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On May 14, 1264, at the Battle of Lewes during the Second Barons' War, Simon de Montfort the younger, Earl of Leicester, defeated English King Henry III. From the article:
"The Barons' War, Simon de Montfort v Henry III
Simon de Montfort
Confusingly, two separate conflicts are sometimes given the name "The Barons' War". The first was the conflict which erupted in 1215-1217 between King John and his chief nobles. That conflict is chiefly remembered for its culmination in a meeting at Runnymede where John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, a document which guaranteed certain traditional rights and privileges to his subjects. (See the Magna Carta text here.) The second conflict we call the Barons' War broke out in 1264 and ended in 1267. It is that conflict we deal with here.
BACKGROUND
Simplistically put, the Barons' War was fought over money and power; the major nobles of England thought that King Henry III had too much of the latter and was exercising it poorly. Henry needed more money for his wars against Wales and France, and to support a papal crusade. Then his brother Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, made a bid for the throne of Sicily, and Henry demanded still more money from his subjects to support Edmund's cause. This stirred his barons to action.
MAJOR FIGURES
"In this corner, the challenger ..."
The acknowledged leader of the barons' cause was the extraordinary Simon de Montfort (1208-1265), Earl of Leicester. De Montfort was a man ahead of his time, a man with a vision that might today be labeled socialist. He believed that the king should be answerable to the country, and that men of property should be allowed a voice in the government of the realm rather than bow to the authority of a monarch. As laudable as those beliefs may seem to us today, in the 13th century they placed de Montfort well outside the comfort zone of even his fellow barons. And de Montfort had the unfortunate habit of polarizing people, so that those who might have been expected to follow him in his conflict with the king were instead induced to support the royal cause simply to stop de Montfort from gaining the upper hand. But we're getting ahead of ourselves a bit.
"And in this corner, the champion ..."
Henry III. Oh, dear, what can we say about this monarch that will not sound too censorious? Well, not much. Henry was one of the least effective of England's medieval monarchs. He was constantly in need of money, which in itself was not unique among English kings. The trouble was that Henry wanted money for causes that the English nobility did not see as benefiting their interests. The campaign to put Prince Edmund on the throne of Sicily was one such cause. It was a move that held no benefit to the realm of England, only to Edmund and Henry, and the nobles did not see why they should grant money to support a campaign that would offer themselves no benefit. Henry, by contrast, thought it was the duty of his subjects to support him in this or any other purpose he might envision.
In his defence, Henry did make efforts throughout his reign to overhaul the system of local government, though even then he stepped on too many noble toes, for the nobility had a vested interest in maintaining their own authority over the shires.
The conflict came to a head in 1258 when the so-called 'Mad Parliament' drew up a list of grievances called the Provisions of Oxford. These provisions called for sweeping changes in the organization of government, and proposed a system of councils to 'advise' the king in the execution of policy. Henry III had no choice but to sign the provisions, but it is doubtful whether he ever had any intention of honouring his promises.
The following year, 1259, the barons forced Henry to agree to hold hearings in every county, in which abuses by county sheriffs and other royal officials were investigated. As a result of these hearings a new document was drawn up, proposing radical reforms of common law which would offer greater protection to the rights of free men. This document, the Provisions of Westminster, formed the basis of English common law for the next several centuries. Once again, Henry signed the provisions under duress.
Henry then appealed to Pope Alexander IV for dispensation to repudiate both provisions. This the pope duly granted, and in 1262 Henry renounced his oaths to abide by the terms of the provisions. The rebels could not let this pass, and under pressure from the barons, Henry agreed to let King Louis IX of France mediate the dispute. Louis' judgment was issued at Amiens in January 1264, and was known as the Mise of Amiens. In the Mise, Louis sided entirely with Henry. Predictably, de Montfort repudiated the Mise of Amiens immediately, and armed conflict broke out.
We've mentioned de Montfort's unfortunate habit of alienating those of his fellow barons who might otherwise be tempted to support him. Many of those barons went over to the king's side, while de Montfort drew much of his support from the Commons and the towns, who saw him as a champion of their burgeoning rights.
THE COURSE OF THE CONFLICT
There were two major battles during the course of the Barons' War. The first was the Battle of Lewes in 1264. This ended in a decisive victory for de Montfort, and Henry and Prince Edward were captured.
With the king in his power, Simon de Montfort moved to summon what can truly be called England's first 'real' Parliament. He called to Westminster a Great Council, which included elected burgesses from selected boroughs. Though far from a modern democratic assembly, it was at least a first step towards representative government that included local representation. This was not the first occasion upon which burgesses were called to Westminster, but on previous occasions they served merely a consultative role. For the first time these elected representatives exercised a legislative role, deciding and enacting policy.
But the royal faction did not give up without a fight. Prince Edward escaped from custody and joined royal supporters in the Welsh marches. De Montfort marched to join forces with his son at Kenilworth, in Warwickshire, to form a joint army which would outnumber Edward's men. Edward struck first, and overwhelmed the younger de Montfort. When the Earl of Leicester reached Evesham, instead of meeting his son's army, he was met by Prince Edward at the head of a superior force. In the ensuing Battle of Evesham the rebel army was annihilated, and de Montfort was killed.
The rebel leader was dead, but not the rebel cause. Even those barons who had fought against Simon de Montfort had no intention of allowing Henry III to resume his autocratic ways. In truth, though, the king was a spent force, and the real ruler of the land was Prince Edward, later Edward I. And Edward was his own man, and wise enough to see that the way forward was not to try to roll back the clock to the days before the Provisions of Oxford, but to take reform forward in a way that consolidated the reforms of Simon de Montfort under a strong royal presence.
Within a few years of the Battle of Evesham many of the reforms introduced by de Montfort had been ratified and entrenched in law. Edward created out of the aftermath of the Baron's War an England with a strong, and by the standards of the time, a just and responsible system of central government. It could be argued that though Simon de Montfort lost the war, and his life, his ideas and principles won were victorious."
"The Barons' War, Simon de Montfort v Henry III
Simon de Montfort
Confusingly, two separate conflicts are sometimes given the name "The Barons' War". The first was the conflict which erupted in 1215-1217 between King John and his chief nobles. That conflict is chiefly remembered for its culmination in a meeting at Runnymede where John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, a document which guaranteed certain traditional rights and privileges to his subjects. (See the Magna Carta text here.) The second conflict we call the Barons' War broke out in 1264 and ended in 1267. It is that conflict we deal with here.
BACKGROUND
Simplistically put, the Barons' War was fought over money and power; the major nobles of England thought that King Henry III had too much of the latter and was exercising it poorly. Henry needed more money for his wars against Wales and France, and to support a papal crusade. Then his brother Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, made a bid for the throne of Sicily, and Henry demanded still more money from his subjects to support Edmund's cause. This stirred his barons to action.
MAJOR FIGURES
"In this corner, the challenger ..."
The acknowledged leader of the barons' cause was the extraordinary Simon de Montfort (1208-1265), Earl of Leicester. De Montfort was a man ahead of his time, a man with a vision that might today be labeled socialist. He believed that the king should be answerable to the country, and that men of property should be allowed a voice in the government of the realm rather than bow to the authority of a monarch. As laudable as those beliefs may seem to us today, in the 13th century they placed de Montfort well outside the comfort zone of even his fellow barons. And de Montfort had the unfortunate habit of polarizing people, so that those who might have been expected to follow him in his conflict with the king were instead induced to support the royal cause simply to stop de Montfort from gaining the upper hand. But we're getting ahead of ourselves a bit.
"And in this corner, the champion ..."
Henry III. Oh, dear, what can we say about this monarch that will not sound too censorious? Well, not much. Henry was one of the least effective of England's medieval monarchs. He was constantly in need of money, which in itself was not unique among English kings. The trouble was that Henry wanted money for causes that the English nobility did not see as benefiting their interests. The campaign to put Prince Edmund on the throne of Sicily was one such cause. It was a move that held no benefit to the realm of England, only to Edmund and Henry, and the nobles did not see why they should grant money to support a campaign that would offer themselves no benefit. Henry, by contrast, thought it was the duty of his subjects to support him in this or any other purpose he might envision.
In his defence, Henry did make efforts throughout his reign to overhaul the system of local government, though even then he stepped on too many noble toes, for the nobility had a vested interest in maintaining their own authority over the shires.
The conflict came to a head in 1258 when the so-called 'Mad Parliament' drew up a list of grievances called the Provisions of Oxford. These provisions called for sweeping changes in the organization of government, and proposed a system of councils to 'advise' the king in the execution of policy. Henry III had no choice but to sign the provisions, but it is doubtful whether he ever had any intention of honouring his promises.
The following year, 1259, the barons forced Henry to agree to hold hearings in every county, in which abuses by county sheriffs and other royal officials were investigated. As a result of these hearings a new document was drawn up, proposing radical reforms of common law which would offer greater protection to the rights of free men. This document, the Provisions of Westminster, formed the basis of English common law for the next several centuries. Once again, Henry signed the provisions under duress.
Henry then appealed to Pope Alexander IV for dispensation to repudiate both provisions. This the pope duly granted, and in 1262 Henry renounced his oaths to abide by the terms of the provisions. The rebels could not let this pass, and under pressure from the barons, Henry agreed to let King Louis IX of France mediate the dispute. Louis' judgment was issued at Amiens in January 1264, and was known as the Mise of Amiens. In the Mise, Louis sided entirely with Henry. Predictably, de Montfort repudiated the Mise of Amiens immediately, and armed conflict broke out.
We've mentioned de Montfort's unfortunate habit of alienating those of his fellow barons who might otherwise be tempted to support him. Many of those barons went over to the king's side, while de Montfort drew much of his support from the Commons and the towns, who saw him as a champion of their burgeoning rights.
THE COURSE OF THE CONFLICT
There were two major battles during the course of the Barons' War. The first was the Battle of Lewes in 1264. This ended in a decisive victory for de Montfort, and Henry and Prince Edward were captured.
With the king in his power, Simon de Montfort moved to summon what can truly be called England's first 'real' Parliament. He called to Westminster a Great Council, which included elected burgesses from selected boroughs. Though far from a modern democratic assembly, it was at least a first step towards representative government that included local representation. This was not the first occasion upon which burgesses were called to Westminster, but on previous occasions they served merely a consultative role. For the first time these elected representatives exercised a legislative role, deciding and enacting policy.
But the royal faction did not give up without a fight. Prince Edward escaped from custody and joined royal supporters in the Welsh marches. De Montfort marched to join forces with his son at Kenilworth, in Warwickshire, to form a joint army which would outnumber Edward's men. Edward struck first, and overwhelmed the younger de Montfort. When the Earl of Leicester reached Evesham, instead of meeting his son's army, he was met by Prince Edward at the head of a superior force. In the ensuing Battle of Evesham the rebel army was annihilated, and de Montfort was killed.
The rebel leader was dead, but not the rebel cause. Even those barons who had fought against Simon de Montfort had no intention of allowing Henry III to resume his autocratic ways. In truth, though, the king was a spent force, and the real ruler of the land was Prince Edward, later Edward I. And Edward was his own man, and wise enough to see that the way forward was not to try to roll back the clock to the days before the Provisions of Oxford, but to take reform forward in a way that consolidated the reforms of Simon de Montfort under a strong royal presence.
