Dictum of Kenilworth facts for kids
| Award of reconciliation between the king and the rebels of the Barons' War | |
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| Type | Edict, award |
| Signed | 31 October 1266 |
| Location | Kenilworth Castle |
| Effective | 14 December 1266 |
| Condition | Restoration of rebels' land, in exchange for fines. |
| Language | Latin |
The Dictum of Kenilworth was a special agreement made on October 31, 1266. It was created to help make peace between King Henry III and the rebels who had fought against him in the Second Barons' War.
This war was a big conflict in England. After a major battle in 1264, a powerful baron named Simon de Montfort took control of the government. But the next year, Montfort was killed in another battle, and King Henry III got his power back.
However, some rebels continued to fight. They held out in the very strong Kenilworth Castle. It was hard for the King's army to defeat them. So, instead of more fighting, a peace plan was made. The Dictum of Kenilworth allowed the rebels to get their lands back if they paid a fine. This agreement helped bring peace to England. It was later included in an important law called the Statute of Marlborough.
Why Was the Dictum Needed?
The Second Barons' War was a time when many powerful barons fought against King Henry III. In 1264, the rebel leader Simon de Montfort won the Battle of Lewes. He even captured King Henry III. For about a year, Montfort was in charge of England.
But Montfort's power didn't last. On August 4, 1265, Montfort's army faced Prince Edward (who later became King Edward I) and another powerful baron, the Earl of Gloucester. The Earl of Gloucester had switched sides to support the King. This battle, called the Battle of Evesham, was a huge victory for the King. Montfort was killed, and King Henry III was back in full control.
However, not all the rebels gave up. A group of them held out in Kenilworth Castle. This castle was incredibly strong and hard to attack. In the summer of 1266, the King's army tried to lay siege to the castle, but they couldn't capture it. There were even rumors that Montfort's son, Simon the Younger, might invade England.
Because of this ongoing resistance, a special church leader called Ottobuono Fieschi stepped in. He encouraged King Henry to try for peace instead of more fighting. So, in August, the King called a meeting at Kenilworth. He asked a group of important people to create a peace agreement.
What Was the Dictum of Kenilworth?
The group chosen to create the peace plan was very important. It included bishops, earls, and barons. They had until November 1st to come up with a solution. The plan they created was announced on October 31, 1266, and it became known as the Dictum of Kenilworth.
The main goal of the Dictum was to bring back the King's full authority. It said that old rules, like the Provisions of Oxford, which had limited the King's power, were no longer valid. It also made it clear that only the King could choose his government officials. In return, King Henry promised to follow important laws like the Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest.
At this time, some people were starting to see the dead rebel leader, Simon de Montfort, as a hero or even a saint. The King had to deal with this growing admiration.
Before the Dictum, many rebels had lost all their lands. The King had taken them. But the Dictum offered a way for them to get their lands back. It said they could buy back their lands by paying a fine. The amount of the fine depended on how involved they had been in the rebellion.
Normally, land was valued at ten times what it earned in a year. Most rebels had to pay half of this amount, which was five times the yearly income of their land.
Some rebels had to pay more. For example, Robert Ferrers, Earl of Derby, and Henry de Hastings (who commanded Kenilworth Castle) had to pay seven times their land's yearly value. People who encouraged the rebellion but didn't fight themselves paid two years' value. Those who were forced to fight, or played only a small part, paid one year's value. The money from these fines went to the King's supporters.
What Happened After the Dictum?
Even after the Dictum was announced, the rebels inside Kenilworth Castle didn't give up right away. They refused the terms. But by December 14, they were starving and had to surrender.
In April 1267, the Earl of Gloucester, who had helped the King win the Battle of Evesham and create the Dictum, actually turned against the King. He took over the city of London. He said he was fighting for the rebels who had lost their lands.
But after talks involving Prince Edward and the church leader Ottobuono, Gloucester agreed to a new deal. This new deal changed the Dictum a bit. It allowed the rebels to get their lands back before they paid their fines, which made it much easier for them.
By the summer of 1267, Prince Edward went to the Isle of Ely, where the last rebels were hiding. He forced them to surrender under terms that were also fair to them.
In November 1267, a new meeting was held at Marlborough. Here, an important law called the Statute of Marlborough was created. This statute included parts of the Dictum of Kenilworth. It covered how the King's power was restored and how peace was made between the King's loyal followers and the former rebels. The Statute of Marlborough became a key part of how England was governed. So, the ideas from the Dictum lived on in English law.
The peace and agreement that started with the Dictum of Kenilworth lasted for many years. It continued through the rest of King Henry III's rule and into the 1290s. In 1270, Prince Edward even felt safe enough to leave England and go on a crusade to the Holy Land. When his father died in 1272, Edward waited until 1274 before returning home to become the new King.
