Letting the French decide

Having missed his chance to bag his adversary along the Thames, Henry retreated to Windsor to draw up his letters requesting Louis to arbitrate. Simon had his ready on December 13, 1263, naming not a single member of the higher nobility among his supporters, and yet officially they were the barons. Henry’s list appeared three days later and showed to what extent the real barons had been cowed into submission. The Bigod brothers, the earls of Surrey and Hereford , all had been prominent reformers. Now they couldn’t care less what foolish thing Henry did at the instigation of the Savoyards, they just wanted peace. Henry did too, as always, but he no more sent his letters to Louis than he was conniving with Roger Mortimer to attack Montfort’s lands in the west to keep him from attending the arbitration. He knew it didn’t matter who Simon’s supporters were, the man was a host in himself and he was desperate to tie him up elsewhere.

The Council of Fifteen - Montfort, Mortimer et al., partners in reform
The Council of Fifteen – Montfort, Mortimer et al., partners in reform

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