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Second Barons’ War Facts & Worksheets

The Second Barons' War was a civil war in England between Simon de Montfort with other barons and King Henry III's forces.

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The Second Barons’ War (1264–1267) was a civil war in England between the armies of a group of barons commanded by Simon de Montfort versus King Henry III’s royalist forces. The barons wanted the king to rule with a council instead of his favorites.

See the fact file below for more information on the Second Barons’ War or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Second Barons’ War worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • Before the war, the barons, who were very wealthy and powerful landowners with armies, were becoming increasingly angry at how Henry III ruled England. 
  • Henry’s ideas were expensive and not very good. Plus, he was advised by favorites rather than experts. To make matters worse, the country was experiencing a famine at the time.
  • In 1258, the barons tried to get Henry III to agree to the Provisions of Oxford which enforced the Magna Carta. The provisions stated that the barons would provide Henry III with financial support if he followed the Magna Carta. 
  • The terms of the agreement were meant to force royal accountability, keep the king’s power in check, and to establish a council of barons to oversee Henry’s rule.
  • Henry III did not follow the rules, which left the barons no choice but to eventually go to war with him. 
  • The barons would be led by Simon de Montfort. Simon was the 6th Earl of Leicester. He was originally from France and married the king’s sister, Eleanor, without his permission. He became a noble and influencer of the king.
  • The barons did not like him because he was a foreign advisor to the king. But he gained favor when he switched sides and led the barons during the war.
  • Henry III did not like the restraints on his power, so in 1259 he asked King Louis IX of France for his support. To make this happen, Henry III would need to give up land in France and pay homage to Louis IX. Louis showed his support in 1264 by declaring the Provisions of Oxford unlawful.
  • This was the spark that caused some barons to rebel and take up arms against the king.

EVENTS OF THE SECOND BARONS’ WAR

  • Violence had begun to break out across England including the persecution of Jewish people.
  • On 14 May 1264, the first official battle of the Second Barons’ War began in Sussex. It was called the Battle of Lewes.
  • It was one of the two main battles of the war and when Simon de Montfort was very popular.
  • The barons were victorious at this battle and Henry III fled for safety. The barons made Henry sign a settlement, which gave many of his powers to de Montfort. Simon then became known as the “uncrowned King of England”. 
  • As the new leader, de Montfort established a Parliament in January 1265. This is seen as the foundation of modern Parliament because it included representatives from counties, cities, and towns. 

THE FALL OF SIMON DE MONTFORT

  • As ruler of England, Simon started off popular because he implemented many of the guidelines in the Magna Carta. 
  • He ensured that the Parliament was representative in ways that it had never been before.
  • He also declared that all debt owed to Jewish money lenders was cancelled.
  • Not all the barons were on the side of de Montfort. Some found him too radical and others were loyalists. So when Henry III’s son, Prince Edward escaped from captivity after being captured at the Battle of Lewes, a force was built to overthrow de Montfort.
  • The second major battle of the Second Barons’ War came next. This was called the Battle of Evesham, in Worcestershire, and took place on 4 August 1265.
  • Unfortunately for de Montfort, several powerful barons and former allies defected to Prince Edward. De Montfort and his son were captured and killed.

THE FINAL YEARS OF THE WAR

  • Even though Simon was dead, Henry III was freed, and the royalists were back in the dominant position, the war and violence still went on for two more years.
  • The rebels had created a stronghold in Kenilworth and continued to defend it.
  • To try and bring the conflict to an end, Henry had a settlement drawn up called the Dictum of Kenilworth. It was issued in October 1266.
  • The settlement said that rebel barons would get their confiscated lands back if they paid a big fine. 
  • Only in December and because of hunger did the rebels holding Kenilworth surrender and accept the terms. 
  • The settlement became law in 1267 and was called the Statute of Marlborough.
  • There was still one more rebellion before the war ended, however.
  • In April 1267, a powerful Lord named Gilbert de Clare staged a revolt and occupied London. He was very unhappy with the terms of the Dictum of Kenilworth and used his powerful army to take over London. 
  • It took two months for Henry to negotiate a deal that made the Dictum more fair. From then on, barons would be able to get their lands back before fully paying back their fines.

BATTLED AND SIEGES OF THE SECOND BARONS’ WAR

  • 1264 – April The Battle of Northampton was fought between King Henry VIII and his son Prince Edward (later King Edward I) and supporters of Simon de Montfort, led by his son Simon.
  • 1264 – April Rochester Castle was besieged for the third time in its existence during the 2nd Barons’ War (1264–1267). The royal constable, Roger de Leybourne, held Rochester in support of Henry III.
  • 14 May 1264 The Battle of Lewes, which took place on May 14, 1264, was the first of two major confrontations of the 2nd Barons’ War. It was the pinnacle of Simon de Montfort’s career, elevating him to the title of “uncrowned King of England”.
  • 1264 – 1265 Pevensey Castle was a powerful fortress on England’s south coast and a critical strategic location. The defeated royalist army withdrew to Pevensey after Simon de Montfort’s noteworthy victory at the Battle of Lewes.
  • 4 August 1265 The Battle of Evesham was the second of the two main battles of the Second Barons’ War. It was a triumph for Prince Edward, who commanded Henry III’s 8,000-strong force against Simon de Montfort’s 6,000.

Second Barons’ War Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Second Barons’ War across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Second Barons’ War which was a civil war in England between the armies of a group of barons commanded by Simon de Montfort versus King Henry III’s royalist forces.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Second Barons’ War Fact File
  • Second Barons’ War Timeline
  • Rise Against the King
  • I Am The Ruler!
  • Simon De Montfort vs. King Henry III 
  • News Report
  • The People
  • The Battle of Lewes
  • Battle and Siege
  • Second Barons’ War
  • What Are Your Thoughts

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Link will appear as Second Barons’ War Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 11, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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