Within a few years of the Battle of Evesham many of the reforms introduced by de Montfort had been ratified and entrenched in law. Edward created out of the aftermath of the Baron's War an England with a strong, and by the standards of the time, a just and responsible system of central government. It could be argued that though Simon de Montfort lost the war, and his life, his ideas and principles won were victorious."
The Barons' War, Simon de Montfort v Henry III
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Henry III & Simon de Montfort | The Real Game Of Thrones | Absolute History
Episode two reveals the collapse of friendship between Henry III and Simon de Montfort, spiralling into bloody civil war. This is a re-upload from yesterday'...
Thank you my friend SGT (Join to see) for making us aware that on May 14, 1264, at the Battle of Lewes during the Second Barons' War, Simon de Montfort the younger, Earl of Leicester, defeated English King Henry III.
On August 4, 1265 the forces of Simon de Montfort the younger, Earl of Leicester were defeated at the battle of Evesham by the forces of Henry III's son Edward.
Henry III & Simon de Montfort | The Real Game Of Thrones | Absolute History
Episode two reveals the collapse of friendship between Henry III and Simon de Montfort, spiralling into bloody civil war.
This is a re-upload from yesterday's release as the original had audio issues. Apologies and thanks to our audience for bringing this to our attention!
The British dynasty on which Game of Thrones is based is skilfully brought to life. Following one of the most shocking periods in British history, a new historical docu-drama brings to life the dynasty that dragged Britain out of the dark ages and into the modern world.
Ruling the country for over three hundred years, ruthlessly crushing all competition, The Plantagenet story is more shocking, more brutal and more astonishing than anything you’ll find in Game of Thrones. Presented by acclaimed historian Dan Jones, the Plantagenets combines his scintillating story-telling with drama reconstruction and brings to life a dramatic and bloody time in England’s history. This is history like you’ve never seen it before. Dan delivers his extraordinary take on one of the most visceral and violent chapters in British History. "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK0oysD-JIQ
Images:
1. Henry III versus Simon de Montfort, from the British Library manuscript Royal 16 G VI, Chroniques de France ou de St Denis, after 1332, before 1350
2. On 14 May 1264, King Henry III and his forces met Simon de Montfort and his rebels at Lewes, Sussex. Henry occupied Lewes Castle, and chose to engage the enemy using Edward’s cavalry
3. Baronian Force - Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, Royalist Forces - Henry III - battle of Lewes, May 14, 1264
4. Battle of Lewes Monument. The distinctive monument marking the battle can be found in the grounds of the Priory
Background from {[https://www.discovermiddleages.co.uk/king-henry-iii//]}
King Henry III – The Longest Reign in Medieval England by Medieval Steward
King Henry III was born in Winchester Castle on 1 October 1207, the eldest son of King John and Isabella of Angouleme. At the tender age of nine, his tyrannical fStatue of Simon de Montfort Leicester 1208-1265-Leicester City Council.ather John died, and Henry of Winchester became King Henry III of England.
As Henry was too young to rule himself, the vastly experienced knight William Marshal, and the justiciar Hubert de Burgh, were appointed Regents of England until Henry came of age.
King Henry III did eventually rule on his own, and proceeded to reign for longer than any other medieval king of England. However, his reign was chequered with rebellion, failed battles, and costly invasions.
King Henry III’s First Coronation
England was in the middle of the First Baron’s War (1215-1217), when King Henry III was crowned for the first time. Prince Louis VIII of France and English baron Robert Fitzwalter had rebelled against King John, and those loyal to the new king decided Henry needed to be crowned quickly. Henry was only nine when he became king on 19 October 1216, and on 28 October 1216 he was crowned at Gloucester Cathedral.
King Henry III should have been dressed in fine garments, jewels and a crown. However, his father John had lost much of the royal treasures in The Wash, a few months before. So Henry had to borrow some suitable robes, and use his mother’s gold circlet as a crown. He was first knighted by William Marshall, then crowned by Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester. The coronation was overseen by Cardinal Guala, the papal legate to England.
Ending the Civil War
King Henry III started his reign with the daunting prospect of ending his father’s civil war. Cardinal Guala fully supported the new king, and set about improving relations between England and the Papacy.
During Henry’s first coronation, Cardinal Guala encouraged Henry to pay homage to the Pope, recognising him as Henry’s feudal lord. In effect, this made King Henry III more like a noble than a king, and the Pope essentially became head of state. This act enabled the Papacy to authorise Guala’s protection of Henry and his kingdom. Furthermore, Henry declared himself a crusader, further promoting his protection.
The venerable William Marshal, 1st earl of Pembroke, was appointed Regent of England, to help Henry defeat the rebels. Loyalist Peter des Roches became Henry’s tutor and guardian, and Hubert de Burgh ran the government as Justiciar. King Henry III now had the support he needed to regain peace in England.
Battle of Lincoln
Louis VIII returned from France in April 1217, where he attempted to gather reinforcements. In his absence, Cardinal Guala declared that King Henry III’s war against the rebels was a holy crusade. This caused many soldiers to abandon the rebellion and defect to the loyalist cause.
Louis separated his army, sending half to Lincoln Castle, while the other half remained on the coast to attack Dover Castle. William Marshall saw his opportunity, and marched to the aid of Nicola de la Haye, constable of Lincoln Castle. After some intense street fighting, Marshall broke the siege and defeated the rebels loyal to Louis. This victory was a turning point for Henry.
Prince Louis resigned to the fact his war on England and the throne was lost. Cardinal Guala led the negotiations, by which the French Prince would renounce his claim to the English throne. In exchange, Louis’ rebel followers would receive their lands back, and King Henry III would adhere to Magna Carta. However, these terms were not approved by some loyalists, who deemed them to be too generous towards the clergy rebels. Without an agreement, Louis remained in London with his army.
Battle of Sandwich
On 24 August 1217 Louis’ reinforcements crossed the English Channel from Calais, and headed towards the coast of Sandwich, Kent. William Marshall, who was in Canterbury the day before, ordered the Cinque Ports (English fleet of ships and men prior to the creation of the Royal Navy) to meet the advancing French fleet.
Off the Sandwich coast, the English attacked the French and started the Battle of Sandwich (also known as the Battle of Dover). Pots of quicklime were launched onto the French decks, causing plumes of powder to cloud the French sight. With the French in disarray, the English threw hooked blades, normally used to cut rigging, bringing down the French sails. Once close enough, the English boarded the French ships and killed all on board. The flagship, containing knights, was the only one spared the slaughter, while 55 French vessels were lost.
When the news reached Louis, the prince once again entered peace negotiations with Cardinal Guala, alongside King Henry III and William Marshall.
The Treaty of Lambeth 1217
On 11 September 1217, the Treaty of Lambeth (also known as the Treaty of Kingston) was agreed. The treaty was signed in Lambeth, at the Archbishop Stephen Langton’s house. Prince Louis of France surrendered his castles in England, and released his loyal followers from their oaths.
The remaining terms were similar to the previous terms after his defeat at Lincoln Fair, with the exception that the rebel clergy would not be granted their lands back. King Henry III reissued the Magna Carta for a third time and created the first Charter of the Forest.
King Henry III’s Second Coronation
And this crowning of the king was done with such great peacefulness and splendour, that the oldest men amongst the nobles of England who were present asserted that they never remembered any of his predecessors being crowned amid such concord and tranquillity – William of Coventry
England was now at peace, with the rebels silenced and the French returned to France. The Pope insisted that Henry should have a second coronation, one that befits a true king.
On 17 May 1220, King Henry III was crowned for the second time, with all the splendour and pomp a coronation deserves, at Westminster Abbey.
Despite King Henry III having his second coronation, he still did not rule England outright. He was no longer the vassal of the Pope, but he did not yet have a majority government to rule. This came in January 1227, before his 21st birthday.
King Henry III and the Magna Carta
In February 1225, King Henry III issued his third version of Magna Carta, along with an updated version of the Charter of the Forest. Both charters were sealed for the first time with Henry’s own seal. Previous versions were sealed by William Marshall and the Papal legate, Cardinal Guala.
In the new version of Magna Carta, Henry made it clear that it was now given freely by the king. This gave his barons and the church much needed encouragement, as it demonstrated that the king was supporting the charter through his own free will.
It is these new clauses King Henry III sealed, that are still on the Statute book today. Henry and his son, Edward, would continue to confirm the Magna Carta, to keep their barons and the church from having any doubts. Needless to say, many of the clauses have been disobeyed by kings since then.
King Henry III Invades France
Under King John, Henry’s father, the English lands in France were all but lost. Henry was determined to reclaim his rights to those lands, and set about invading France. The French Prince Louis VIII, now king, died in 1226, and was succeeded by his twelve year old son, Louis IX. The young king, much like the young Henry, had a regency government and faced rebellions of his own.
In 1228, Norman and Angevin rebels called for King Henry III to reclaim his lands. However, Henry’s response was slow and he eventually landed in Brittany in May 1230. Taking advice from his loyal advisor, Hubert de Burgh, Henry marched south to Poitou. But Henry did very little while he was there, and eventually made a truce with Louis IX, finally returning to England in 1234, achieving nothing.
English Revolt
Henry lacked the military mind of his Plantagenet predecessors, and this lost him vital support at home. Henry further alienated his English nobles by bestowing positions of authority on foreigners, like Peter des Roches. In 1232, Hugh de Burgh, the loyal justiciar was removed from power, and replaced by Peter des Roches, who was a Poitevin.
Peter had support from the barons of Poitou, and they saw his ascendance as a chance to reclaim the lands given to supporters of Hugh de Burgh. Peter des Roches began stripping estates from English barons, infuriating Hugh’s followers, most notably Richard Marshall, William’s son.
Richard allied himself with Llywelyn of Wales, and rebelled against Peter des Roches and King Henry III. The Archbishop of Canterbury intervened, and Henry was forced to dismiss Peter des Roches. But through this distraction, Henry’s truce with France had now expired. Inevitably, Louis IX attacked Brittany, and Henry lost more territory.
King Henry III Marries Eleanor of Provence
In January 1236, King Henry III married Eleanor of Provence, the daughter of Raymond-Berengar, the Count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy, at Canterbury Cathedral. Eleanor was only twelve years old at the time. Through this marriage, Henry could create valuable alliances with France’s southern rulers. Eleanor’s older sister Margaret was married to Henry’s enemy, Louis IX of France.
In 1239, Eleanor gave birth to their first son, Edward, who would eventually succeed Henry, and become the formidable King Edward I Longshanks. Edward was named after Henry’s devoted saint king, Edward the Confessor. The couple would go on to have four more children, Margaret, Beatrice, Edmund and Katherine. They would spend most of their time at Windsor Castle, and they were all very close as a family.
The Savoyards
The marriage brought with it an influx of Savoyards from Savoy, Burgundy and Flanders, who were relatives of Eleanor. King Henry III once again alienated his own barons by authorising high powered positions for the new foreigners, including Eleanor’s uncle, Boniface, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1244.
The Savoyards gradually integrated into society, through marriages and time, providing Eleanor with a strong supportive network. In 1253, King Henry III left for Gascony, and Eleanor was made Queen consort of England.
King Henry III and Statute of Jewry
Since 1095, Europe had sent crusades to the Holy Land, and by the mid 13th century Christian Lords were returning from their 7th Crusade. As a result, England, along with other European countries, were witnessing a rise in antisemitic feelings towards their local Jewish populations. King Henry III decided to impose a restrictive Statute of Jewry in 1253, which was intended to segregate the Jews.
