Editing Henry III of England (section)

=== Second Barons' War ===
{{Main|Second Barons' War}}
[[File:Montfort Evesham.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|A 13th century depiction of the mutilation of [[Simon de Montfort]]'s body following the [[Battle of Evesham]] in 1265]]

Simon returned to England in April 1263 and convened a council of rebel barons in Oxford to pursue a renewed anti-Poitevin agenda.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=84–85}}</ref> Revolt broke out shortly afterwards in the Welsh Marches and, by October, England faced a likely civil war between Henry, backed by Edward, Hugh Bigod, and the conservative barons, and Simon, Gilbert de Clare, and the radicals.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=86–89}}; {{Harvnb|Carpenter|2004|pp=374–375}}</ref> The rebels leveraged concern among knights over abuse of Jewish loans, who feared losing their lands, a problem Henry had done much to create and nothing to solve.<ref name="Stacey 2003 53">{{Harvnb|Stacey|2003|p=53}}</ref> In each case following, the rebels employed violence and killings in a deliberate attempt to destroy the records of their debts to Jewish lenders.<ref>{{Harvnb|Huscroft|2006|pp=105–106}}</ref>

Simon marched east with an army and London rose up in revolt, where 500 Jews died.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=91–92}}</ref> Henry and Eleanor were trapped in the Tower of London by the rebels. The Queen attempted to escape up the [[River Thames]] to join Edward's army at Windsor but was forced to retreat by the London crowds.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=92–93}}</ref> Simon took the pair prisoners, and although he maintained a fiction of ruling in Henry's name, the rebels completely replaced the royal government and household with their own trusted men.<ref>{{Harvnb|Wild|2011|pp=41–42, 48}}</ref>

Simon's coalition quickly began to fragment, Henry regained his freedom of movement and renewed chaos spread across England.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|p=100}}</ref> Henry appealed to Louis of France for arbitration in the dispute, as had been laid out in the Treaty of Kingston; Simon was initially hostile to this idea, but, as war became more likely again, he decided to agree to French arbitration as well.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=100–103}}</ref> Henry went to Paris in person, accompanied by Simon's representatives.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|p=103}}</ref> Initially Simon's legal arguments held sway, but in January 1264, Louis announced the [[Mise of Amiens]], condemning the rebels, upholding the King's rights and annulling the Provisions of Oxford.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=13–105}}; {{Harvnb|Hallam|Everard|2001|p=283}}</ref> Louis had strong views of his own on the rights of kings over those of barons, but was also influenced by his wife, Margaret, who was Eleanor's sister, and by the Pope.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hallam|Everard|2001|p=283}}</ref>{{Efn|The wording of Louis's judgement in the case also appears to suggest that Louis believed that he had feudal authority over Henry, as a consequence of Henry having given homage to him for Gascony.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hallam|Everard|2001|p=337}}</ref>}} Leaving Eleanor in Paris to assemble mercenary reinforcements, Henry returned to England in February 1264, where violence was brewing in response to the unpopular French decision.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=107–109}}; {{Harvnb|Howell|2001|p=208}}</ref>

[[File:England and France 1259.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|England and France after the [[1259 Treaty of Paris]]]]
The [[Second Barons' War]] finally broke out in April 1264, when Henry led an army into Simon's territories in the Midlands, and then advanced south-east to re-occupy the important route to France.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=109–112}}</ref> Becoming desperate, Simon marched in pursuit of Henry and the two armies met at the [[Battle of Lewes]] on 14 May.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=113–115}}</ref> Despite their numerical superiority, Henry's forces were overwhelmed.<ref name=Jobson2012PP115>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=115, 117}}</ref> His brother Richard was captured, and Henry and Edward retreated to the local priory and surrendered the following day.<ref name=Jobson2012PP115/> Henry was forced to pardon the rebel barons and reinstate the Provisions of Oxford, leaving him, as historian Adrian Jobson describes, "little more than a figurehead".<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=117, 122}}</ref> With Henry's power diminished, Simon cancelled many debts and interest owed to Jews, including those held by his baronial supporters.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|p=132}} {{Harvnb|Hillaby|Hillaby|2013|pp=656–657}}</ref>{{Efn|"After Simon's victory at the battle of Lewes in May 1264, some 60 men received royal writs pardoning debts and interest owed to Jews. The beneficiaries included prominent supporters, such as John d'Eyville and Simon's own retainers."<ref>{{Harvnb|Hillaby|Hillaby|2013|pp=656–657}}</ref>}}

Simon was unable to consolidate his victory and widespread disorder persisted across the country.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=119–120}}</ref> In France, Eleanor made plans for an invasion of England with the support of Louis, while Edward escaped his captors in May and formed a new army with Gilbert de Clare, who switched sides to the royal government.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=120–121, 136–137}}</ref> He pursued Simon's forces through the Marches, before striking east to attack his fortress at [[Kenilworth]] and then turning once more on the rebel leader himself.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=138–141}}</ref> Simon, accompanied by the captive Henry, was unable to retreat and the [[Battle of Evesham]] ensued.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=140–142, 144}}</ref>

Edward was triumphant and Simon's corpse was mutilated by the victors. Henry, who was wearing borrowed armour, was almost killed by Edward's forces during the fighting before they recognised the King and escorted him to safety.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=140–146}}</ref> In places the now leaderless rebellion dragged on, with some rebels gathering at [[Kenilworth Castle]], which Henry and Edward took after a long siege in 1266.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|pp=149–152, 154–157}}</ref> They continued targeting Jews and their debt records.<ref name="Stacey 2003 53"/> The remaining pockets of resistance were mopped up, and the final rebels, holed up in the [[Isle of Ely]], surrendered in July 1267, marking the end of the war.<ref>{{Harvnb|Carpenter|2004|p=381}}; {{Harvnb|Jobson|2012|p=155}}</ref>