revenues from her wool business. William Hamleigh: The son of a minor lord, he temporarily gains the earldom of Shiring but eventually loses it to Richard, the son of the former earl, Bartholomew. Percy Hamleigh, later Earl of Shiring: Father of William, he ousts the rebel Earl Bartholomew and gains control of the earldom. Regan Hamleigh, later Countess of Shiring: Wife of Percy and William's ambitious mother. Minor characters Francis of Gwynedd: Philip's brother, orphaned with him in Wales and raised by monks; became a secular priest with royal connections. Bartholomew, Earl of Shiring: Father of Aliena and Richard, he earns the enmity of the Hamleighs and is jailed for treason. Remigius: The former Sub-Prior of Kingsbridge who tries to secure the position of Prior. Primarily motivated by envy and spite. Cuthbert Whitehead: Kingsbridge Priory's cellarer. An early ally of Philip after his arrival in Kingsbridge. Milius Bursar: Kingsbridge Priory's bursar, he is an early ally of Philip. Johnny Eightpence: A gentle, simpleminded monk who cares for baby Jonathan. Jack Shareburg (Jacques Cherbourg): A jongleur who survives the wreck of the White Ship to become the lover of Ellen and father of Jack Jackson; executed. Agnes: First wife of Tom Builder and mother of Martha, Alfred and Jonathan. Jonathan: Son of Tom and Agnes Builder, he was raised from infancy by Prior Philip. Tommy (later called Thomas): Son of Jack and Aliena. With a talent for administration and command, he becomes the Earl of Shiring. He reluctantly oversees William Hamleigh's hanging. Sally: Daughter of Jack and Aliena. She becomes a stained glass artisan working on the Kingsbridge Cathedral. Raschid Alharoun: Jack's friend in Toledo, a Christian Arab merchant who introduces him to the scholarly world. Walter: William Hamleigh's groom/squire. Accompanies him through much of the novel. Elizabeth: Betrothed to William Hamleigh, she is beaten by him on their wedding night. Later befriended by Aliena and surrenders the keep to Richard's forces. Peter of Wareham: Philip's enemy, later fights for the post of bishop of Kingsbridge. Reception Pillars of the Earth was met with critical acclaim upon its release. Historical accuracy While the book has been praised for its description of Medieval life, it also features some historical inaccuracies. Some of these might be to make the characters and the plot more suited for modern readers while some are clear anachronisms: One of the characters is called Francis, as is an