The Statute including imposing the wearing of a Jewish badge. The reaction to Henry’s restrictions were so strong, that the arch-presbyter of England’s Jews asked if they could leave England. Henry refused the request.
King Henry III and Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort was the 6th Earl of Leicester, and brother-in-law to King Henry III, and would become the leader in a revolution against the king. He had a dubious claim to the earldom of Leicester, as it was initially handed to The Earl of Chester by King John. However with no heirs, the Earl of Chester was approached by de Montfort and was persuaded to hand down the earldom. It took another nine years before Henry formally approved it.
Battle of Taillebourg
In 1241, Hugh de Lusignan, King Henry III’s step-father, requested military support from Henry in his rebellion against Louis IX of France. But with little support, Henry eventually arrived in 1242 only to discover Hugh de Lusignan had defected to Louis’ side.
The doomed campaign was to get worse. Upon arriving in Taillebourg, facing the enemy at a bridge over the Charente River, the French knights charged. Overwhelmed by the advance, Simon de Montfort managed to hold off the French long enough for King Henry III to escape. De Montfort was furious with the king’s incompetence, and Henry was forced to negotiate another truce with Louis. This only made things worse back in England, with the baronial support for the king falling again.
The Lusignans
The failed revolt in France led Henry to invite his Lusignan relatives (the Poitevins) to settle in large estates, much like the Savoyards had done before. By 1250, a bitter rivalry was developing between the established Savoyards and the Lusignans. The Lusignans began taking personal issues into their own hands, with little regard for the consequences. King Henry III did very little to stop them either. The English barons now despised this second influx of foreigners, and Simon de Montfort was beginning to lead the revolt.
Kingdom of Sicily and Excommunication
Pope Innocent IV began to search for a suitable ruler for the kingdom of Sicily, one who favoured the Papacy. King Henry III decided that this would be an excellent opportunity for his son Edmund. The Pope agreed on the condition that Edmund would remove Manfred, the son of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, from Sicily.
King Henry III agreed, but when Pope Innocent IV was succeeded by Alexander IV, the Papacy demanded compensation for the money spent on the war so far. Henry turned to Parliament in 1255, only to be rejected as the sum was too high (135,541 marks). Further attempts to raise the money for the “Sicilian business” were also rejected, and in 1258 the Papacy sent an envoy threatening to excommunicate Henry. So the king had to extort the money from the church, forcing the clergy to provide unlimited funds.
However, the grant of the kingdom of Sicily was revoked by the Pope. Adding another fruitless campaign to Henry’s reign.
King Henry III Signs the Provisions of Oxford
By this point, in 1258, the baron’s support for King Henry III has reached an all time low. Simon de Montfort gathered his followers and brought in the Provisions of Oxford. The provisions forced Henry to accept a new form of government. A council of 24 members, half chosen by the crown and half by the barons, were to create a 15 member Privy Council. The Privy Council would chose the chief ministers, the Justiciar and Chancellor. These reforms would also branch down to local government, where the discontented voices of freemen were heard, and the Provisions of Westminster were formed.
The Provisions of Oxford were designed to make decision making fair and easy. However, disagreements between leading barons over radical reforms soon came to fore, with Simon de Montfort once again at the centre of change.
Treaty of Paris
In 1259, King Henry III left for France to sign the Treaty of Paris, along with Simon de Montfort and other leading officials. On 4 December, the treaty saw the Plantagenet lands in France being signed over to King Louis IX, with the exception of Gascony and parts of Aquitaine. This effectively ended the 100 years of conflicts between Capetian and Plantagenet dynasties.
King Henry III Faces a Revolution
Stability in England was fragile. Simon de Montfort was now leading the radicals, and civil war loomed against Henry, his son Edward and the conservative barons.
The Second Baron’s War
King Henry III appealed to Pope Alexander IV to release him from the Provisions of Oxford and Westminster. The Pope, who favoured royal power, agreed and Henry renounced his oaths to both provisions in 1262.
Simon de Montfort and his rebels were outraged, and threatened the king with civil war. Henry appealed to King Louis IX of France to mediate the argument. Louis agreed, and in January 1264 issued the Mise of Amiens in favour of Henry. Simon de Montfort could not let this go, and civil war broke out in April 1264.
The Battle of Lewes
On 14 May 1264, King Henry III and his forces met Simon de Montfort and his rebels at Lewes, Sussex. Henry occupied Lewes Castle, and chose to engage the enemy using Edward’s cavalry charge to route the rebels. Edward chased the enemy away from the castle, leaving Henry exposed. Henry sent in his troops up Offham hill, where Simon de Montforts men had the positional advantage at the top.
Henry’s troops were defeated, and they fled back to the castle. Henry had no choice but to surrender, and Henry was forced to sign the Mise of Lewes, transferring royal powers to the Simon de Montfort, and reinstating the Provisions of Oxford and Westminster.
However, the rebels were unable to maintain their power for long. Queen Eleanor was making plans to invade England, supported by Louis IX of France. Furthermore, Edward had managed to escape capture and formed a new army with royal supporters from the Welsh Marches.
The Battle of Evesham
Simon de Montfort started to make his way home to Kenilworth Castle, to join up with his son’s forces. Together they would outnumber Edwards new army. But Edward, who was a far better general than his father, struck first, and defeated de Montforts son at Kenilworth.
Edward then marched south west to intercept Simon de Montfort, who was still trying to get to Kenilworth with King Henry III as prisoner. The two sides met at Evesham on 4 August 1265, and it was Edward who had the larger force. Simon de Montfort realised his doom:
God have mercy on our souls, for our bodies are Sir Edward’s
The rebel army was defeated, and Simon de Montfort was killed. His body was mutilated, cutting of his hands, feet and genitals. Henry, who was not wearing his own armour, was nearly killed by royal forces had he not cried out:
Save me, save me, I am Henry of Winchester!
King Henry III Makes Way for Edward
Despite the royal victory, the rebel cause was still present. King Henry III knew he could not return to the old ways before the provisions, and his time was coming to an end. The last of the resistance fighters were forced to surrender, and Henry reissued the provisions to enable stability. In September 1267, Henry signed the Treaty of Montgomery, recognising Llywelyn ap Gruffydd as the Prince of Wales, bringing about peace to the region. Edward became Steward of England, and assumed government duties, before leaving on the 8th Crusade.
Aside from being a poor military leader, Henry possessed a keen eye for the arts and culture. He rebuilt the royal palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey in a Gothic style, spending a vast £45,000 in lavish decorations (£15,000,000 today). Henry revered Edward the Confessor, and in 1269 Westminster Abbey was consecrated, and the saint’s body was translated to a new shrine.
While Edward was away, on 16 November 1272 King Henry III died in Westminster, and was buried in the Abbey. His body was later exhumed in 1290, to be moved to a grander tomb. It was noted that his beard was still intact, a sign of saintly purity, but Henry was never canonised.
King Henry III Facts
• Henry was born on 1 October 1207, Winchester
• His father was John
• His mother was Isabella of Angouleme
• He was crowned twice on 28 October 1216 at Gloucester Cathedral, aged 9; and on 17 May 1220 at Westminster Abbey, aged 12
• He married Eleanor of Provence
• He had 9 children, including Edward I
• He died on 16 November 1272 at Westminster, aged 65
• He was known as Henry of Winchester before becoming king
• He has the longest reign of any king in medieval England
• He is most famous for fighting the infamous rebel, Simon de Montfort
• He reissued the Magna Carta and Provisions of Oxford and Westminster a number of times"
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On August 4, 1265 the forces of Simon de Montfort the younger, Earl of Leicester were defeated at the battle of Evesham by the forces of Henry III's son Edward.
Henry III & Simon de Montfort | The Real Game Of Thrones | Absolute History
Episode two reveals the collapse of friendship between Henry III and Simon de Montfort, spiralling into bloody civil war.
This is a re-upload from yesterday's release as the original had audio issues. Apologies and thanks to our audience for bringing this to our attention!
The British dynasty on which Game of Thrones is based is skilfully brought to life. Following one of the most shocking periods in British history, a new historical docu-drama brings to life the dynasty that dragged Britain out of the dark ages and into the modern world.
Ruling the country for over three hundred years, ruthlessly crushing all competition, The Plantagenet story is more shocking, more brutal and more astonishing than anything you’ll find in Game of Thrones. Presented by acclaimed historian Dan Jones, the Plantagenets combines his scintillating story-telling with drama reconstruction and brings to life a dramatic and bloody time in England’s history. This is history like you’ve never seen it before. Dan delivers his extraordinary take on one of the most visceral and violent chapters in British History. "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK0oysD-JIQ
Images:
1. Henry III versus Simon de Montfort, from the British Library manuscript Royal 16 G VI, Chroniques de France ou de St Denis, after 1332, before 1350
2. On 14 May 1264, King Henry III and his forces met Simon de Montfort and his rebels at Lewes, Sussex. Henry occupied Lewes Castle, and chose to engage the enemy using Edward’s cavalry
3. Baronian Force - Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, Royalist Forces - Henry III - battle of Lewes, May 14, 1264
4. Battle of Lewes Monument. The distinctive monument marking the battle can be found in the grounds of the Priory
Background from {[https://www.discovermiddleages.co.uk/king-henry-iii//]}
King Henry III – The Longest Reign in Medieval England by Medieval Steward
King Henry III was born in Winchester Castle on 1 October 1207, the eldest son of King John and Isabella of Angouleme. At the tender age of nine, his tyrannical fStatue of Simon de Montfort Leicester 1208-1265-Leicester City Council.ather John died, and Henry of Winchester became King Henry III of England.
As Henry was too young to rule himself, the vastly experienced knight William Marshal, and the justiciar Hubert de Burgh, were appointed Regents of England until Henry came of age.
King Henry III did eventually rule on his own, and proceeded to reign for longer than any other medieval king of England. However, his reign was chequered with rebellion, failed battles, and costly invasions.
King Henry III’s First Coronation
England was in the middle of the First Baron’s War (1215-1217), when King Henry III was crowned for the first time. Prince Louis VIII of France and English baron Robert Fitzwalter had rebelled against King John, and those loyal to the new king decided Henry needed to be crowned quickly. Henry was only nine when he became king on 19 October 1216, and on 28 October 1216 he was crowned at Gloucester Cathedral.
King Henry III should have been dressed in fine garments, jewels and a crown. However, his father John had lost much of the royal treasures in The Wash, a few months before. So Henry had to borrow some suitable robes, and use his mother’s gold circlet as a crown. He was first knighted by William Marshall, then crowned by Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester. The coronation was overseen by Cardinal Guala, the papal legate to England.
Ending the Civil War
King Henry III started his reign with the daunting prospect of ending his father’s civil war. Cardinal Guala fully supported the new king, and set about improving relations between England and the Papacy.
During Henry’s first coronation, Cardinal Guala encouraged Henry to pay homage to the Pope, recognising him as Henry’s feudal lord. In effect, this made King Henry III more like a noble than a king, and the Pope essentially became head of state. This act enabled the Papacy to authorise Guala’s protection of Henry and his kingdom. Furthermore, Henry declared himself a crusader, further promoting his protection.
