Second Barons' War Worksheets
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Summary
- Causes of the Second Barons’ War
- Events of the war
- Aftermath of the Second Barons’ War
Key Facts And Information
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The Second Barons’ War was a civil war in England between Simon de Montfort, leading the barons, against Henry III. The war lasted from 1264 to 1267. The conflict arose from the council of barons' demand for reform of Henry III’s methods of government, worsened by widespread famine. The civil war ended with the defeat of de Montfort’s army and agreement with the Dictum of Kenilworth.
Causes of the Second Barons’ War
- Henry III, son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, was the King of England from 1216 to 1272. In the middle of the First Barons’ War, he ascended the throne following his father’s death. At the age of nine, he ruled under regency, particularly under the guardianship of William Marshal.
- Despite his minority, Henry was supported by the rebel barons and the papacy and had successfully secured the English throne against Prince Louis of France. Among his first actions to regain baronial support was the reissuance of a version of the Magna Carta. Louis’ claim to the throne ended with the Treaty of Lambeth in September 1217. Following the civil war, Henry III’s government faced challenges in rebuilding royal authority.
Coronation of Henry III
- In January 1227, Henry III assumed formal control of his government, but historians suggest that despite his coming of age, he was largely influenced by his advisers.
- In 1230, Henry launched an invasion of France against the 12-year-old king Louis IX. Unfortunately for the English, the initial campaign was unsuccessful. After avoiding an encounter in Normandy, Henry III’s troops went to Poitou, then Gascony, where he made a truce with Louis. While his campaign achieved nothing, it was costly.
- In 1232, Henry III’s chief minister, Hubert de Burgh, fell from power and was replaced by Peter des Roches, who had returned from the crusades. The shift in power created a baronial faction in Henry’s government, which ignited complaints and dissatisfactions, particularly from Richard Marshall, 3rd Earl of Pembroke.
- Under the advice of Edmund of Abingdon, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry ordered the dismissal of des Roches in 1234. The king was praised for his humility upon agreeing on a final settlement.
- Despite Henry III’s early attempts to avoid a civil war, his demands for extra finances, including punitive taxation on the Jewish people, and the general dissatisfaction with his governance did not prevent a constitutional crisis.
- Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, Henry’s brother-in-law through his sister Eleanor of England, among the Crown’s foreign councillors, led a council of dissident barons at Oxford.
- Reasserting the Magna Carta, Simon de Montfort and his group of barons forced Henry to give more power to the baronial council. In 1258, the Provisions of Oxford stipulated the abolition of the absolutist Anglo-Norman monarchy and the creation of a council of twenty-four barons to lead the government, including the formation of a parliament.
- In Henry’s attempt to restore and strengthen his position, he sought the support of Louis IX of France through the Treaty of Paris, signed on 4 December 1259. The treaty ushered in an era of peace between the constant rivals, England and France. Henry ceded the Duchy of Normandy, Maine, Anjou, Touraine, and Poitou. Meanwhile, Louis withdrew his support for the rebel barons and ceded the cities of Limoges, Périgueux, and Cahors, as well as some regions in Gascony.
- By 1261, the rift between the Crown and the barons further widened when Henry obtained a papal bull, which reasserted his control of the government. However, the tides turned with the death of Richard de Clare, Earl of Hertford and Gloucester and a supporter of Henry. He was succeeded by his son, Gilbert, also known as The Red Earl, who sided with Simon de Montfort.
- In April 1262, de Montfort met a council of dissident barons at Oxford. Followed by London, where they trapped Henry and his queen at the Tower of London.
- Under Henry’s name, de Montfort assumed control of the government. By January 1264, Louis IX of France issued the Mise of Amiens, which settled the conflict between Henry III and his rebel barons led by de Montfort. As the decision favoured Henry through the annulment of the Provisions of Oxford, the Second Barons’ War began.
Depiction of the Second Barons’ War
Events of the war
- In February 1264, de Montfort’s sons Henry and Simon the Younger began attacking royalist supporters along the Welsh border. Furthermore, he ordered the attacks on Jewish communities, including records of debts to moneylenders. The pogroms resulted in Jewish deaths in Worcester, London, Winchester, Lincoln, Cambridge, Canterbury, and Northampton.
- By April 1264, sieges had occurred in Rochester, Tonbridge, and Winchelsea. On 14 May, Henry was defeated at the Battle of Lewes. Along with his son and brother, Henry was taken prisoner. While in captivity, Henry’s role was reduced to a figurehead king. de Montfort then ruled the parliament as he announced the cancellation of all debt owed to the Jewish people.
- In May 1265, Prince Edward escaped from Hereford and quickly gathered a new royalist army at Worcester, including defectors, such as Gilbert de Clare and the Welsh Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.
- On 4 August, Edward’s army defeated de Montfort and his son at the Battle of Evesham. Amidst Henry III’s release, the rebels continued.
- By 21 June 1266, the Siege of Kenilworth, a stronghold of the rebel barons, began. After several months, on 31 October, the bishops and barons drafted a compromise known as the Dictum of Kenilworth. The proclamation secured the rebels' pardon and the reissuance of their confiscated lands upon payment of fines.
- Led by Gilbert de Clare, a revolt in London began in April 1267. By June, he reconciled with Henry following an amended version of the Dictum. The last group of defiant rebels at the Isle of Ely, around 15,000, surrendered by the summer of the same year.
Aftermath of the Second Barons’ War
- On 29 September 1267, Henry III acknowledged Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as Prince of Wales under the Treaty of Montgomery. The treaty also gave substantial land concessions to the Prince of Wales. However, the Anglo-Welsh relations later deteriorated after the succession of Edward I of England in 1272.
- After the civil war, Henry attempted to reverse de Montfort's anti-Jewish policies, but later faced pressure from the parliament.
- In November 1267, the Statute of Marlborough was issued, which limited the powers of local royal officials and the major barons. With 29 chapters, the statute covered issues on feudal rights, judicial procedure, landholding disputes, and abuses of power by local lords. While it presented several reforms, it neither revived the Provisions of Oxford’s baronial council nor permanently limited the king’s executive authority.
- On 16 November 1272, Henry III died of illness in Westminster. He was succeeded by his eldest son Edward I, also known as the Hammer of the Scots, who ruled England from 1272 to 1307.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Second Barons' War
- What was the Second Barons’ War?The Second Barons’ War (1264–1267) was a civil war in England between King Henry III and a group of rebel barons led by Simon de Montfort.
- What caused the war?The war was caused by baronial dissatisfaction with Henry III’s rule, heavy taxation, the presence of foreign advisers at court, and the king’s failure to uphold the Provisions of Oxford (1258), which limited royal power.
- Who was Simon de Montfort?Simon de Montfort was a powerful nobleman who led the rebellion against King Henry III. He aimed to limit the king’s authority and strengthen Parliament's role.