Henry III was born in Winchester in 1207. Henry was very much attached to Winchester and often held his colourful Christmas courts there. He built the Great Hall that still stands there, and yet the city remains indifferent to his memory […]
Review of Henry III volume 2
Volume 2 of David Carpenter’s biography of Henry III for the Yale English Monarchs Series is out, and so is […]
The spare who didn’t whine all the time
The BBC has naturally weighed in on the controversy of the Spare memoir about to come out. Their correspondent writes that there are “historical templates” for the rivalry between royal siblings. “Think of Bad King John versus Good King Richard” in a “power struggle between brothers”. Completely laughable […]
Empress Isabella and her brothers
The sons of King John, Henry III and Richard of Cornwall, were close to their sister Empress Isabella, who died […]
Anniversary conference
Next Wednesday, the 16th of November, marks 750 years since Henry III died at his palace in Westminster. The legacy […]
William Marshal’s checkered legacy
The reign of King Henry III began on this day of the 28th of October in 1216. Just a nine-year-old […]
A difference of three decades
On the 20th of January in 1236, Eleanor of Provence was crowned queen of England. A mounted troop and the […]
Blandin of Cornwall
On this 14th of January in 1236, Henry III married Eleanor of Provence in Canterbury. A fanciful story has come […]
Death of Henry III
Henry III died on this day of 16 November in 1272 in his chamber at Westminster Palace. His last months […]
Authentic history
The annals of Tewkesbury reports that on this St Michael’s Day in 1258, Salisbury Cathedral was consecrated in the presence […]
Eleanor and Edward
Sometime in the late hours of this day in 1239, Eleanor of Provence gave birth to a boy she and […]
A little help from Tom and George
The battle of Lewes was fought on this day of 14 May in 1264. After being stomped about by Henry […]
Henry and Simon Part Two
Henry III and Simon de Montfort were about the same age, in their early twenties, both were unmarried and as […]
Henry and Simon Part One
So how did Simon (VI) de Montfort come to settle in England in the first place? The answer is a […]
Philip II de Montfort
When Charles of Anjou moved in to conquer the kingdom of Sicily in 1265, he chose Philip II de Montfort […]
Cousinicide
The de Montfort family of the 13th century held lordships from Wales to the Holy Land. That gave them ample […]
Thick bloodline
Historic adversaries Henry III (d. 1272) and Simon de Montfort (d. 1265) were actually kin twice over. They were both […]
War
On this day of 25 April in 1263 Simon (VI) de Montfort returned to England after nearly 18 months of […]
War or peace
April 23rd marks the greatest failure of Henry III’s 56 years on the throne. It is, of course, St George’s […]
Scottish heir
A son and heir to the throne of Scotland was born on this day of 21 January in 1264 to […]