The venerable William Marshal, 1st earl of Pembroke, was appointed Regent of England, to help Henry defeat the rebels. Loyalist Peter des Roches became Henry’s tutor and guardian, and Hubert de Burgh ran the government as Justiciar. King Henry III now had the support he needed to regain peace in England.
Battle of Lincoln
Louis VIII returned from France in April 1217, where he attempted to gather reinforcements. In his absence, Cardinal Guala declared that King Henry III’s war against the rebels was a holy crusade. This caused many soldiers to abandon the rebellion and defect to the loyalist cause.
Louis separated his army, sending half to Lincoln Castle, while the other half remained on the coast to attack Dover Castle. William Marshall saw his opportunity, and marched to the aid of Nicola de la Haye, constable of Lincoln Castle. After some intense street fighting, Marshall broke the siege and defeated the rebels loyal to Louis. This victory was a turning point for Henry.
Prince Louis resigned to the fact his war on England and the throne was lost. Cardinal Guala led the negotiations, by which the French Prince would renounce his claim to the English throne. In exchange, Louis’ rebel followers would receive their lands back, and King Henry III would adhere to Magna Carta. However, these terms were not approved by some loyalists, who deemed them to be too generous towards the clergy rebels. Without an agreement, Louis remained in London with his army.
Battle of Sandwich
On 24 August 1217 Louis’ reinforcements crossed the English Channel from Calais, and headed towards the coast of Sandwich, Kent. William Marshall, who was in Canterbury the day before, ordered the Cinque Ports (English fleet of ships and men prior to the creation of the Royal Navy) to meet the advancing French fleet.
Off the Sandwich coast, the English attacked the French and started the Battle of Sandwich (also known as the Battle of Dover). Pots of quicklime were launched onto the French decks, causing plumes of powder to cloud the French sight. With the French in disarray, the English threw hooked blades, normally used to cut rigging, bringing down the French sails. Once close enough, the English boarded the French ships and killed all on board. The flagship, containing knights, was the only one spared the slaughter, while 55 French vessels were lost.
When the news reached Louis, the prince once again entered peace negotiations with Cardinal Guala, alongside King Henry III and William Marshall.
The Treaty of Lambeth 1217
On 11 September 1217, the Treaty of Lambeth (also known as the Treaty of Kingston) was agreed. The treaty was signed in Lambeth, at the Archbishop Stephen Langton’s house. Prince Louis of France surrendered his castles in England, and released his loyal followers from their oaths.
The remaining terms were similar to the previous terms after his defeat at Lincoln Fair, with the exception that the rebel clergy would not be granted their lands back. King Henry III reissued the Magna Carta for a third time and created the first Charter of the Forest.
King Henry III’s Second Coronation
And this crowning of the king was done with such great peacefulness and splendour, that the oldest men amongst the nobles of England who were present asserted that they never remembered any of his predecessors being crowned amid such concord and tranquillity – William of Coventry
England was now at peace, with the rebels silenced and the French returned to France. The Pope insisted that Henry should have a second coronation, one that befits a true king.
On 17 May 1220, King Henry III was crowned for the second time, with all the splendour and pomp a coronation deserves, at Westminster Abbey.
Despite King Henry III having his second coronation, he still did not rule England outright. He was no longer the vassal of the Pope, but he did not yet have a majority government to rule. This came in January 1227, before his 21st birthday.
King Henry III and the Magna Carta
In February 1225, King Henry III issued his third version of Magna Carta, along with an updated version of the Charter of the Forest. Both charters were sealed for the first time with Henry’s own seal. Previous versions were sealed by William Marshall and the Papal legate, Cardinal Guala.
In the new version of Magna Carta, Henry made it clear that it was now given freely by the king. This gave his barons and the church much needed encouragement, as it demonstrated that the king was supporting the charter through his own free will.
It is these new clauses King Henry III sealed, that are still on the Statute book today. Henry and his son, Edward, would continue to confirm the Magna Carta, to keep their barons and the church from having any doubts. Needless to say, many of the clauses have been disobeyed by kings since then.
King Henry III Invades France
Under King John, Henry’s father, the English lands in France were all but lost. Henry was determined to reclaim his rights to those lands, and set about invading France. The French Prince Louis VIII, now king, died in 1226, and was succeeded by his twelve year old son, Louis IX. The young king, much like the young Henry, had a regency government and faced rebellions of his own.
In 1228, Norman and Angevin rebels called for King Henry III to reclaim his lands. However, Henry’s response was slow and he eventually landed in Brittany in May 1230. Taking advice from his loyal advisor, Hubert de Burgh, Henry marched south to Poitou. But Henry did very little while he was there, and eventually made a truce with Louis IX, finally returning to England in 1234, achieving nothing.
English Revolt
Henry lacked the military mind of his Plantagenet predecessors, and this lost him vital support at home. Henry further alienated his English nobles by bestowing positions of authority on foreigners, like Peter des Roches. In 1232, Hugh de Burgh, the loyal justiciar was removed from power, and replaced by Peter des Roches, who was a Poitevin.
Peter had support from the barons of Poitou, and they saw his ascendance as a chance to reclaim the lands given to supporters of Hugh de Burgh. Peter des Roches began stripping estates from English barons, infuriating Hugh’s followers, most notably Richard Marshall, William’s son.
Richard allied himself with Llywelyn of Wales, and rebelled against Peter des Roches and King Henry III. The Archbishop of Canterbury intervened, and Henry was forced to dismiss Peter des Roches. But through this distraction, Henry’s truce with France had now expired. Inevitably, Louis IX attacked Brittany, and Henry lost more territory.
King Henry III Marries Eleanor of Provence
In January 1236, King Henry III married Eleanor of Provence, the daughter of Raymond-Berengar, the Count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy, at Canterbury Cathedral. Eleanor was only twelve years old at the time. Through this marriage, Henry could create valuable alliances with France’s southern rulers. Eleanor’s older sister Margaret was married to Henry’s enemy, Louis IX of France.
In 1239, Eleanor gave birth to their first son, Edward, who would eventually succeed Henry, and become the formidable King Edward I Longshanks. Edward was named after Henry’s devoted saint king, Edward the Confessor. The couple would go on to have four more children, Margaret, Beatrice, Edmund and Katherine. They would spend most of their time at Windsor Castle, and they were all very close as a family.
The Savoyards
The marriage brought with it an influx of Savoyards from Savoy, Burgundy and Flanders, who were relatives of Eleanor. King Henry III once again alienated his own barons by authorising high powered positions for the new foreigners, including Eleanor’s uncle, Boniface, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1244.
The Savoyards gradually integrated into society, through marriages and time, providing Eleanor with a strong supportive network. In 1253, King Henry III left for Gascony, and Eleanor was made Queen consort of England.
King Henry III and Statute of Jewry
Since 1095, Europe had sent crusades to the Holy Land, and by the mid 13th century Christian Lords were returning from their 7th Crusade. As a result, England, along with other European countries, were witnessing a rise in antisemitic feelings towards their local Jewish populations. King Henry III decided to impose a restrictive Statute of Jewry in 1253, which was intended to segregate the Jews.
The Statute including imposing the wearing of a Jewish badge. The reaction to Henry’s restrictions were so strong, that the arch-presbyter of England’s Jews asked if they could leave England. Henry refused the request.
King Henry III and Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort was the 6th Earl of Leicester, and brother-in-law to King Henry III, and would become the leader in a revolution against the king. He had a dubious claim to the earldom of Leicester, as it was initially handed to The Earl of Chester by King John. However with no heirs, the Earl of Chester was approached by de Montfort and was persuaded to hand down the earldom. It took another nine years before Henry formally approved it.
Battle of Taillebourg
In 1241, Hugh de Lusignan, King Henry III’s step-father, requested military support from Henry in his rebellion against Louis IX of France. But with little support, Henry eventually arrived in 1242 only to discover Hugh de Lusignan had defected to Louis’ side.
The doomed campaign was to get worse. Upon arriving in Taillebourg, facing the enemy at a bridge over the Charente River, the French knights charged. Overwhelmed by the advance, Simon de Montfort managed to hold off the French long enough for King Henry III to escape. De Montfort was furious with the king’s incompetence, and Henry was forced to negotiate another truce with Louis. This only made things worse back in England, with the baronial support for the king falling again.
The Lusignans
The failed revolt in France led Henry to invite his Lusignan relatives (the Poitevins) to settle in large estates, much like the Savoyards had done before. By 1250, a bitter rivalry was developing between the established Savoyards and the Lusignans. The Lusignans began taking personal issues into their own hands, with little regard for the consequences. King Henry III did very little to stop them either. The English barons now despised this second influx of foreigners, and Simon de Montfort was beginning to lead the revolt.
Kingdom of Sicily and Excommunication
Pope Innocent IV began to search for a suitable ruler for the kingdom of Sicily, one who favoured the Papacy. King Henry III decided that this would be an excellent opportunity for his son Edmund. The Pope agreed on the condition that Edmund would remove Manfred, the son of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, from Sicily.
King Henry III agreed, but when Pope Innocent IV was succeeded by Alexander IV, the Papacy demanded compensation for the money spent on the war so far. Henry turned to Parliament in 1255, only to be rejected as the sum was too high (135,541 marks). Further attempts to raise the money for the “Sicilian business” were also rejected, and in 1258 the Papacy sent an envoy threatening to excommunicate Henry. So the king had to extort the money from the church, forcing the clergy to provide unlimited funds.
However, the grant of the kingdom of Sicily was revoked by the Pope. Adding another fruitless campaign to Henry’s reign.
King Henry III Signs the Provisions of Oxford
By this point, in 1258, the baron’s support for King Henry III has reached an all time low. Simon de Montfort gathered his followers and brought in the Provisions of Oxford. The provisions forced Henry to accept a new form of government. A council of 24 members, half chosen by the crown and half by the barons, were to create a 15 member Privy Council. The Privy Council would chose the chief ministers, the Justiciar and Chancellor. These reforms would also branch down to local government, where the discontented voices of freemen were heard, and the Provisions of Westminster were formed.
The Provisions of Oxford were designed to make decision making fair and easy. However, disagreements between leading barons over radical reforms soon came to fore, with Simon de Montfort once again at the centre of change.
Treaty of Paris
In 1259, King Henry III left for France to sign the Treaty of Paris, along with Simon de Montfort and other leading officials. On 4 December, the treaty saw the Plantagenet lands in France being signed over to King Louis IX, with the exception of Gascony and parts of Aquitaine. This effectively ended the 100 years of conflicts between Capetian and Plantagenet dynasties.
King Henry III Faces a Revolution
Stability in England was fragile. Simon de Montfort was now leading the radicals, and civil war loomed against Henry, his son Edward and the conservative barons.
The Second Baron’s War
King Henry III appealed to Pope Alexander IV to release him from the Provisions of Oxford and Westminster. The Pope, who favoured royal power, agreed and Henry renounced his oaths to both provisions in 1262.
Simon de Montfort and his rebels were outraged, and threatened the king with civil war. Henry appealed to King Louis IX of France to mediate the argument. Louis agreed, and in January 1264 issued the Mise of Amiens in favour of Henry. Simon de Montfort could not let this go, and civil war broke out in April 1264.
