Simon de Montfort and the Battle of Lewes: The Birth of English Parliament

In 1264, England was on the brink of civil war. King Henry III's arbitrary rule and reliance on foreign favourites had pushed a coalition of barons to the breaking point. Led by the charismatic Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, the rebels demanded accountability through a radical new document: the Provisions of Oxford. This episode traces the dramatic road to the Battle of Lewes, where de Montfort captured Henry III and his son Prince Edward, and established a revolutionary parliament that included knights and burgesses for the first time. We explore the Mise of Amiens, the Song of Lewes, and the fleeting triumph of the baronial cause that ended at the Battle of Evesham. Learn how this rebellion shaped the future of English governance, laying the groundwork for the Model Parliament decades later. A story of idealism, ambition, and the high cost of reform. #SimonDeMontfort #BattleOfLewes #ProvisionsOfOxford #BaronsWar #HenryIII #MedievalEngland #EnglishParliament #BattleOfEvesham #MiseOfAmiens #PrinceEdward #SongOfLewes #DictumOfKenilworth #13thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #EuropeanHistory #Monarchy #Rebellion Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo