, Henry Iii

Henry III, King John''s son, was only nine when he became king. By 1227,when he assumed power from his regent, order had been restored, based onhis acceptance of Magna Carta. However, the king''s failed campaigns inFrance (1230 and 1242), his choice of friends and advisers, together withthe cost of his scheme to make one of his younger sons King of Sicily andhelp the Pope against the Holy Roman Emperor, led to further disputeswith the barons and united opposition in Church and State. AlthoughHenry was extravagant and his tax demands were resented, the king''saccounts show a list of many charitable donations and payments forbuilding works (including the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey which beganin 1245).The Provisions of Oxford (1258) and the Provisions ofWestminster (1259) were attempts by the nobles to define common law inthe spirit of Magna Carta, control appointments and set up anaristocratic council. Henry tried to defeat them by obtaining papalabsolution from his oaths, and enlisting King Louis XI''s help. Henryrenounced the Provisions in 1262 and war broke out. The barons, undertheir leader, Simon de Montfort, were initially successful and evencaptured Henry. However, Henry escaped, joined forces with the lords ofthe Marches (on the Welsh border), and finally defeated and killed deMontfort at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. Royal authority was restoredby the Statute of Marlborough (1267), in which the king also promised touphold Magna Carta and some of the Provisions of Westminster. [Royal]