Simon de Montfort Facts & Worksheets

A nobleman of French ancestry and a member of the English peerage, Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester (also known as Simon V de Montfort), was born in France. He led the baronial rebellion against King Henry III of England, which culminated in the Second Barons’ War.

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Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE OF SIMON de MONTFORT

• Simon de Montfort was born in Montfort, Ile-de-France, France in 1208.
• He was the son of Simon de Montfort l’Amaury, who led the Crusade against the heretical Albigenses, and was born and raised in France.
• He played a significant role in the constitutional formation of England after his initial successes with the royal army made him the de facto ruler of the realm. He was regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern parliamentary democracy.
• De Montfort was the youngest son of Alix de Montmorency and Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, a French nobleman and crusader.
• With some education but a lack of knowledge of English, de Montfort arrived in England in 1229.
• King Henry III, who was sympathetic at the time to foreigners speaking French, the language of the English court, gave de Montfort a favorable ear. 
• Because Henry was in no position to challenge the powerful Earl of Chester, de Montfort went to the elder, childless man and persuaded him to give up the earldom. 
• Simon and Amaury, the two remaining brothers, reached a deal with King Henry in 1229 in which de Montfort relinquished his claims in France and Amaury surrendered his rights in England. 
• As a result of being freed from allegiance to the French king, de Montfort was able to successfully petition for the English inheritance, that he received the following year. 
• But he did not seize complete possession of it for several years and did not officially become the Earl of Leicester until February 1239.
• In 1236, he attempted to get Joan, the Countess of Flanders to marry him in the same year. 
• The French throne did not appreciate the concept of an alliance between the wealthy County of Flanders and a close friend of Henry III of England. 
• Instead, Joan was persuaded by the French Dowager Queen Blanche of Castile to wed Thomas II of Savoy instead.

RELATIONSHIPS AND MARRIAGE

• Despite having the king’s approval, de Montfort secretly married Eleanor of England in January 1238; she was the sister of King Henry III and the daughter of King John and Isabella of Angoulême. 
• The marriage gave de Montfort sovereignty of the Kentish manor of Sutton Valence.
• The King of England and de Montfort initially got along well.
• When de Montfort traveled to Rome in March 1238 to ask the Pope for permission to wed, Henry backed him up.
• Despite rumors, de Montfort and Eleanor’s first child was born in November 1238 more than nine months after their wedding, and he was given the name Henry in honor of his royal uncle.
• The Earldom of Leicester was finally granted to de Montfort in February 1239. 
• He served as the king’s advisor and was one of the nine godfathers of Prince Edward, Henry’s eldest son and the future Edward I (“Longshanks”), who would take the throne.

CAREER AND CONTRIBUTIONS

• In 1242, de Montfort left France and returned to England, joining Henry’s disastrous invasion of France. He distinguished himself by covering Henry’s escape following his defeat at Saintes. Reconciling with Henry and accepting Countess Eleanor’s dower claims’ unfavorable resolution, de Montfort established himself as the ruler of Kenilworth Castle, a royal grant.
• He developed a friendship with Lincoln’s bishop Robert Grosseteste, a radical reformer, and chose Adam de Marisco, an Oxford Franciscan, as his spiritual guide.
• De Montfort, who was known as a king’s man, was a member of the 12-person committee chosen to resolve the grave crisis between Henry and his enraged barons in 1244. 
• Additionally, he participated in a number of significant missions to the French, papal, and imperial courts, where he met and formed relationships with many powerful people.
• In 1261, de Montfort fled the land in despair after two parliaments that Henry disregarded.
• In 1263, the barons, who were aware of the king’s opposition to any type of reform, offered him a chance to return to England. To change the government, De Montfort staged a rebellion. 
• When Prince Edward used bribery to sway many of the barons against de Montfort, this strategy was successful for a while. Civil war broke out in 1264.
• Following a victory at the Battle of Lewes, de Montfort, who had led the revolt against King Henry III during the Second Barons’ War, became the de facto ruler of England 
• He convened two renowned parliaments while in power. The first reduced the king’s power, while the second allowed regular town residents to participate.