The Battle of Lewes
On 14 May 1264, King Henry III and his forces met Simon de Montfort and his rebels at Lewes, Sussex. Henry occupied Lewes Castle, and chose to engage the enemy using Edward’s cavalry charge to route the rebels. Edward chased the enemy away from the castle, leaving Henry exposed. Henry sent in his troops up Offham hill, where Simon de Montforts men had the positional advantage at the top.
Henry’s troops were defeated, and they fled back to the castle. Henry had no choice but to surrender, and Henry was forced to sign the Mise of Lewes, transferring royal powers to the Simon de Montfort, and reinstating the Provisions of Oxford and Westminster.
However, the rebels were unable to maintain their power for long. Queen Eleanor was making plans to invade England, supported by Louis IX of France. Furthermore, Edward had managed to escape capture and formed a new army with royal supporters from the Welsh Marches.
The Battle of Evesham
Simon de Montfort started to make his way home to Kenilworth Castle, to join up with his son’s forces. Together they would outnumber Edwards new army. But Edward, who was a far better general than his father, struck first, and defeated de Montforts son at Kenilworth.
Edward then marched south west to intercept Simon de Montfort, who was still trying to get to Kenilworth with King Henry III as prisoner. The two sides met at Evesham on 4 August 1265, and it was Edward who had the larger force. Simon de Montfort realised his doom:
God have mercy on our souls, for our bodies are Sir Edward’s
The rebel army was defeated, and Simon de Montfort was killed. His body was mutilated, cutting of his hands, feet and genitals. Henry, who was not wearing his own armour, was nearly killed by royal forces had he not cried out:
Save me, save me, I am Henry of Winchester!
King Henry III Makes Way for Edward
Despite the royal victory, the rebel cause was still present. King Henry III knew he could not return to the old ways before the provisions, and his time was coming to an end. The last of the resistance fighters were forced to surrender, and Henry reissued the provisions to enable stability. In September 1267, Henry signed the Treaty of Montgomery, recognising Llywelyn ap Gruffydd as the Prince of Wales, bringing about peace to the region. Edward became Steward of England, and assumed government duties, before leaving on the 8th Crusade.
Aside from being a poor military leader, Henry possessed a keen eye for the arts and culture. He rebuilt the royal palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey in a Gothic style, spending a vast £45,000 in lavish decorations (£15,000,000 today). Henry revered Edward the Confessor, and in 1269 Westminster Abbey was consecrated, and the saint’s body was translated to a new shrine.
While Edward was away, on 16 November 1272 King Henry III died in Westminster, and was buried in the Abbey. His body was later exhumed in 1290, to be moved to a grander tomb. It was noted that his beard was still intact, a sign of saintly purity, but Henry was never canonised.
King Henry III Facts
• Henry was born on 1 October 1207, Winchester
• His father was John
• His mother was Isabella of Angouleme
• He was crowned twice on 28 October 1216 at Gloucester Cathedral, aged 9; and on 17 May 1220 at Westminster Abbey, aged 12
• He married Eleanor of Provence
• He had 9 children, including Edward I
• He died on 16 November 1272 at Westminster, aged 65
• He was known as Henry of Winchester before becoming king
• He has the longest reign of any king in medieval England
• He is most famous for fighting the infamous rebel, Simon de Montfort
• He reissued the Magna Carta and Provisions of Oxford and Westminster a number of times"
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D GySgt Thomas Vick LTC (Join to see) LTC (Join to see)Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Greg Henning SPC Michael Terrell SFC Chuck Martinez CSM Charles HaydenSMSgt Tom Burns MSgt James Clark-Rosa Wayne Soares 1SG Dan Capri Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown
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LTC Stephen F.
The Soured Friendship Of King Henry III and Simon De Montfort | Real Royalty
Episode two reveals the collapse of friendship between Henry III and Simon de Montfort, spiralling into bloody civil war.From Elizabeth II to Cleopatra, Real...
The Soured Friendship Of King Henry III and Simon De Montfort | Real Royalty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0gB8XmV2k
Images:
1. Stage 1 - Deployment; Montfort immediately occupied the high ground at Offham Hill overlooking the town. His army consisted of a large number of inexperienced and untested troops, many drawn from London, which he positioned on his flanks whilst his experienced men-at-arms were placed in the centre.
2. Stage 2 - Edward Attacks As soon as Prince Edward heard of Montfort’s deployment, he mobilised his force and rode out to engage them without waiting for his father to join him. Edward launched an assault on Montfort’s left which consisted predominantly of untrained recruits. Faced with Edward's heavy cavalry, they broke and fled.
3. Stage 3 - Edward Leaves Field Edward pressed home his attack and pursued the fleeing troops effectively leaving the field. Concurrently Henry's infantry force had arrived and now had the unenviable task of attacking uphill without heavy cavalry support.
4. Stage 4 - Royalist Infantry Assault Montfort’s troops made good use of the higher ground. Henry’s advance was stalled and then his forces pushed back down the hill towards the Priory. Order within the Royalist ranks broke down and the army collapsed into rout. In the retreat Henry III was captured and the rebels swept into the town although the castle refused to surrender despite the King's predicament.
5. Stage 5 - Edward Returns Precisely how long Edward was away from the battlefield pursing the broken troops of Montfort's left flank is uncertain. By the time he returned however the Royalist army had been broken and the King was in custody. Edward was minded to carry on fighting but with the rebel forces now in the narrow streets of the town and no order amongst the scattered infantry to support him, it was pointless. Reluctantly he accepted Montfort’s peace terms.
Background from
1. battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/battle_lewes_1264.html
2. battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/barons_wars.htm
1. Background from {[http://www.battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/battle_lewes_1264.html]}
Historical Background
In 1216 England was engulfed in the First Barons War where senior Anglo-Norman magnates were fighting to overthrow King John for his repudiation of Magna Carta. The accession of the young Henry III, coupled with a policy of reconciliation by the new regime and victories at a number of key battles, had seen that war end. However, medieval society relied upon a strong King who could strike a balance between exercising his authority and managing his Barons. Henry III lacked this skill and by the late 1250s the country was once again on the cusp of civil war as the Baronial faction was angered by his autocratic rule and promotion of favourites.
Matters came to a head in 1258 when Henry III was forced by his Barons to agree the Provisions of Oxford; a treaty which required the King to surrender key powers, particularly on taxation and inheritance, to a council headed by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. In a parallel with his father and Magna Carta, Henry III sought and was granted Papal annulment of the Provisions. This was granted in 1261 but the Baronial faction was too strong and so the matter was eventually placed in the hands of Louis IX of France to act as arbitrator. In January 1264 in the Mise of Amiens, Louis annulled the Provisions of Oxford. The decision ignited the Second Barons War (1264-7) with the rebel forces being headed by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.
Prelude
The early months of 1264 saw both the Royalists and the rebels move to secure key castles, the ultimate instruments of control in medieval society. Henry III's strongest support was in the Midlands which he secured by reducing rebel garrisons in Northampton, Leicester and Nottingham before relieving Rochester Castle which was under siege by a rebel army. The King then captured Tonbridge before marching south to Lewes, where the castle was loyal to him, hoping to rest his army and acquire reinforcements before engaging the rebels.
Montfort was keen to resolve the war before the King became too strong. He marched his army to Fletching, some 8 miles to the north of Lewes. There he made overtures to the King who rejected them out of hand writing to Montfort that "We therefore let you know that you are all defied as public enemies by each and all of us your enemies, and that henceforth whenever occasion offers we will fight with all our might...to damage your persons and property...". Having received this message, on the morning of 14 May 1264 Montfort moved his army to Lewes ready for battle.
The Battle
The battle was fought on 14 May 1264. Montfort’s forces approached Lewes from the north. The main Royalist army was camped around Lewes Priory, to the south of the town, whilst Prince Edward was at Lewes Castle with the heavy cavalry.
- Stage 1: Deployment
Montfort immediately occupied the high ground at Offham Hill overlooking the town. His army consisted of a large number of inexperienced and untested troops, many drawn from London, which he positioned on his flanks whilst his experienced men-at-arms were placed in the centre.
- Stage 2: Edward Attacks
As soon as Prince Edward heard of Montfort’s deployment, he mobilised his force and rode out to engage them without waiting for his father to join him. Edward launched an assault on Montfort’s left which consisted predominantly of untrained recruits. Faced with Edward's heavy cavalry, they broke and fled.
- Stage 3: Edward Leaves Field
Edward pressed home his attack and pursued the fleeing troops effectively leaving the field. Concurrently Henry's infantry force had arrived and now had the unenviable task of attacking uphill without heavy cavalry support.
- Stage 4: Royalist Infantry Assault
Montfort’s troops made good use of the higher ground. Henry’s advance was stalled and then his forces pushed back down the hill towards the Priory. Order within the Royalist ranks broke down and the army collapsed into rout. In the retreat Henry III was captured and the rebels swept into the town although the castle refused to surrender despite the King's predicament.
- Stage 5: Edward Returns
Precisely how long Edward was away from the battlefield pursing the broken troops of Montfort's left flank is uncertain. By the time he returned however the Royalist army had been broken and the King was in custody. Edward was minded to carry on fighting but with the rebel forces now in the narrow streets of the town and no order amongst the scattered infantry to support him, it was pointless. Reluctantly he accepted Montfort’s peace terms.
Aftermath
According to the Chronicle of St Pancras Priory at Lewes, Royalist casualties in the fight were 2,700. Crucially though both Henry III and Prince Edward were in Montfort’s custody enabling the Earl to effectively rule in the name of the King. But it was not to last; Edward escaped, gathered forces and surprised Montfort at the Battle of Evesham the following year. Montfort was killed and Henry III restored.
Historians hotly debate the Montfort era with some hailing it as one of the fledgling moments of democracy in England. It is certainly true that in his short reign the Earl extended representation but then Edward, once King, did similar as a tactic for managing dissent. Furthermore it is perhaps unwise to see Montfort as some reforming idealist – his Mise of Lewes, which significantly curtailed Royal power, was more about ensuring the Earl had the power rather than the King. Overall the revolt did not start an explosion of democracy - it would be almost 400 years before Parliament asserted itself in the Civil War - therefore perhaps, at least in the short to medium term, the most significant outcome of the Battle of Lewes was the experience it gave to Prince Edward. It forged in him a determination to preserve Royal power that would impact upon his later dealings with Wales and Scotland. It also taught Edward much about military manoeuvres; from this point on the future warrior king would never again mount an uphill attack and he put the lessons learnt at Lewes to good effect at Evesham the following year.
Bibliography
Beresford, M.W and St Joseph, J.K.S (1979). Medieval England - An Aerial Study. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Blaauw, W and Charles, H.P (1871). The Barons' War including the battles of Lewes and Evesham. Bell and Daldy, London.
Brent, C (1995). Historic Lewes and its Buildings. Lewes Town Council, Lewes
Burne, A.H (2005). Battlefields of England. Pen and Sword Books Ltd, Barnsley.
Carpenter, D (1987). The Battles of Lewes and Evesham 1264/65. Mercia Publishing, Keele.
Cyprien, M and Fairbairn, N (1983). A Traveller's Guide to the Battlefields of Britain. Evans Brothers Ltd, London.
Dodds, G.L (1996). Battles in Britain 1066-1746. Arms & Armour, London.
Douglas, D.C and Rothwell, H (ed) (1975). English Historical Documents Vol 3 (1189-1327). Routledge, London.
