Life was not easy in the twelfth century for the latter sons of even the wealthiest of men. As King John put it, "For the fourth sons, even of a king, are among the most insignificant of God's creatures." In those days, the first born inherited everything. A late-arrival had a choice of becoming a hearth son, dependent upon the largesse of his family, or of seeking his fortune through his own abilities and talents. "The Fourth Son" is the dramatic saga of a man who chose the latter path. William Marshall suceeded so well, in fact, that he far surpassed his own family standing and left his mark on history, serving eventually as regent of England. This imaginative version is based on the life of a real flesh and blood man. The feats of the great Knight William are recorded in history throughout the tumultuous reign of the fiery Plantagenets, including the lusty Henry II and his sons, the dashing Couer de Lion and the treacherous John. Maintaining his position (and his head) in the fickle court of kings was a constant struggle what with the sibling rivalry of the king's sons and the constant friction between the English and the French, who wanted nothing less than to shove the Angevins back across the channel. But the besieged Knight William found his greatest challenge in his arranged marriage, sight unseen, to a beautiful Irish princess some twenty years his junior. To his dismay, he found his knightly prowess of no use in his relationship with the head-strong Isabel de Clare, for beneath his fierce warrior's breast there beat a tender heart with a conscience--a distinct disadvantage in those days.