Simon de Montfort Flashcards
1
Q
Describe Henry III’s rulership
A
- arbitrary
- extravagant
- strong-willed
- perpetually short of money
2
Q
When did Henry III lose wars with France?
A
- 1230
* 1242
3
Q
Where did Henry get his advice?
A
From a very small network, some of whom were his half-brothers from France, the Lusignans
4
Q
Describe the minor rebellion of 1233
A
- royal favourites were accused of making themselves rich at the expense of their rivals
- Henry forced to sack some of his officials
5
Q
Describe Parliaments between the 1230s and 1240s
A
- King’s Councils or ‘talking meetings’
- held more frequently
- to widen the tax network, counties sent delegates
6
Q
The grievances of the barons with Henry III:
A
- financial - always short of money and seeking more
- judicial - royal favourites appeared to receive preferential treatment
- ‘aliens’ meant that those outside of a small royal circle were excluded from power
- sheriffs favoured Henry rather than applying the law justly
7
Q
Describe the lead up to the Provisions of Oxford
A
- April 1258
- 7 major barons insisted a Council of 24 should rule alongside the king
- demanded an end to arbitrary rule
8
Q
Describe the Provisions of Oxford
A
- June 1258
- Henry forced to accept on account of the Magna Carta
- Simon de Montfort v influential
9
Q
Describe the short term significance of the Provisions of Oxford
A
- royal castles seized
- aliens removed from positions of power - many sent from country; their land was seized by the remaining barons (Simon de Montfort)
- caused fracturing between radical, moderate and conservative barons
10
Q
Describe Simon de Montfort
A
- born in France in 1208
- held land in both France and England
- 1230- came to England
- pious - frugal and wore hair shirt
- valued education
- close friend of Bishop Grosseteste of Lincoln
- principled, stood by oaths, strong character, military leader
11
Q
Describe the relationship between Henry and Simon
A
- 1231- paid homage to Henry
- 1234- attended Great Council
- 1238- married Eleanor, kings sister (Henry often didn’t have enough money to pay dowry, leaving Simon short of money, viewed as a personal injustice)
12
Q
Describe Simon’s military life
A
- 1242- persuaded to return home from crusade to fight in France
- 1248- made governor of Gascony
- led english armies and negotiations with french king
13
Q
Describe Simon on trial
A
- 1252- high-handed rule in Gascony
- 1260- peace treaty had been signed with french king; Henry no longer needed Simon
- Simon was acquitted, but lost prestige and felt slighted by the king
14
Q
Describe civil war
A
- May 1264- Battle of Lewes- Simon victorious
- Henry III and Edward (I) captured
- Simon was ruler, but he was high-handed
- his sons were money-grabbing
- thus he alienated many barons
- Edward escaped while exercising his horse, and became a focus for the opposition
15
Q
Describe the first meeting of the Commons
A
- January 1265
- knights from shires and burgesses from towns
- grievances were addressed in exchange for the right to tax them
- Magna Carta re-issued
16
Q
Describe the Battle of Evesham
A
- 8.30 a.m.
- 4th August 1265
- 18,000 knights and infantry led by Edward
- Simon de Montfort leads opposition
- tries to destroy cavalry, succeeds initially but then surrounded and mercilessly slaughtered
- Simon’s body hacked to pieces
- fleeing infantry pursued into town and to Evesham Abbey - 4,000 killed
- Simon is buried in Evesham abbey- miracles reported at the site of his death and burial
- 1267- reign becomes peaceful
17
Q
Remembrance of Simon
A
- some support him - Songs of Lewes says he ‘fought bravely for the English people’
- Simon said he had a duty to rebel against unjust kingship
- portrayed as a martyr for freedom
- either seen as pious visionary or would-be dictator
- the English rebel - ‘a very glamorous aristocratic rebel’
- 1965, 2015- appeared on stamps
- Leicester uni
