Second Barons' War
Encyclopedia
The Second Barons' War (1264–1267) was a civil war
in England
between the forces of a number of baron
s led by Simon de Montfort
, against the Royalist forces led by Prince Edward (later Edward I of England
), in the name of Henry III
.
's demands for extra finances, but which marked a more general dissatisfaction with Henry's methods of government on the part of the English barons, discontent which was exacerbated at a more popular level by widespread famine
.
French-born Simon de Montfort
had originally been one of the foreign upstarts so loathed by many lords as Henry's foreign councillors, but having inherited through his mother the English title Earl of Leicester
, he married Henry’s sister Eleanor without consulting Henry: a feud developed between the two. Their relationship reached a crisis in the 1250s, when de Montfort was put on trial for actions he took as lieutenant of Gascony
, the last remaining Plantagenet lands across the English Channel
.
Henry also became embroiled in funding a war against the Hohenstaufen
in Sicily
on behalf of Pope Innocent IV
in return for the Hohenstaufen title King of Sicily for his second son Edmund, duly invested 14 May 1254, a state of affairs which made many barons fearful that Henry was following in the footsteps of his father King John
and, like him, needed to be kept in check. When Henry's treasury ran dry, Innocent withdrew the title, and in regranting it to Charles of Anjou in effect negated the sale.
Simon, earl of Leicester, became leader of those who wanted to reassert the Magna Carta
and force the king to surrender more power to the baronial council. In 1258, initiating the move toward reform, seven leading barons forced Henry to agree to the Provisions of Oxford
, which effectively abolished the absolutist Anglo-Norman
monarchy, giving power to a council of twenty-four barons to deal with the business of government and providing for a great council in the form of a parliament
every three years, to monitor their performance.
Henry was forced to take part in the swearing of a collective oath to uphold the Provisions of Oxford. In the following years, those supporting de Montfort, including his circle of Franciscan
advisors centered on Adam Marsh
, and those loyal to the king grew more and more polarised; Henry obtained a papal bull
in 1261 exempting him from his oath, and both sides began to raise armies, the Royalists under Edward Longshanks, Henry's eldest son. A civil war followed.
in 1264, Henry was defeated and taken prisoner by de Montfort's army. While Henry was reduced to a figurehead king, de Montfort broadened parliamentary representation to include groups beyond the nobility, members from each county
of England and many important towns. Henry and Edward continued under house arrest. The short period which followed was the closest England was to come to complete abolition of the monarchy until the Commonwealth
period of 1649–1660, and many of the barons who had initially supported de Montfort began to suspect that he had gone too far with his reforming zeal.
Only fifteen months later de Montfort's gains were reversed when Edward Longshanks escaped captivity to lead the royalists into battle again, defeating and killing de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham
in 1265. His son, Simon
, attempted a negotiated surrender but it was rejected by de Montfort loyalists. The impasse culminated in the six-month Siege of Kenilworth
at which the King prevailed. De Montfort's forces were permitted to leave the castle with their weapons and horses.
Following this victory, savage retribution was exacted on the rebels and authority was restored to King Henry. The casualties of the war are estimated at 15,000.
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
in England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
between the forces of a number of baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
s led by Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
, against the Royalist forces led by Prince Edward (later Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
), in the name of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
.
Causes
The reign of Henry III is most remembered for the constitutional crisis in this period of civil strife, which was provoked ostensibly by Henry IIIHenry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
's demands for extra finances, but which marked a more general dissatisfaction with Henry's methods of government on the part of the English barons, discontent which was exacerbated at a more popular level by widespread famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
.
French-born Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
had originally been one of the foreign upstarts so loathed by many lords as Henry's foreign councillors, but having inherited through his mother the English title Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
, he married Henry’s sister Eleanor without consulting Henry: a feud developed between the two. Their relationship reached a crisis in the 1250s, when de Montfort was put on trial for actions he took as lieutenant of Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
, the last remaining Plantagenet lands across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
Henry also became embroiled in funding a war against the Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
on behalf of Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
in return for the Hohenstaufen title King of Sicily for his second son Edmund, duly invested 14 May 1254, a state of affairs which made many barons fearful that Henry was following in the footsteps of his father King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
and, like him, needed to be kept in check. When Henry's treasury ran dry, Innocent withdrew the title, and in regranting it to Charles of Anjou in effect negated the sale.
