Gayle Eden (28 page)

In 1261, Henry revoked his assent to the Provisions, and de Montfort, left the country.

Simon de Montfort returned in 1263, at the invitation of the barons, who were convinced of the king's hostility to all reform; and raised a rebellion with the avowed object of restoring the form of government, which the Provisions had ordained. The royalists were at his mercy; but he made the mistake of accepting Henry's offer to abide by the arbitration of Louis IX of France. At Amiens, in January 1264, the French king decided that the Provisions were unlawful and invalid.

De Montfort, remained in England to prepare for the ruling, at once resumed the war—thus exposed himself to accusations of perjury, from which he can only be defended on the supposition that he had been led to hope for a compromise. Supported by the towns and a few younger barons, he triumphed by superior generalship at the Battle of Lewes on May 14, 1264—king, Prince Edward, and Richard of Cornwall fell into his hands. De Montfort used his victory to set up the government...

He simultaneously promulgated for establishing a thorough parliamentary control over the executive, not excepting the triumvirs. The Parliament of 1265 (De Montfort's Parliament. De Montfort sent out representatives to each county to a select list of boroughs, asking each to send two representatives .boroughs. a right to elect a member grew over the centuries as monarchs gave out more Royal Charters.

The right to vote in Parliamentary elections for county constituencies was uniform throughout the country, granting a vote to all those who owned the freehold of land to an annual rent of 40 shillings (‘Forty-shilling Freeholders’). Reaction against his government was baronial rather than popular—the Welsh Marcher Lords resented Montfort's alliance with Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, Prince of Wales. Little consideration for English interests is shown in the Treaty of Pipton which sealed that alliance on June 22, 1265.

Barons who had initially supported him now started to feel that Montfort's reforms were going too far. His many enemies turned his triumph into disaster. Prince Edward escaped, and Montfort's ally, Thomas de Clare, abandoned him and took with him his garrison.

Montfort's forces were severely depleted. Prince Edward attacked the Montfort forces at Kenilworth, capturing more of Montfort's allies. Montfort crossed the Severn with his army, intending to rendezvous with his son Simon. He saw the army awaiting him at Evesham, and assumed his son led it. However, the army belonged to Prince Edward, flying the Montfort banners.

Simon de Montfort was trapped. He died August 4, 1265 at the battle of Evesham, was buried at the nearby Evesham Abbey.

(The event) De Montfort and his army were awaiting the army led by his second son, Simon. He saw his son's banners flying high and began to hope; with the two armies, they had a fighting chance to claim England. However, his son had been ambushed. Prince Edward, Henry's son, led the army carrying de Montfort's stolen banners. From within the church of Evesham, de Montfort and his army led a final charge to their death.

After a charge uphill against superior forces, Simon's army was destroyed; the battle was quoted as the "murder of Evesham, for battle it was none.”

Simon's body was cut up and different parts sent to the Lords who had accomplished the most. His head hung on London Bridge until it rotted. Such remains as could be found were buried under the altar of Evesham Abbey by some clerks. It was visited as holy ground by many commoners until King Henry caught wind of it. He declared that Simon deserved no spot on holy ground and had his remains buried under an insignificant tree. The remains of some of his soldiers were found in the nearby village of Cleeve Prior after fleeing from the battle of Evesham. His last words were said to have been "Now it is time to die!"

(Note) Despite attempts to surrender, most of the baronial rebels were killed on the battlefield rather than taken prisoner and ransomed, as was the common practice. Montfort's son Henry was killed first, and then Simon himself lost his horse and died fighting. His body was mutilated; his head, hands, feet and testicles cut off. King Henry had been in the custody of Montfort, dressed up in his colors, was barely rescued from the mêlée by Roger de Leybourne, a converted rebel. All those who had taken part in the rebellion were disinherited.

Though the uprising of the younger Simon Montfort in Lincolnshire was over by Christmas resistance remained. The garrison encamped at the virtually impregnable Kenilworth Castle, and a siege started in the summer of 1266 seemed futile. By the end of October, the royals drew up the so-called Dictum of Kenilworth, whereby rebels were allowed to buy back their land at prices dependent on their level of involvement in the rebellion. The defenders of the castle turned down the offer at first, but by the end of the year conditions had become intolerable, and in 1267, the Dictum was agreed upon.

End notes—A more romantic legacy; Roger Godberd, one of de Montfort's captains—survived Evesham, fought on until his capture in 1272 as a bandit or rebel in and around the Sherwood Forest area. Godberd is one candidate for being the character around whom the Robin Hood legend is based. (You will meet a figure very like this, in book 2)

The Tower of London, Knights, weapons, combat, and everything medieval http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/societies.html

Medieval women http://www8.georgetown.edu/departments/medieval/labyrinth/subjects/women/women.html

Women warriors http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/women.html

Dictum of Kenilworth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictum_of_Kenilworth

HenryIII of England http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_III_of_England (See also Prince Edward I)

Other research links can be found at my website www.evesromance.com

Two books used in general research” Life in a Medieval Castle. Life in a Medieval Village. Joseph and Francis Guies.