Battle of Evesham

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The first battle of Evesham (4th of August, 1265) was fought between the armies of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester,[1] and Lord Edward (later King Edward the First, also known as William Longshanks). It is considered the confrontation that ultimately decided the outcome of the Barons' War of 1264-1267.[2]

For a period of time, the barons of England, led by Simon de Montfort, in a civil war unseated the King of England in the late 13th century, held the King and his son prisoner and attempted to rule England through a council of the English barons.[3]

Less than six months after the war had started, on May 14th, 1264, Simon de Montfort defeated Henry the III’s forces at the Battle of Lewes and took both Henry and Edward prisoner.

Edward was later to escape captivity [4] and began building an army of those originally opposed to Montfort and those who had turned on him.

The Battle of Evesham did not bring the Barons’ War to a conclusion. Hostilities continued until 1267. It was a decisive victory for Edward, however, with the near annihilation of Montfort’s forces, the death of Montfort and his son, Henry de Montfort, and many of his supporters. Montfort had also taken his prisoner, Henry of Winchester (King Henry the III and Edward’s father) along with him to the battle. Henry III was rescued during the battle, reputedly by Roger Leybourne, one of Edward’s supporters.[5][6]

# Notes[edit]

1. ↑ Evesham: Aftermath & Assessment de Montfort is often considered to be the Father of the English Parliament. UK Battledields Resource Centre
2. ↑ The First Barons' War of 1215–1217 was fought against King John of England when he renounced the Magna Carta
3. ↑ The Evesham Campaign UK Battlefields Resource Centre
4. ↑ Simon de Montfort's Rebellion 1265 Matthew of Westminster, Medieval Sourcebook. Edward did this by a combination of buying his freedom and outwitting his captors
5. ↑ Edward I (1239 - 1307) BBC History
6. ↑ Battle of Evesham 4th August 1265 UK Battlefields Resource Centre