General Notes

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REF: British Monarchy Official Website:  Henry III (reigned1216-1272), John's son, was only nine when he became king. By 1227,when he assumed power from his regent, order had been restored basedon his acceptance of Magna Carta. However, the king's failed campaignsin France, his choice of foreigners as friends and advisers, togetherwith the cost of his scheme to make one of
his younger sons king of Sicily and help the Pope against the HolyRoman Emperor, led to further disputes with the barons and unitedopposition in Church and State. The Provisions of Oxford (1258) andthe Provisions of Westminster (1259 were attempts by the nobles tocurb the king's power, control appointments and set up an aristocraticcouncil. Henry renounced the Provisions in 1264 and war broke out. Thebarons under their leader, Simon de
Montfort, were initially successful, but Henry and his son, Edward,finally defeated and killed de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham in1265.  Royal authority was restored by the Statute of Marlborough(1267), in which the king also promised to uphold Magna Carta and someof the Provisions of Westminster.

REF: Sharon Kay Penman "Falls the Shadow":  In April 1258, Henry'sbrother Richard of Cornwall sent 50 ships of grain from Germany (whereRichard was chasing the elusive crown of Germany) to London to helpalleviate the famine, Henry siezed the ships & tried to sell them atinflated prices.  This enraged the general populace of London, Henrybacked down but they remained bitter. After Henry reconciled withPrince Edward through the mediation of Richard of Cornwall (Henrythought Edward was plotting with Simon de Montfort), Henry attemptedto try de Montfort on charges of perjery & "lesse-majeste".  TheBarons on the King's Council baulked & Louis IX was dismayed byHenry's bad faith, & sent the Archbishop of Rouen to defend deMontfort,  Henry backed off.  In June 1261 Henry borrows from hisfather John's tricks & gets the Pope to annul the Oxford Provisions,even as John did with the Magna Charta.  The Barons nearly revolt overthis, with even Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, siding with deMontfort. Later, de Clare defects from de Montfort & comes to a"private understanding" with Henry & de Montofrt's "common enterprise"unravels.  Simon withdraws to France.  In July 1262, Henry follows deMontfort into France & tries to have him arraigned before the FrenchKing, Louis IX, but the attempt fails. Simon returns to England April1263, which most felt meant a precursor to war.  May 1263 the deMontfort supporters meet & vow all  are enemies who do not support theProvisions save the King & his family.  Henry held fast, the barons'discontent flared into violence & Simon's supporter the Earl of Derbysacked the town of Worcester & burned the Jewry. May 1263 the youngEarl of Gloucester led an Army west & captured the Bishop of Hereford,the most hated of the foreign advisors to Henry III then left afterthe expulsion of the de Lusignans.  He threw the Bishop into prison,laid siege to the royal castle at Gloucester, where de Montfortassumed command.  The army then went north to Bridgenorth, where theycoordinated their attack with Llywelyn ap Gruffydd; the twon & castlesurrendered. de Montfort then headed south for London, where apanicked Henry took refuge in the Tower. In June 1263 Prince Edward'sforeign Flemish troops burned Bristol; the populace rose up & besiegedhim & his army in the castle. The Bishop of Worcester placated thetownsfolk by taking Edward's pladge to make peace with de Montfort &the barons (which Edward had no intention of honoring his pledge).  InOctober 1263 Richard Duke of Cornwall (Henry's brother) son Henrydefected to Montfort. Simon received a triumphal entry into LondonJuly 1263 & Henry capitulated at the Tower of London on July 13, 1263.

Reigned 1216-1272. A minor when he took the throne he did not take thereigns
of Government himself until 1234. Baronian discontent simmered,boiling over
in 1258