Albéric Clément

Albéric Clément (c. 1165 – 3 July 1191) was the first Marshal of France (Marescallus Franciae), a position created for him by Philip Augustus in 1185.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He also inherited the seigneurie of Mez (later Mez-le-Maréchal) in Gâtinais after his father's death in 1182.

Albéric was born sometime in the mid-1160s to Robert III Clément and Hersende de Mez, and thus came from a knightly family- the Cléments of Mez.<ref name= baldwin>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name= anselme>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He accompanied Philip on the Third Crusade as Marshal, and distinguished himself at the Siege of Acre in particular, frequently leading the advanced guard into battle.<ref name= anselme/><ref name="horses">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="ambroise">Template:Cite book</ref>

Albéric is said to have died on 3 July 1191, during an attempted breach of the city's walls, with accounts by those such as contemporary poet Ambroise suggesting the Marshal led the charge himself and died on- or close to the Accursed Tower, after swearing that he would either die that day or enter Acre.<ref name="horses"/><ref name="ambroise"/><ref name="payne">Template:Cite book</ref> Some accounts describe Albéric charging the walls with Philip's standard in hand and a number of men with him, attempting to scale the walls with a ladder, being pulled up with a grappling hook by the Saracen defenders and isolated from his men by rocks thrown onto the climbing assault party.<ref name="payne"/> Other accounts describe the ladder breaking under the weight of the Marshal's followers, leaving him alone on the wall.<ref name="ambroise"/> Accounts also go on to describe a defending soldier parading the walls wearing Albéric's armour after his death, stopping only when Richard I of England shot the man down.<ref name="ambroise"/>

Albéric had two siblings, one of whom- Henry I Clément- would go on to become Marshal of France himself.<ref name= baldwin/>

Duties as Marshal of France

The title of Marshal of France as awarded to Albéric Clément and his successors did not involve command responsibilities of large armies- Albéric held no official command even at Acre. While military in nature, the position was more concerned with management of the king's horses and stables.<ref name="horses"/> It was not until the 15th century that the position would move away from managing stables to one with battlefield authority second only to the French sovereign.<ref name="horses"/>

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