Henry de Montfort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry de Montfort
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| Born | November 1238 Kingdom of England
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| Died | 4 August 1265 (aged 26) |
| Burial place | Evesham Abbey |
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Sir Henry de Montfort (born November 1238 – died 4 August 1265) was an important figure in English history. He was the son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. Henry and his father played a big part in a fight between powerful nobles (called barons) and King Henry III.
Henry's mother was Princess Eleanor of England. She was the daughter of King John. Her marriage to Simon de Montfort made some English nobles unhappy. They worried about too much foreign influence in England. These same nobles later rebelled against the King.
Henry's Early Life
Henry's father, Simon de Montfort, led the English barons. They fought against King Henry III in a conflict known as the Second Barons' War. Simon was the younger son of another noble also named Simon de Montfort. His father was French and had lost his English titles.
The younger Simon traded his French family claims with his older brother. This allowed him to fully claim his English titles. He moved to England in 1229 to take his place. King Henry III liked Simon de Montfort. The King even allowed Simon to marry his sister, Eleanor of England. This marriage greatly raised Simon's social standing. It also worried many English nobles.
To show thanks to the King, Simon and Eleanor named their first son Henry.
The Barons' War: Henry's Role
Even though he was named after the King, Henry de Montfort joined his father. He sided with the nobles who were rebelling against King Henry III. This conflict was called the Second Barons' War. Henry's father, Simon, became the leader of this rebellion. He even became the unofficial ruler of England for a time.
In January 1264, Henry was chosen to represent the barons. He went to a meeting called the Mise of Amiens. When the agreements from this meeting were ignored, Henry was sent to protect the Welsh border. On February 28, he attacked and captured Worcester. Soon after, he took control of Gloucester.
However, when Prince Edward (the King's son) approached, Henry made a truce. He then went back to Kenilworth. Henry and his brother, Guy de Montfort, led the front lines at the battle of Lewes. This important battle happened on May 14, 1264. After the barons won, Henry received new important roles. On May 28, he became the constable of Dover Castle. He was also made Warden of the Cinque Ports and treasurer of Sandwich.
In 1265, the King's forces began to attack Gloucester. Henry de Montfort and Humphrey de Bohun were holding the King and Prince Edward as prisoners. They spent two weeks making the town and castle stronger.
Henry then went with his father to Evesham. They planned to meet up with Henry's younger brother, Simon de Montfort the Younger. But instead, they met Prince Edward. Prince Edward had tricked the younger de Montfort's army. He then marched under their captured Montfort flags. This was a clever trick to lure Henry and his father into a trap.
The final battle happened during a huge summer storm. It was dark with heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. Henry de Montfort was the first important noble to die in the battle. He was killed right in front of his father.
What Happened to Henry's Family
After Henry's death, the main fight fell upon his father, Simon de Montfort. Simon was a very experienced warrior. He fought bravely but was surrounded by too many enemies. He eventually fell, ending a famous family line of warriors.
Henry's brother, Simon, arrived at Evesham too late. He saw his father's head displayed on a spear. Another brother, Guy de Montfort, was captured during the battle. He was put in prison.
Guy later escaped and joined the younger Simon. They both fled to Europe. They found success working for Charles of Anjou. Later, they got revenge for their father and brother's deaths. They killed Henry of Almain, who was the King's nephew and their own cousin. This act happened in a church.
Another brother, Amaury de Montfort, also went to Italy. He was a church leader. He worked for the Pope before going with his sister Eleanor de Montfort to Wales. Eleanor was going to marry Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the Prince of Wales. Mercenaries working for King Edward captured Amaury and Eleanor. They were eventually set free, and Eleanor's marriage happened. Eleanor died on June 19, 1282, while giving birth to Gwenllian of Wales. Amaury went back to Europe and continued his work as a cleric. He died sometime after 1301.
Sources
- Maddicott, J.R. Simon de Monfort, 1996
- Henry de Montfort - the stuff of legends
| Preceded by Roger de Leybourne |
Lord Wardens of the Cinque Ports 1264 |
Succeeded by Matthew de Hastings |
Enrique de Montfort#top