Green, H (1973). Guide to the Battlefields of Britain and Ireland. Constable, London.
Jones, D (2012). The Plantagenets. William Collins, London.
Kinross, J (1979). The Battlefields of Britain. London.
Lancaster, J.H.D (2012). Lewes: Battlefield visit notes and observations. CastlesFortsBattles.co.uk.
Mann, E L (1976). The Battle of Lewes 1264. SB Publications, London.
Morris, M (2009). A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and forging of Britain. Windmill Books, London.
Ordnance Survey (2015). Lewes. 1:1250. Southampton.
Ramsay, J.H (1908). The dawn of the constitution: the reigns of Henry III and Edward I AD 1216-1307. London
Prothero, G. W (1877). The life of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. Longmans Green and Company, London.
Smurthwaite, D (1993). The Complete Guide to the Battlefields of Britain. Michael Joseph, London.
Wright, G.N (1988). Roads and Trackways of Wessex. Moorland.
The Royalist army was significantly larger than the rebels - perhaps as much as twice the size.
2. Background from {[http://www.battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/barons_wars.html]}
--------- Second Barons' War ---------
Battle of Northampton 5-6 April 1264; Northamptonshire
Battle of Lewes 20 May 1264; East Sussex
Battle of Evesham 20 August 1264; Worcestershire
Battle of Chesterfield 15 May 1266; Derbyshire
Background from {[http://www.battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/barons_wars.html]}
Historical Background
Medieval Kingship relied on a strong ruler who could balance the demands of the leading magnates and either keep taxation low or have success in military endeavours, with all the benefits of victory, to justify excessive expense. Notwithstanding a bitter civil war over the succession - the Anarchy - this had broadly been achieved by the first Kings following the Norman invasion. However the rule of King John (1199-1216) led to a re-evaluation of the relationship between monarch and the Barons.
The First Barons' War (1215-17)
When King John came to the throne in 1199 he was the ruler of a vast continental empire built by his father (Henry II) and maintained by his brother (Richard I). By 12xx it had almost all been lost fuelling an insatiable Royal appetite for money in order to recover his former territories. John's regime became proficient at extracting money from his Kingdom earning the enmity of the church and his Barons. When coupled with obscene events - even to contemporaries - such as the starving to death of Matilda de Braose and her son, King John's regime destabilised. By 1215 he had so alienated his Barons that they sought to impose Magna Carta - a charter which included a 'security clause' allowing them to wage war against the King if he failed to comply. Although the King put his seal to Magna Carta at Runnymede on 15 June 1215, he sought Papal support to revoke it which ignited the First Barons' War.
Numerous Barons revoked their fealty to John and invited Prince Louis of France, a maternal grandson of Henry II, to invade and take the English throne. Initially John went on the offensive devastating the lands of the rebel Barons and mounting a legendary siege against Rochester Castle. However French Knights arrived in London in November 1215 and in May the following year, Louis landed in Kent. John retreated west and Louis entered London without opposition where he was proclaimed King. By Summer 1216 he had overrun much of southern England although Dover and Windsor castles bitterly resisted his forces.
John died in October 1216 at Newark Castle eliminating the main cause of the war. William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke had been appointed Regent and under his guidance Magna Carta was re-issued minus the 'security clause'. There was now little reason to continue fighting with many of the Barons reluctant to deny the nine-year old King Henry III his rightful inheritance. Dwindling support coupled with defeats for Louis at the battles of Lincoln and Sandwich saw Louis give up his claim at the Treaty of Lambeth sealed on 11 September 1217.
The Second Barons' War (1264-67)
Whilst the accession of Henry III as a young boy helped defuse the First Barons' War, his autocratic rule and promotion of foreign favourites after he reached his majority contributed to a new conflict. In addition excessive taxation, attempting to fund efforts to secure the Kingdom of Scilly for his younger son Edmund, caused wide scale resentment amongst his Barons. Opposition galvanised around Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester whose personal relations with the King were fractious following his marriage to his sister, Eleanor, without Royal permission. Through Montfort the Barons once again sought to implement a charter known as the Provisions of Oxford which required the King to surrender key powers, particularly on taxation and inheritance, to a council headed by Montfort and overseen by a Great Council (Parliament). The Barons compelled the King to agree to these terms in 1258 but Henry sought, and was granted, a Papal annulment. The matter was eventually placed in the hands of Louis IX of France to act as arbitrator and in January 1264 in the Mise of Amiens, he annulled the Provisions of Oxford. The decision led to the Second Barons War (1264-7) with the rebel faction headed by Montfort.
The war started with each side securing key castles and in April 1264 the Royalists achieved an inconsequential victory at the First Battle of Northampton (1264). However the following month the forces clashed at the Battle of Lewes (1264) which saw the Royalists defeated with both Henry III and his eldest son, Edward (later Edward I), in custody. For 15 months Montfort ruled England in accordance with the Provisions of Oxford including calling the first Parliament in the Palace of Westminster (20 January 1265). However a former Montfort ally - Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester - was seduced back to the Royalist side and conspired to help Prince Edward escape captivity. With support from the Marcher Lords on the Welsh border, Edward mustered a large army and defeated Montfort at the Battle of Evesham (1265). The Second Baron's War was all but over although a final battle was fought at Chesterfield (1266) to deal with Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Derby whilst the rest of the hard-line Montfort supporters were besieged in Kenilworth Castle. With that fortification successfully besieged by the King's forces, Henry III finally triumphed with the Dictum of Kenilworth fully restoring Royal authority.
Conclusion
The Provisions of Oxford was never again used by the Barons as grounds for civil war and for the next 350 years they simply deposed weak and ineffective Kings - Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI - rather than attempt to regulate their powers with Charters. However Magna Carta and the Provisions of Oxford had created the concept of a monarchy whose power was not absolute. The idea of a Parliament had been introduced into English law and, upon his accession in 1272, Edward I called such a gathering. As the years progressed it became an increasingly regular event ultimately seeing the birth of the House of Commons in the fourteenth century. That institution would assert itself in the Seventeenth Century Civil Wars which ultimately limited the power of the monarch for good."
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0gB8XmV2k
Images:
1. Stage 1 - Deployment; Montfort immediately occupied the high ground at Offham Hill overlooking the town. His army consisted of a large number of inexperienced and untested troops, many drawn from London, which he positioned on his flanks whilst his experienced men-at-arms were placed in the centre.
2. Stage 2 - Edward Attacks As soon as Prince Edward heard of Montfort’s deployment, he mobilised his force and rode out to engage them without waiting for his father to join him. Edward launched an assault on Montfort’s left which consisted predominantly of untrained recruits. Faced with Edward's heavy cavalry, they broke and fled.
3. Stage 3 - Edward Leaves Field Edward pressed home his attack and pursued the fleeing troops effectively leaving the field. Concurrently Henry's infantry force had arrived and now had the unenviable task of attacking uphill without heavy cavalry support.
4. Stage 4 - Royalist Infantry Assault Montfort’s troops made good use of the higher ground. Henry’s advance was stalled and then his forces pushed back down the hill towards the Priory. Order within the Royalist ranks broke down and the army collapsed into rout. In the retreat Henry III was captured and the rebels swept into the town although the castle refused to surrender despite the King's predicament.
5. Stage 5 - Edward Returns Precisely how long Edward was away from the battlefield pursing the broken troops of Montfort's left flank is uncertain. By the time he returned however the Royalist army had been broken and the King was in custody. Edward was minded to carry on fighting but with the rebel forces now in the narrow streets of the town and no order amongst the scattered infantry to support him, it was pointless. Reluctantly he accepted Montfort’s peace terms.
Background from
1. battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/battle_lewes_1264.html
2. battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/barons_wars.htm
1. Background from {[http://www.battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/battle_lewes_1264.html]}
Historical Background
In 1216 England was engulfed in the First Barons War where senior Anglo-Norman magnates were fighting to overthrow King John for his repudiation of Magna Carta. The accession of the young Henry III, coupled with a policy of reconciliation by the new regime and victories at a number of key battles, had seen that war end. However, medieval society relied upon a strong King who could strike a balance between exercising his authority and managing his Barons. Henry III lacked this skill and by the late 1250s the country was once again on the cusp of civil war as the Baronial faction was angered by his autocratic rule and promotion of favourites.
Matters came to a head in 1258 when Henry III was forced by his Barons to agree the Provisions of Oxford; a treaty which required the King to surrender key powers, particularly on taxation and inheritance, to a council headed by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. In a parallel with his father and Magna Carta, Henry III sought and was granted Papal annulment of the Provisions. This was granted in 1261 but the Baronial faction was too strong and so the matter was eventually placed in the hands of Louis IX of France to act as arbitrator. In January 1264 in the Mise of Amiens, Louis annulled the Provisions of Oxford. The decision ignited the Second Barons War (1264-7) with the rebel forces being headed by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.
Prelude
The early months of 1264 saw both the Royalists and the rebels move to secure key castles, the ultimate instruments of control in medieval society. Henry III's strongest support was in the Midlands which he secured by reducing rebel garrisons in Northampton, Leicester and Nottingham before relieving Rochester Castle which was under siege by a rebel army. The King then captured Tonbridge before marching south to Lewes, where the castle was loyal to him, hoping to rest his army and acquire reinforcements before engaging the rebels.
Montfort was keen to resolve the war before the King became too strong. He marched his army to Fletching, some 8 miles to the north of Lewes. There he made overtures to the King who rejected them out of hand writing to Montfort that "We therefore let you know that you are all defied as public enemies by each and all of us your enemies, and that henceforth whenever occasion offers we will fight with all our might...to damage your persons and property...". Having received this message, on the morning of 14 May 1264 Montfort moved his army to Lewes ready for battle.
The Battle
The battle was fought on 14 May 1264. Montfort’s forces approached Lewes from the north. The main Royalist army was camped around Lewes Priory, to the south of the town, whilst Prince Edward was at Lewes Castle with the heavy cavalry.
- Stage 1: Deployment
Montfort immediately occupied the high ground at Offham Hill overlooking the town. His army consisted of a large number of inexperienced and untested troops, many drawn from London, which he positioned on his flanks whilst his experienced men-at-arms were placed in the centre.
- Stage 2: Edward Attacks
As soon as Prince Edward heard of Montfort’s deployment, he mobilised his force and rode out to engage them without waiting for his father to join him. Edward launched an assault on Montfort’s left which consisted predominantly of untrained recruits. Faced with Edward's heavy cavalry, they broke and fled.
- Stage 3: Edward Leaves Field
Edward pressed home his attack and pursued the fleeing troops effectively leaving the field. Concurrently Henry's infantry force had arrived and now had the unenviable task of attacking uphill without heavy cavalry support.
- Stage 4: Royalist Infantry Assault
Montfort’s troops made good use of the higher ground. Henry’s advance was stalled and then his forces pushed back down the hill towards the Priory. Order within the Royalist ranks broke down and the army collapsed into rout. In the retreat Henry III was captured and the rebels swept into the town although the castle refused to surrender despite the King's predicament.
- Stage 5: Edward Returns
Precisely how long Edward was away from the battlefield pursing the broken troops of Montfort's left flank is uncertain. By the time he returned however the Royalist army had been broken and the King was in custody. Edward was minded to carry on fighting but with the rebel forces now in the narrow streets of the town and no order amongst the scattered infantry to support him, it was pointless. Reluctantly he accepted Montfort’s peace terms.
