal were stated as being "to have power to order, judge, and determine all matters touching arms, ensigns of nobility, honour, and chivalry; to make laws, ordinances and statutes for the good government of the Officers of Arms; to nominate Officers to fill vacancies in the College of Arms; [and] to punish and correct Officers of Arms for misbehaviour in the execution of their places". Additionally it was declared that no patents of arms or any ensigns of nobility should be granted, and no augmentation, alteration, or addition should be made to arms, without the consent of the Earl Marshal.
The Earl Marshal is considered the eighth of the Great Officers of State, with the Lord High Constable above him and only the Lord High Admiral beneath him. Nowadays, the Earl Marshal's role has mainly to do with the organisation of major state ceremonies such as coronations and state funerals. Annually, the Earl Marshal helps organise the State Opening of Parliament. The Earl Marshal also remains to have charge over the College of Arms and no coat of arms may be granted without his warrant. As a symbol of his office, he carries a baton of gold with black finish at either end.
In the general order of precedence, the Earl Marshal is currently the highest hereditary position in the United Kingdom outside the Royal Family. Although other state and ecclesiastical officers rank above in precedence, they are not hereditary. The exception is the office of Lord Great Chamberlain, which is notionally higher than Earl Marshal and also hereditary. The holding of the Earl Marshalship secures the Duke of Norfolk's traditional position as the "first peer" of the land, above all other dukes.
The House of Lords Act 1999 removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, but the Act provided that the persons holding the office of Earl Marshal and, if a peer, the Lord Great Chamberlain continue for the time being to have seats so as to carry out their ceremonial functions in the House of Lords.

## Lords Marshal of England, 1135–1386

* Gilbert Giffard ?–1129 (?)
* John Fitz-Gilbert “the Marshal” 1130–1165 (?)
* John Marshal 1165–1194
* William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1146 or 1147–1219
* William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke 1219–1231
* Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke 1231–1234
* Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke 1234–1241
* Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke 1242–1245
* Anselm Marshal, 6th Earl of Pembroke 1245
* Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk 1245–1269
* Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk 1269–1306
* Robert de Clifford 1307–1308
* Nicholas Seagrave 1308–1316
* Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk 1316–1338
* William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury 1338–1344
* Margaret, Duchess of Norfolk 1338–1377
* Henry Percy, Lord Percy 1377
* John FitzAlan, 1st Baron Arundel, Lord Maltravers 1377–1383 (died 1379)
* Thomas Mowbray, 1st Earl of Nottingham 1385–1386

