Brooks Richard - Lewes and Evesham 1264-65: Simon de Montfort and the Barons War

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With grateful thanks to the following for their invaluable assistance: Eileen Brooks, Dave Carson, Marcus Cowper, Nigel Drury, Graham Evans, Graham Field, Jeff James, Chris Norris, Wendy and Peter Smith, and not least: the Portsmouth History Centre, Portsmouth Libraries and Archives for access to their Rolls Series collection.

Prices and Measurements: medieval England used a pre-decimal currency denominated in pounds, shillings and pence. There were 20 shillings in a pound, and 12 pence to the shilling. Large amounts were often expressed in marks worth 13s 4d (0.67). The text gives significant distances in miles and kilometres; lesser distances in yards and feet only (90cm and 30cm respectively).

Sources: the text refers to contemporary authorities by the abbreviated name of their supposed author or place of writing. See Further Reading for full titles. Translations from Latin are by the author.

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

The battles of Lewes and Evesham, fought in May 1264 and August 1265, were a shocking departure from the political norms of the day. The reign of Henry III (121672) was generally peaceful. English wars occurred in Wales or overseas, in Englands last Continental possession, Gascony. The last time English knights met in pitched battle on English soil was at Lincoln in 1217, when Henry was a boy of ten.

If Henrys reign was peaceful, it was hardly satisfactory. The conflict known as the Second Barons War of 126465, to distinguish it from the events of 121517, arose from longstanding political grievances. A pious and cultured man, Henry III was a feckless and divisive king. He obstinately defended his right to govern, while failing to do so effectively, or to engage the support of his natural counsellors, the baronial elite which controlled the countrys landed wealth. Instead, he favoured a succession of foreign adventurers, first the relatives of his wife, Eleanor of Provence, then his Lusignan half-brothers from Poitou, born of Henrys mothers second marriage.