Aftermath
According to the Chronicle of St Pancras Priory at Lewes, Royalist casualties in the fight were 2,700. Crucially though both Henry III and Prince Edward were in Montfort’s custody enabling the Earl to effectively rule in the name of the King. But it was not to last; Edward escaped, gathered forces and surprised Montfort at the Battle of Evesham the following year. Montfort was killed and Henry III restored.
Historians hotly debate the Montfort era with some hailing it as one of the fledgling moments of democracy in England. It is certainly true that in his short reign the Earl extended representation but then Edward, once King, did similar as a tactic for managing dissent. Furthermore it is perhaps unwise to see Montfort as some reforming idealist – his Mise of Lewes, which significantly curtailed Royal power, was more about ensuring the Earl had the power rather than the King. Overall the revolt did not start an explosion of democracy - it would be almost 400 years before Parliament asserted itself in the Civil War - therefore perhaps, at least in the short to medium term, the most significant outcome of the Battle of Lewes was the experience it gave to Prince Edward. It forged in him a determination to preserve Royal power that would impact upon his later dealings with Wales and Scotland. It also taught Edward much about military manoeuvres; from this point on the future warrior king would never again mount an uphill attack and he put the lessons learnt at Lewes to good effect at Evesham the following year.
Bibliography
Beresford, M.W and St Joseph, J.K.S (1979). Medieval England - An Aerial Study. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Blaauw, W and Charles, H.P (1871). The Barons' War including the battles of Lewes and Evesham. Bell and Daldy, London.
Brent, C (1995). Historic Lewes and its Buildings. Lewes Town Council, Lewes
Burne, A.H (2005). Battlefields of England. Pen and Sword Books Ltd, Barnsley.
Carpenter, D (1987). The Battles of Lewes and Evesham 1264/65. Mercia Publishing, Keele.
Cyprien, M and Fairbairn, N (1983). A Traveller's Guide to the Battlefields of Britain. Evans Brothers Ltd, London.
Dodds, G.L (1996). Battles in Britain 1066-1746. Arms & Armour, London.
Douglas, D.C and Rothwell, H (ed) (1975). English Historical Documents Vol 3 (1189-1327). Routledge, London.
Green, H (1973). Guide to the Battlefields of Britain and Ireland. Constable, London.
Jones, D (2012). The Plantagenets. William Collins, London.
Kinross, J (1979). The Battlefields of Britain. London.
Lancaster, J.H.D (2012). Lewes: Battlefield visit notes and observations. CastlesFortsBattles.co.uk.
Mann, E L (1976). The Battle of Lewes 1264. SB Publications, London.
Morris, M (2009). A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and forging of Britain. Windmill Books, London.
Ordnance Survey (2015). Lewes. 1:1250. Southampton.
Ramsay, J.H (1908). The dawn of the constitution: the reigns of Henry III and Edward I AD 1216-1307. London
Prothero, G. W (1877). The life of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. Longmans Green and Company, London.
Smurthwaite, D (1993). The Complete Guide to the Battlefields of Britain. Michael Joseph, London.
Wright, G.N (1988). Roads and Trackways of Wessex. Moorland.
The Royalist army was significantly larger than the rebels - perhaps as much as twice the size.
2. Background from {[http://www.battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/barons_wars.html]}
--------- Second Barons' War ---------
Battle of Northampton 5-6 April 1264; Northamptonshire
Battle of Lewes 20 May 1264; East Sussex
Battle of Evesham 20 August 1264; Worcestershire
Battle of Chesterfield 15 May 1266; Derbyshire
Background from {[http://www.battlefieldsofbritain.co.uk/barons_wars.html]}
Historical Background
Medieval Kingship relied on a strong ruler who could balance the demands of the leading magnates and either keep taxation low or have success in military endeavours, with all the benefits of victory, to justify excessive expense. Notwithstanding a bitter civil war over the succession - the Anarchy - this had broadly been achieved by the first Kings following the Norman invasion. However the rule of King John (1199-1216) led to a re-evaluation of the relationship between monarch and the Barons.
The First Barons' War (1215-17)
When King John came to the throne in 1199 he was the ruler of a vast continental empire built by his father (Henry II) and maintained by his brother (Richard I). By 12xx it had almost all been lost fuelling an insatiable Royal appetite for money in order to recover his former territories. John's regime became proficient at extracting money from his Kingdom earning the enmity of the church and his Barons. When coupled with obscene events - even to contemporaries - such as the starving to death of Matilda de Braose and her son, King John's regime destabilised. By 1215 he had so alienated his Barons that they sought to impose Magna Carta - a charter which included a 'security clause' allowing them to wage war against the King if he failed to comply. Although the King put his seal to Magna Carta at Runnymede on 15 June 1215, he sought Papal support to revoke it which ignited the First Barons' War.
Numerous Barons revoked their fealty to John and invited Prince Louis of France, a maternal grandson of Henry II, to invade and take the English throne. Initially John went on the offensive devastating the lands of the rebel Barons and mounting a legendary siege against Rochester Castle. However French Knights arrived in London in November 1215 and in May the following year, Louis landed in Kent. John retreated west and Louis entered London without opposition where he was proclaimed King. By Summer 1216 he had overrun much of southern England although Dover and Windsor castles bitterly resisted his forces.
John died in October 1216 at Newark Castle eliminating the main cause of the war. William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke had been appointed Regent and under his guidance Magna Carta was re-issued minus the 'security clause'. There was now little reason to continue fighting with many of the Barons reluctant to deny the nine-year old King Henry III his rightful inheritance. Dwindling support coupled with defeats for Louis at the battles of Lincoln and Sandwich saw Louis give up his claim at the Treaty of Lambeth sealed on 11 September 1217.
The Second Barons' War (1264-67)
Whilst the accession of Henry III as a young boy helped defuse the First Barons' War, his autocratic rule and promotion of foreign favourites after he reached his majority contributed to a new conflict. In addition excessive taxation, attempting to fund efforts to secure the Kingdom of Scilly for his younger son Edmund, caused wide scale resentment amongst his Barons. Opposition galvanised around Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester whose personal relations with the King were fractious following his marriage to his sister, Eleanor, without Royal permission. Through Montfort the Barons once again sought to implement a charter known as the Provisions of Oxford which required the King to surrender key powers, particularly on taxation and inheritance, to a council headed by Montfort and overseen by a Great Council (Parliament). The Barons compelled the King to agree to these terms in 1258 but Henry sought, and was granted, a Papal annulment. The matter was eventually placed in the hands of Louis IX of France to act as arbitrator and in January 1264 in the Mise of Amiens, he annulled the Provisions of Oxford. The decision led to the Second Barons War (1264-7) with the rebel faction headed by Montfort.
The war started with each side securing key castles and in April 1264 the Royalists achieved an inconsequential victory at the First Battle of Northampton (1264). However the following month the forces clashed at the Battle of Lewes (1264) which saw the Royalists defeated with both Henry III and his eldest son, Edward (later Edward I), in custody. For 15 months Montfort ruled England in accordance with the Provisions of Oxford including calling the first Parliament in the Palace of Westminster (20 January 1265). However a former Montfort ally - Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester - was seduced back to the Royalist side and conspired to help Prince Edward escape captivity. With support from the Marcher Lords on the Welsh border, Edward mustered a large army and defeated Montfort at the Battle of Evesham (1265). The Second Baron's War was all but over although a final battle was fought at Chesterfield (1266) to deal with Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Derby whilst the rest of the hard-line Montfort supporters were besieged in Kenilworth Castle. With that fortification successfully besieged by the King's forces, Henry III finally triumphed with the Dictum of Kenilworth fully restoring Royal authority.
Conclusion
The Provisions of Oxford was never again used by the Barons as grounds for civil war and for the next 350 years they simply deposed weak and ineffective Kings - Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI - rather than attempt to regulate their powers with Charters. However Magna Carta and the Provisions of Oxford had created the concept of a monarchy whose power was not absolute. The idea of a Parliament had been introduced into English law and, upon his accession in 1272, Edward I called such a gathering. As the years progressed it became an increasingly regular event ultimately seeing the birth of the House of Commons in the fourteenth century. That institution would assert itself in the Seventeenth Century Civil Wars which ultimately limited the power of the monarch for good."
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Following King Louis IX's striking down of the revolutionary Provisions of Oxford in early 1264, both Royalists (led by King Henry III and his son Prince Edw...
The Battle of Lewes
Following King Louis IX's striking down of the revolutionary Provisions of Oxford in early 1264, both Royalists (led by King Henry III and his son Prince Edward) as well as the Reforming Barons (led by Simon de Montfort) prepared for war...
After some initial successes, capturing some rebels at Rochester and also capturing Tonbridge, King Henry was forced south after being harrassed by Welsh archers loyal to the Barons. He ensconsed himself in the Priory of St Pancreas in Lewes, Sussex...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzgA0qLGWbk
Images:
1. Battlefield of Lewes - Priory Ruins. William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey founded the Priory in the late eleventh century but it was later suppressed by Henry VIII.
2. Battlefield of Lewes - Offham Hill. The Royalists had to advance uphill towards the summit where Simon de Montfort had deployed his forces..
3. Battlefield of Lewes - Priory of St Pancras Priory. Henry III stayed at the Priory before the battle and his troops fell back to its gates as they were routed.jpg
4. Battlefield of Lewes. View towards the Royalist position from the centre of Simon de Montfort's line.
Background from {{https://www.britainexpress.com/History/medieval/barons-war.htm]}
The Barons' War
BY DAVID ROSS, EDITOR
Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort
Confusingly, two separate conflicts are sometimes given the name "The Barons' War". The first was the conflict that erupted in 1215-1217 between King John and his chief nobles. That conflict is chiefly remembered for its culmination in a meeting at Runnymede where John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, a document which guaranteed certain traditional rights and privileges to his subjects. (See the Magna Carta text here.) The second conflict we call the Barons' War broke out in 1264 and ended in 1267. It is that conflict we deal with here.
BACKGROUND
Simplistically put, the Barons' War was fought over money and power; the major nobles of England thought that King Henry III had too much of the latter and was exercising it poorly. Henry needed more money for his wars against Wales and France, and to support a papal crusade. Then his brother Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, made a bid for the throne of Sicily, and Henry demanded still more money from his subjects to support Edmund's cause. This stirred his barons to action.
MAJOR FIGURES
"In this corner, the challenger ..."
The acknowledged leader of the barons' cause was the extraordinary Simon de Montfort (1208-1265), Earl of Leicester. De Montfort was a man ahead of his time, a man with a vision that might today be labelled socialist. He believed that the king should be answerable to the country, and that men of property should be allowed a voice in the government of the realm rather than bow to the authority of a monarch.
As laudable as those beliefs may seem to us today, in the 13th century they placed de Montfort well outside the comfort zone of even his fellow barons. And de Montfort had the unfortunate habit of polarizing people, so that those who might have been expected to follow him in his conflict with the king were instead induced to support the royal cause simply to stop de Montfort from gaining the upper hand. But we're getting ahead of ourselves a bit.
"And in this corner, the champion ..."