## Earls Marshal of England, 1386–present

| Earl Marshal | Term of office | Term of office | Monarch |
| Thomas de Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk | 1386 | 1398 | Richard II |
| Thomas Holland 1st Duke of Surrey | 1398 | 1399 | Richard II |
| Ralph de Neville 1st Earl of Westmorland | 1400 | 1412 | Henry IV |
| John de Mowbray 2nd Duke of Norfolk | 1412 | 1432 | Henry IV |
| John de Mowbray 2nd Duke of Norfolk | 1412 | 1432 | Henry V |
| John de Mowbray 2nd Duke of Norfolk | 1412 | 1432 | Henry VI |
| John de Mowbray 3rd Duke of Norfolk | 1432 | 1461 | Henry VI |
| John de Mowbray 4th Duke of Norfolk | 1461 | 1476 | Edward IV |
| John de Mowbray 4th Duke of Norfolk | 1461 | 1476 | Henry VI |
| John de Mowbray 4th Duke of Norfolk | 1461 | 1476 | Edward IV |
| Jointly: Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk 1476–1481Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York 1478–1483Sir Thomas Grey (acting) 1476–1483 | 1476 | 1483 | Edward IV |
| Jointly: Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk 1476–1481Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York 1478–1483Sir Thomas Grey (acting) 1476–1483 | 1476 | 1483 | Edward V |
| John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk | 1483 | 1485 | Richard III |
| William de Berkeley 1st Marquess of Berkeley | 1486 | 1492 | Henry VII |
| Lord Henry Duke of York | 1494 | 1509 | Henry VII |
| Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk | 1509 | 1524 | Henry VIII |
| Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk | 1524 | 1533 | Henry VIII |
| Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk | 1533 | 1547 | Henry VIII |
| Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset | 1547 | 1551 | Edward VI |
| John Dudley 1st Duke of Northumberland | 1551 | 1553 | Edward VI |
| Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk | 1553 | 1554 | Mary I |
| Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk | 1554 | 1572 | Mary I |
| Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk | 1554 | 1572 | Elizabeth I |
| George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury | 1572 | 1590 | Elizabeth I |
| In commission: William Cecil, 1st Baron BurghleyCharles Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham | 1590 | 1597 | Elizabeth I |
| Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex | 1597 | 1601 | Elizabeth I |
| In commission | 1602 | 1603 | Elizabeth I |
| Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester | 1603 | 1603 | James I |
| In commission:Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of DorsetLudovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of LennoxThomas Howard, 1st Earl of SuffolkEdward Somerset, 4th Earl of WorcesterHenry Howard, 1st Earl of NorthamptonCharles Howard, 1st Earl of NottinghamCharles Blount, 1st Earl of Devon | 1604 | 1616 | James I |
| In commission:Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of WorcesterLudovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of LennoxGeorge Villiers, 1st Duke of BuckinghamCharles Howard, 1st Earl of NottinghamWilliam Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke | 1616 | 1622 | James I |
| Thomas Howard Earl of Arundel and Surrey | 1622 | 1646 | James I |
| Thomas Howard Earl of Arundel and Surrey | 1622 | 1646 | Charles I |
| Henry Howard Earl of Arundel and Surrey | 1646 | 1652 | Charles I |
| Vacant | 1652 | 1661 | Interregnum |
| James Howard 3rd Earl of Suffolk | 1661 | 1662 | Charles II |
| In commission: Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of SouthamptonJohn Robartes, 1st Baron RobartesHenry Pierrepont, 1st Marquess of DorchesterMontagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of LindseyEdward Montagu, 2nd Earl of ManchesterAlgernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland | 1662 | 1672 | Charles II |
| Henry Howard 6th Duke of Norfolk | 1672 | 1684 | Charles II |
| Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk | 1684 | 1701 | Charles II |
| Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk | 1684 | 1701 | James II |
| Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk | 1684 | 1701 | Mary II William III |
| Thomas Howard 8th Duke of Norfolk | 1701 | 1732 | Mary II William III |
| Thomas Howard 8th Duke of Norfolk | 1701 | 1732 | Anne |
| Thomas Howard 8th Duke of Norfolk | 1701 | 1732 | George I |
| Thomas Howard 8th Duke of Norfolk | 1701 | 1732 | George II |
| Edward Howard 9th Duke of Norfolk | 1732 | 1777 | George II |
| Edward Howard 9th Duke of Norfolk | 1732 | 1777 | George III |
| Charles Howard 10th Duke of Norfolk | 1777 | 1786 | George III |
| Charles Howard 11th Duke of Norfolk | 1786 | 1815 | George III |
| Bernard Edward Howard 12th Duke of Norfolk | 1815 | 1842 | George III |
| Bernard Edward Howard 12th Duke of Norfolk | 1815 | 1842 | George IV |
| Bernard Edward Howard 12th Duke of Norfolk | 1815 | 1842 | William IV |
| Bernard Edward Howard 12th Duke of Norfolk | 1815 | 1842 | Victoria |
| Henry Charles Howard 13th Duke of Norfolk | 1842 | 1856 | Victoria |
| Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard 14th Duke of Norfolk | 1856 | 1860 | Victoria |
| Henry Fitzalan-Howard 15th Duke of Norfolk | 1860 | 1917 | Victoria |
| Henry Fitzalan-Howard 15th Duke of Norfolk | 1860 | 1917 | Edward VII |
| Henry Fitzalan-Howard 15th Duke of Norfolk | 1860 | 1917 | George V |
| Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard 16th Duke of Norfolk | 1917 | 1975 | George V |
| Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard 16th Duke of Norfolk | 1917 | 1975 | Edward VIII |
| Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard 16th Duke of Norfolk | 1917 | 1975 | George VI |
| Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard 16th Duke of Norfolk | 1917 | 1975 | Elizabeth II |
| Miles Fitzalan-Howard 17th Duke of Norfolk | 1975 | 2002 | Elizabeth II |
| Edward William Fitzalan-Howard 18th Duke of Norfolk | 2002 | Incumbent | Elizabeth II |
| Edward William Fitzalan-Howard 18th Duke of Norfolk | 2002 | Incumbent | Charles III |

## Deputy Earls Marshal of England

The position of Earl Marshal had a Deputy called the Knight Marshal from the reign of Henry VIII until the office was abolished in 1846.
Deputy Earls Marshal have been named at various times, discharging the responsibilities of the office during the minority or infirmity of the Earl Marshal. Prior to an Act of Parliament in 1824, Protestant deputies were required when the Earl Marshal was a Roman Catholic, which occurred frequently due to the Catholicism of the Norfolks.
| Name | Tenure | Deputy to |
| The 1st Earl of Carlisle | 1673–? | |
| The 3rd Earl of Carlisle | 1701–1706 | |
| The 6th Earl of Suffolk and 1st Earl of Bindon | 1706–1718 | |
| The 4th Earl of Berkshire | 1718–1725 | |
| The 1st Earl of Sussex | 1725–1731 | |
| The 1st Earl of Effingham | 1731–1743 | |
| The 2nd Earl of Effingham | 1743–1763 | |
| The 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire | 1763–1765 | |
| The 4th Earl of Scarbrough | 1765–1777 | |
| The 3rd Earl of Effingham | 1777–1782 | |
| Charles, Earl of Surrey | 1782–1786 | |
| Lord Henry Howard-Molyneux-Howard | 1816–1824 | 12th Duke of Norfolk |
| Lord Edward Fitzalan-Howard | 1861–1868 | 15th Duke of Norfolk |
| The 1st Viscount FitzAlan of Derwent | 1917–1929 | 16th Duke of Norfolk |
| Edward, Earl of Arundel and Surrey | 2000–2002 | 17th Duke of Norfolk |