Simon, earl of Leicester, became leader of those who wanted to reassert the Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
and force the king to surrender more power to the baronial council. In 1258, initiating the move toward reform, seven leading barons forced Henry to agree to the Provisions of Oxford
Provisions of Oxford
The Provisions of Oxford are often regarded as England's first written constitution ....
, which effectively abolished the absolutist Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
monarchy, giving power to a council of twenty-four barons to deal with the business of government and providing for a great council in the form of a parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
every three years, to monitor their performance.
Henry was forced to take part in the swearing of a collective oath to uphold the Provisions of Oxford. In the following years, those supporting de Montfort, including his circle of Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
advisors centered on Adam Marsh
Adam Marsh
Adam Marsh was an English Franciscan, scholar and theologian.-Biography:He was born about 1200 in the diocese of Bath, and educated at Oxford under the famous Grosseteste....
, and those loyal to the king grew more and more polarised; Henry obtained a papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
in 1261 exempting him from his oath, and both sides began to raise armies, the Royalists under Edward Longshanks, Henry's eldest son. A civil war followed.
Course of the war
The charismatic de Montfort and his forces had captured most of southeastern England by 1263 and at the Battle of LewesBattle of Lewes
The Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264...
in 1264, Henry was defeated and taken prisoner by de Montfort's army. While Henry was reduced to a figurehead king, de Montfort broadened parliamentary representation to include groups beyond the nobility, members from each county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of England and many important towns. Henry and Edward continued under house arrest. The short period which followed was the closest England was to come to complete abolition of the monarchy until the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
period of 1649–1660, and many of the barons who had initially supported de Montfort began to suspect that he had gone too far with his reforming zeal.
Only fifteen months later de Montfort's gains were reversed when Edward Longshanks escaped captivity to lead the royalists into battle again, defeating and killing de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham
Battle of Evesham
The Battle of Evesham was one of the two main battles of 13th century England's Second Barons' War. It marked the defeat of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and the rebellious barons by Prince Edward – later King Edward I – who led the forces of his father, King Henry III...
in 1265. His son, Simon
Simon VI de Montfort
Simon de Montfort "the younger" or Simon VI de Montfort was the second son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester and Eleanor of England....
, attempted a negotiated surrender but it was rejected by de Montfort loyalists. The impasse culminated in the six-month Siege of Kenilworth
Siege of Kenilworth
The Siege of Kenilworth was a six-month siege on the Kenilworth Castle and a battle of the Second Barons' War. The siege was a part of an English civil war fought from 1264 to 1267 by the forces of Simon de Montfort against the Royalist forces led by Prince Edward .The siege was one of few castle...
at which the King prevailed. De Montfort's forces were permitted to leave the castle with their weapons and horses.
Following this victory, savage retribution was exacted on the rebels and authority was restored to King Henry. The casualties of the war are estimated at 15,000.
Timeline
- 1261 – King Henry III of England obtains a papal bull releasing him from the Provisions of Oxford
- 1264 – Before May – The war officially begins.
- 1264 – 14 May – The Battle of LewesBattle of LewesThe Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264...
is fought between Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and King Henry III of England in SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. By the end of the battle, de Montfort's forces capture both King Henry and his son, future King Edward I, making de Montfort the "uncrowned king of England". - 1265 – 20 January – In WestminsterWestminsterWestminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, the first English parliament conducts its first meeting in the Palace of WestminsterPalace of WestminsterThe Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, now also known as the Houses of Parliament. - 1265 – 28 May – Future King Edward I of England escapes captivity at the hands of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester.
- 1265 – 4 August – The Battle of EveshamBattle of EveshamThe Battle of Evesham was one of the two main battles of 13th century England's Second Barons' War. It marked the defeat of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and the rebellious barons by Prince Edward – later King Edward I – who led the forces of his father, King Henry III...
is fought in WorcestershireWorcestershireWorcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, with the army of Edward defeating the forces of rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort and killing de Montfort and many of his allies. - 1266 – October – The war winds down as supporters of the slain Simon de Montfort make an offer of peace to the king in the Dictum of KenilworthDictum of KenilworthThe Dictum of Kenilworth, issued 31 October 1266, was a pronouncement designed to reconcile the rebels of the Barons' War with the royal government of England. After the baronial victory at the Battle of Lewes in 1264, Simon de Montfort took control of royal government, but at the Battle of Evesham...
. - 1267 – The war ends, as the rebels and King Henry III of England agree to peace terms as laid out in the Dictum of Kenilworth.