Henry III. Oh, dear, what can we say about this monarch that will not sound too censorious? Well, not much. Henry was one of the least effective of England's medieval monarchs. He was constantly in need of money, which in itself was not unique among English kings. The trouble was that Henry wanted money for causes that the English nobility did not see as benefiting their interests.
The campaign to put Prince Edmund on the throne of Sicily was one such cause. It was a move that held no benefit to the realm of England, only to Edmund and Henry, and the nobles did not see why they should grant money to support a campaign that would offer themselves no benefit. Henry, by contrast, thought it was the duty of his subjects to support him in this or any other purpose he might envision.
In his defence, Henry did make efforts throughout his reign to overhaul the system of local government, though even then he stepped on too many noble toes, for the nobility had a vested interest in maintaining their own authority over the shires.
The conflict came to a head in 1258 when the so-called 'Mad Parliament' drew up a list of grievances called the Provisions of Oxford. These provisions called for sweeping changes in the organization of government, and proposed a system of councils to 'advise' the king in the execution of policy. Henry III had no choice but to sign the provisions, but it is doubtful whether he ever had any intention of honouring his promises.
The following year, 1259, the barons forced Henry to agree to hold hearings in every county, in which abuses by county sheriffs and other royal officials were investigated. As a result of these hearings a new document was drawn up, proposing radical reforms of common law which would offer greater protection to the rights of free men. This document, the Provisions of Westminster, formed the basis of English common law for the next several centuries. Once again, Henry signed the provisions under duress.
Henry then appealed to Pope Alexander IV for dispensation to repudiate both provisions. This the pope duly granted, and in 1262 Henry renounced his oaths to abide by the terms of the provisions. The rebels could not let this pass, and under pressure from the barons, Henry agreed to let King Louis IX of France mediate the dispute. Louis' judgment was issued at Amiens in January 1264, and was known as the Mise of Amiens. In the Mise, Louis sided entirely with Henry. Predictably, de Montfort repudiated the Mise of Amiens immediately, and armed conflict broke out.
We've mentioned de Montfort's unfortunate habit of alienating those of his fellow barons who might otherwise be tempted to support him. Many of those barons went over to the king's side, while de Montfort drew much of his support from the Commons and the towns, who saw him as a champion of their burgeoning rights.
THE COURSE OF THE CONFLICT
There were two major battles during the course of the Barons' War. The first was the Battle of Lewes in 1264. This ended in a decisive victory for de Montfort, and Henry and Prince Edward were captured.
With the king in his power, Simon de Montfort moved to summon what can truly be called England's first 'real' Parliament. He called to Westminster a Great Council, which included elected burgesses from selected boroughs. Though far from a modern democratic assembly, it was at least a first step towards representative government that included local representation.
This was not the first occasion upon which burgesses were called to Westminster, but on previous occasions they served merely a consultative role. For the first time these elected representatives exercised a legislative role, deciding and enacting policy.
But the royal faction did not give up without a fight. Prince Edward escaped from custody and joined royal supporters in the Welsh marches. De Montfort marched to join forces with his son at Kenilworth, in Warwickshire, to form a joint army which would outnumber Edward's men. Edward struck first and overwhelmed the younger de Montfort.
When the Earl of Leicester reached Evesham, instead of meeting his son's army, he was met by Prince Edward at the head of a superior force. In the ensuing Battle of Evesham, the rebel army was annihilated, and de Montfort was killed.
The rebel leader was dead, but not the rebel cause. Even those barons who had fought against Simon de Montfort had no intention of allowing Henry III to resume his autocratic ways. In truth, though, the king was a spent force, and the real ruler of the land was Prince Edward, later Edward I. And Edward was his own man, and wise enough to see that the way forward was not to try to roll back the clock to the days before the Provisions of Oxford, but to take reform forward in a way that consolidated the reforms of Simon de Montfort under a strong royal presence.
Within a few years of the Battle of Evesham, many of the reforms introduced by de Montfort had been ratified and entrenched in law. Edward created out of the aftermath of the Baron's War an England with a strong, and by the standards of the time, a just and responsible system of central government. It could be argued that though Simon de Montfort lost the war, and his life, his ideas and principles won were victorious.'
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Following King Louis IX's striking down of the revolutionary Provisions of Oxford in early 1264, both Royalists (led by King Henry III and his son Prince Edward) as well as the Reforming Barons (led by Simon de Montfort) prepared for war...
After some initial successes, capturing some rebels at Rochester and also capturing Tonbridge, King Henry was forced south after being harrassed by Welsh archers loyal to the Barons. He ensconsed himself in the Priory of St Pancreas in Lewes, Sussex...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzgA0qLGWbk
Images:
1. Battlefield of Lewes - Priory Ruins. William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey founded the Priory in the late eleventh century but it was later suppressed by Henry VIII.
2. Battlefield of Lewes - Offham Hill. The Royalists had to advance uphill towards the summit where Simon de Montfort had deployed his forces..
3. Battlefield of Lewes - Priory of St Pancras Priory. Henry III stayed at the Priory before the battle and his troops fell back to its gates as they were routed.jpg
4. Battlefield of Lewes. View towards the Royalist position from the centre of Simon de Montfort's line.
Background from {{https://www.britainexpress.com/History/medieval/barons-war.htm]}
The Barons' War
BY DAVID ROSS, EDITOR
Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort
Confusingly, two separate conflicts are sometimes given the name "The Barons' War". The first was the conflict that erupted in 1215-1217 between King John and his chief nobles. That conflict is chiefly remembered for its culmination in a meeting at Runnymede where John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, a document which guaranteed certain traditional rights and privileges to his subjects. (See the Magna Carta text here.) The second conflict we call the Barons' War broke out in 1264 and ended in 1267. It is that conflict we deal with here.
BACKGROUND
Simplistically put, the Barons' War was fought over money and power; the major nobles of England thought that King Henry III had too much of the latter and was exercising it poorly. Henry needed more money for his wars against Wales and France, and to support a papal crusade. Then his brother Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, made a bid for the throne of Sicily, and Henry demanded still more money from his subjects to support Edmund's cause. This stirred his barons to action.
MAJOR FIGURES
"In this corner, the challenger ..."
The acknowledged leader of the barons' cause was the extraordinary Simon de Montfort (1208-1265), Earl of Leicester. De Montfort was a man ahead of his time, a man with a vision that might today be labelled socialist. He believed that the king should be answerable to the country, and that men of property should be allowed a voice in the government of the realm rather than bow to the authority of a monarch.
As laudable as those beliefs may seem to us today, in the 13th century they placed de Montfort well outside the comfort zone of even his fellow barons. And de Montfort had the unfortunate habit of polarizing people, so that those who might have been expected to follow him in his conflict with the king were instead induced to support the royal cause simply to stop de Montfort from gaining the upper hand. But we're getting ahead of ourselves a bit.
"And in this corner, the champion ..."
Henry III. Oh, dear, what can we say about this monarch that will not sound too censorious? Well, not much. Henry was one of the least effective of England's medieval monarchs. He was constantly in need of money, which in itself was not unique among English kings. The trouble was that Henry wanted money for causes that the English nobility did not see as benefiting their interests.
The campaign to put Prince Edmund on the throne of Sicily was one such cause. It was a move that held no benefit to the realm of England, only to Edmund and Henry, and the nobles did not see why they should grant money to support a campaign that would offer themselves no benefit. Henry, by contrast, thought it was the duty of his subjects to support him in this or any other purpose he might envision.
In his defence, Henry did make efforts throughout his reign to overhaul the system of local government, though even then he stepped on too many noble toes, for the nobility had a vested interest in maintaining their own authority over the shires.
The conflict came to a head in 1258 when the so-called 'Mad Parliament' drew up a list of grievances called the Provisions of Oxford. These provisions called for sweeping changes in the organization of government, and proposed a system of councils to 'advise' the king in the execution of policy. Henry III had no choice but to sign the provisions, but it is doubtful whether he ever had any intention of honouring his promises.
The following year, 1259, the barons forced Henry to agree to hold hearings in every county, in which abuses by county sheriffs and other royal officials were investigated. As a result of these hearings a new document was drawn up, proposing radical reforms of common law which would offer greater protection to the rights of free men. This document, the Provisions of Westminster, formed the basis of English common law for the next several centuries. Once again, Henry signed the provisions under duress.
Henry then appealed to Pope Alexander IV for dispensation to repudiate both provisions. This the pope duly granted, and in 1262 Henry renounced his oaths to abide by the terms of the provisions. The rebels could not let this pass, and under pressure from the barons, Henry agreed to let King Louis IX of France mediate the dispute. Louis' judgment was issued at Amiens in January 1264, and was known as the Mise of Amiens. In the Mise, Louis sided entirely with Henry. Predictably, de Montfort repudiated the Mise of Amiens immediately, and armed conflict broke out.
We've mentioned de Montfort's unfortunate habit of alienating those of his fellow barons who might otherwise be tempted to support him. Many of those barons went over to the king's side, while de Montfort drew much of his support from the Commons and the towns, who saw him as a champion of their burgeoning rights.
THE COURSE OF THE CONFLICT
There were two major battles during the course of the Barons' War. The first was the Battle of Lewes in 1264. This ended in a decisive victory for de Montfort, and Henry and Prince Edward were captured.
With the king in his power, Simon de Montfort moved to summon what can truly be called England's first 'real' Parliament. He called to Westminster a Great Council, which included elected burgesses from selected boroughs. Though far from a modern democratic assembly, it was at least a first step towards representative government that included local representation.
This was not the first occasion upon which burgesses were called to Westminster, but on previous occasions they served merely a consultative role. For the first time these elected representatives exercised a legislative role, deciding and enacting policy.
But the royal faction did not give up without a fight. Prince Edward escaped from custody and joined royal supporters in the Welsh marches. De Montfort marched to join forces with his son at Kenilworth, in Warwickshire, to form a joint army which would outnumber Edward's men. Edward struck first and overwhelmed the younger de Montfort.
When the Earl of Leicester reached Evesham, instead of meeting his son's army, he was met by Prince Edward at the head of a superior force. In the ensuing Battle of Evesham, the rebel army was annihilated, and de Montfort was killed.
The rebel leader was dead, but not the rebel cause. Even those barons who had fought against Simon de Montfort had no intention of allowing Henry III to resume his autocratic ways. In truth, though, the king was a spent force, and the real ruler of the land was Prince Edward, later Edward I. And Edward was his own man, and wise enough to see that the way forward was not to try to roll back the clock to the days before the Provisions of Oxford, but to take reform forward in a way that consolidated the reforms of Simon de Montfort under a strong royal presence.
Within a few years of the Battle of Evesham, many of the reforms introduced by de Montfort had been ratified and entrenched in law. Edward created out of the aftermath of the Baron's War an England with a strong, and by the standards of the time, a just and responsible system of central government. It could be argued that though Simon de Montfort lost the war, and his life, his ideas and principles won were victorious.'
FYI LTC John Shaw 1SG Steven ImermanGySgt Gary CordeiroSgt Jim BelanusSGM Bill FrazerSGT Randell Rose[SGT Denny EspinosaA1C Riley SandersSSgt Clare MaySSG Robert WebsterCSM Chuck StaffordPFC Craig KarshnerSFC Bernard WalkoSPC Nancy GreenePVT Mark Zehner Lt Col Charlie BrownSP5 Dennis Loberger SSG Robert Mark Odom 1LT Peter DustonSPC Woody Bullard
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