Siege of Kenilworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Kenilworth |
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| Part of Second Barons' War | |||||||
 Kenilworth Castle |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Royal forces | Baronial forces | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Henry III Prince Edward Prince Edmund John de Warenne |
Henry de Hastings Simon de Montfort the Younger |
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| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | c. 1,200 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown, all survivors captured | ||||||
The Siege of Kenilworth was a long battle that happened at Kenilworth Castle in England. It lasted for six months, from June to December 1266. This siege was a big part of the Second Barons' War. This war was like a civil war in England, fought between 1264 and 1267. One side was led by Simon de Montfort. The other side was the Royalist forces, led by Prince Edward, who later became King Edward I. The Siege of Kenilworth was one of the most important castle attacks during this war.
Kenilworth Castle's Strong Defenses
Kenilworth Castle was very hard to attack. Its design made the siege last a long time. The castle had many strong defenses. The most important one was a large dam to the south. A path called a causeway went across this dam. This path led from the castle entrance to its main parts.
Behind the dam was a huge artificial lake. This lake protected the castle's south and west sides. It made it very hard for attackers to get close by land. Deep ditches were dug along the north side. A second pool of water was on the east side of the causeway. All this water completely surrounded the castle.
The Great Siege Begins
The plan to attack Kenilworth Castle was delayed. It was supposed to start in December 1265. But it finally began on June 21, 1266. From that day on, the siege was very serious.
The castle had a large group of defenders. There were over a thousand men, probably around 1,200. They fought very hard to protect the castle. Outside the castle walls were the royal forces. King Henry III had called all his knights and soldiers to join. His sons, Prince Edward and Edmund, were also there. They had been trying to keep the castle's defenders trapped since the previous autumn.
The attack on Kenilworth Castle was the biggest siege ever in England. The royal army tried many different ways to break in. They brought many stone-throwing machines. These were likely trebuchets, which are giant catapults. They also built "turres ligneas," which means wooden towers.
One strange machine they built was called an "ursus," or "bear." It had separate areas for archers to shoot from. They even sent barges from Chester. These boats tried to attack the castle from the lake. But none of these efforts worked against Kenilworth's strong defenses.
The Dictum of Kenilworth: A Peace Agreement
Archbishop William Freney tried to talk to the people inside the castle. He wanted to negotiate a surrender. But the defenders would not let him in.
However, time was the only weapon the attackers needed. The long wait finally paid off. The people inside the castle started to run out of food. Many also became sick from disease. Because of this, they finally gave up on December 13, 1266.
They agreed to the terms of the Dictum of Kenilworth. This was a special agreement that helped end the fighting. Later, parts of this agreement became part of the Statute of Marlborough. Four chapters of this law are still used in English law today.
