Second Barons' War - Course of The War

Course of The War

The charismatic de Montfort and his forces had captured most of southeastern England by 1263 and at the Battle of Lewes in 1264, Henry was defeated and taken prisoner by de Montfort's army. While Henry was reduced to a figurehead king, de Montfort broadened parliamentary representation to include groups beyond the nobility, members from each county of England and many important towns. Henry and Edward continued under house arrest. The short period which followed was the closest England was to come to complete abolition of the monarchy until the Commonwealth period of 1649–1660, and many of the barons who had initially supported de Montfort began to suspect that he had gone too far with his reforming zeal.

Only fifteen months later de Montfort's gains were reversed when Edward Longshanks escaped captivity to lead the royalists into battle again, defeating and killing de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. His son, Simon, attempted a negotiated surrender but it was rejected by de Montfort loyalists. The impasse culminated in the six-month Siege of Kenilworth at which the King prevailed. De Montfort's forces were permitted to leave the castle with their weapons and horses.

Following this victory, savage retribution was exacted on the rebels and authority was restored to King Henry. The casualties of the war are estimated at 15,000.