DEATH AND LEGACY

• On August 4, 1265, a foreboding dark cloud hung over the field of Evesham as de Montfort led his army in a vain attempt to overcome stronger opponents. 
• This battle was dubbed the “murder of Evesham, for there was none” by one writer.
• De Montfort was surrounded, and Roger Mortimer killed him by lancing him in the neck.
• “Thank God” is supposed to have been Montfort’s dying words. Other prominent members of his movement, such as Hugh Despenser and Peter de Montfort, were also killed with de Montfort.
• In the years after his death, pilgrims frequently paid a visit to de Montfort’s grave. Simon de Montfort was referred to as “one of the greatest Englishmen” by Napoleon Bonaparte. 
• This memory is honored with several local dedications earning him numerous eponymous titles. Both the adjoining De Montfort Hall performance venue and Leicester’s De Montfort University bear his name. These days, most people think of de Montfort as one of the founders of representative government. 
• His memory is honored with several local dedications earning him numerous eponymous titles. Both the adjoining De Montfort Hall performance venue and Leicester’s De Montfort University bear his name.
• Four statues adorn Leicester’s Haymarket Memorial Clock Tower, one of which is a statue of Montfort. The wall of the U.S. House of Representatives chamber is adorned with a relief of Montfort.
• The town of Hinckley, part of his earldom in Leicestershire, and many of its local organizations utilize Montfort’s banner, known as the “Arms of Honor of Hinckley,” which is described as blazoned Party per pale indented argent and gules and seen in stained glass at Chartres Cathedral.
• The banner is a component of the club emblem for the town’s football team, Hinckley A.F.C., together with his personal coat of arms.

Simon de Montfort Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Simon de Montfort across 27 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Simon de Montfort, a nobleman of French ancestry and a member of the English peerage. He led the baronial rebellion against King Henry III of England, which culminated in the Second Barons’ War. 

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Simon de Montfort Facts
2. C’mon and Find Me!
3. Light me with my Match
4. Word Pool
5. Choose Me Pick Me!
6. Defend Your Answer
7. Who’s Who?
8. Map All the Way
9. How Do You See Me?
10. Sum It All Up
11. Write and Reflect

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Simon de Montfort?

Simon de Montfort was a French-English nobleman and military leader, who played a key role in the conflict between King Henry III of England and the barons in the 13th century. He is best known for leading the rebellion against the king and for calling the first directly-elected parliament in medieval Europe.

What were Simon de Montfort’s main accomplishments?

Simon de Montfort’s main accomplishments include leading the baronial rebellion against King Henry III, which led to the calling of the first directly-elected parliament in medieval Europe. He also played a key role in the development of English common law, and was considered a champion of the rights of the common people. He also was a skilled military leader, who won several battles against the King’s army, such as the Battle of Lewes in 1264.

How did Simon de Montfort come to power?

Answer: Simon de Montfort came to power by leading the baronial rebellion against King Henry III. The barons, including de Montfort, were frustrated by the king’s lack of respect for their rights and privileges and by his mismanagement of the kingdom. They sought to limit the king’s power and to establish a more representative government.

What was Simon de Montfort’s role in the development of the English parliament?

Simon de Montfort played a crucial role in the development of the English parliament. He led the baronial rebellion against King Henry III, which resulted in the calling of the first directly-elected parliament in medieval Europe in 1265. This parliament, known as the “Model Parliament,” represented a major step forward in the development of representative government in England.

How did Simon de Montfort’s rebellion end?

Simon de Montfort’s rebellion against King Henry III came to an end with his defeat and death in the Battle of Evesham in 1265. He was killed during the battle and his followers were subsequently captured and executed. Despite his defeat, Simon de Montfort’s rebellion had a lasting impact on the development of English government and the rights of the common people.

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