Review: Crusaders and Revolutionaries: De Montfort by Darren Baker

Synopsis: One of the families that dominated the thirteenth century were the de Montforts. They arose in France, in a hamlet close to Paris, and grew to prominence under the crusading fervour of that time, taking them from leadership in the Albigensian wars to lordships around the Mediterranean. They marry into the English aristocracy, join the crusade to the Holy Land, then another crusade in the south of France against the Cathars.The controversial stewardship of Simon de Montfort (V) in that conflict is explored in depth. It is his son Simon de Montfort (VI) who is perhaps best known. His rebellion against Henry III of England ultimately establishes the first parliamentary state in Europe.

The decline of the family begins with Simon’s defeat and death at Evesham in 1265. Initially they revive their fortunes under the new king of Sicily, but they scandalise Europe with a vengeful political murder. By this time it is the twilight of the crusades era and the remaining de Montforts either perish or are expelled. Eleanor de Montfort, the last Princess of Wales, dies in childbirth and her daughter is raised as a nun.

I had been drawn to the de Montforts many years ago, long before this book was quite possibly conceived, so was immediately attracted to the fact that the focus of this was on the family themselves, particularly as pertaining to the remnants of the family post Evesham.

The de Montforts appeared on the political scene during the crusading era, and were, for all intents and purposes, enthusiastic in their support. This did not necessarily mean that they were always in agreeance with motivations of those pulling the strings, however, it may help us to understand the religious fervour of later generations.

They were a family with their collective fingers in many political pies - their ties with other notable and powerful families as well as the crowns of both England and France, I feel, had been long forgotten until now as Baker weaves all the threads together into one tome. The de Montforts' connections - socially, politically and familially - often saw them at odds with each other, despite the fact that they were an extremely tight-knit family collective - and Baker demonstrates this well.

There is ample research done of the early de Montforts but the focus will always be on father and son - Simon V and Simon VI - whose exploits have come down to us over the many years, and are explored in depth here as well. But as I mentioned earlier, for me, it was the latter de Montforts that I was particularly interested in, and was able to glean a few snippets to enhance my knowledge. And readers will be interested in the role of the de Montfort women, who were no shrinking violets.

The de Montforts ended how they began, in obscurity. But whilst in the ascendant, they were the Icarus of their generation - flying that little bit too close to the sun. This is one tome that I will definitely be adding to my own library.

Review: The Two Eleanors of Henry III by Darren Baker

Synopsis: Eleanor of Provence has come to England at the age of twelve to marry the king, Henry III. He’s sixteen years older, but was a boy when he ascended the throne. He’s a kind, sensitive sort whose only personal attachments to women so far have been to his three sisters.  The youngest of them is called Eleanor too. She was only nine when, for political reasons, her first marriage took place, but she’s already a chaste twenty-year old widow when the new queen arrives in 1236. In a short time, this Eleanor will marry the rising star of her brother’s court, a French parvenu named Simon de Montfort, thus wedding the fates of these four people together in an England about to undergo some of the most profound changes in its history.

It’s a tale that covers three decades at its heart, with loyalty to family and principles at stake, in a land where foreigners are subject to intense scrutiny and jealousy. The relationship between these two sisters-in-law, close but ultimately doomed, will reflect not just the turbulence and tragedy of their times, but also the brilliance and splendour. 

I will begin with a quote: " ... it is impossible to separate these women from the men whose relationships and conflicts with each other helped shape their lives ...". And to be honest, this could apply to many women of their time, before their time and after their time. With so little primary source documentation available, it is sometimes difficult for even the most ardent researcher to come up with the goods all the time. I fully understand how hard it can be to write about any historical figure when there is a distinct lack of material available - I know this from my own research. And so, we are often left with dissembling information from those who surround these women.

And this was more of the case here I think. Henry III and Simon de Montfort are two strong characters that many - not just their wives - are often overshadowed. This isn't a typical stand-alone biography of either women, but more, I think, they are used as a conduit for the telling of the story of the inter-relationship between Henry and Simon and the intricacies of the political scene during Henry's reign.

For more background on this period, see my review of "The Song of Simon de Montfort" by Sophie Therese Ambler.

For better or worse, women were often defined by their roles in life: daughter, wife, mother. And with a lack of sources available or detailed even recorded contemporaneously, it is often how they are then written about. This, however, shouldn't negate towards an author's attempts to introduce an historical figure to a new audience - not just an academic one. Baker's book does this - it brings to the fore two women at one of the most important periods in English history.

What the average reader will find in this is a decent story - it is not pretentious or dry - and not filled with useless information that should be relegated to the appendices. There is a decent chronology and plenty of notes because if you are reading this, you will be wanting to go off and read more. For me, I especially liked the wrap up of Simon's family after his death at Evesham.

One for the shelves - next to my copy of Baker's "Simon de Montfort" (previously released as "With All For All").

further reading:

Eleanor Plantaganet by Louise Wilkinson

Eleanor of Provence by Margaret Howell

Plantagenet Queens & Consorts: Family, Duty and Power by Steven J. Corvi
Baronial Reform and Revolution in England, 1258-1267 edited by Adrian Jobson
The Southern French Nobility and the Albigensian Crusade by Elaine Graham-Leigh
England and Europe in the Reign of Henry III (1216–1272) by Ifor W. Rowlands
Henry III: The Son of Magna Carta by Matthew Lewis
Chronica Majora by Matthew Paris

Books - Henry III of England

This tome from Matthew Lewis - Henry III, The Son of Magna Carta - popped up in my news-feed and sounded like it could be a good read.

Synopsis: From the ashes of Magna Carta, a new England was to be forged.

Henry III became King of England within days of his ninth birthday. His father, King John, had overseen a disastrous period in English history and the boy king inherited a country embroiled in a bitter, entrenched war with itself. With barons inviting a French prince to take the crown, the young Henry was forced to rely on others to maintain his position.

As he grew into adulthood, Henry had to manage the transition to a personal rule, wrenching power from men who had held it almost unchecked for years. With a settled position at home, attention could turn to the recovery of lost territory abroad and the salvaging of Henry’s family reputation. All would not go according to plan.

Henry III is an interesting character - son of the oft maligned King John, Henry became King of England aged 9yo, ruling for approx 56 years. His reign was not entirely peaceful, with the Barons rebelling, leading to civil war in which Henry's son, Edward, took a prominent role.

Another tome of interest is this one by Darren Baker - Henry III - The Great King England Never Knew It Had.

Synopsis: Henry III (1207-72) reigned for 56 years, the longest-serving English monarch until the modern era. Although knighted by William Marshal, he was no warrior king like his uncle Richard the Lionheart. He preferred to feed the poor to making war and would rather spend time with his wife and children than dally with mistresses and lord over roundtables. He sought to replace the dull projection of power imported by his Norman predecessors with a more humane and open-hearted monarchy. But his ambition led him to embark on bold foreign policy initiatives to win back the lands and prestige lost by his father King John. This set him at odds with his increasingly insular barons and clergy, now emboldened by the protections of Magna Carta. In one of the great political duels of history, Henry struggled to retain the power and authority of the crown against radical reformers like Simon de Montfort. He emerged victorious, but at a cost both to the kingdom and his reputation among historians. Yet his long rule also saw extraordinary advancements in politics and the arts, from the rise of the parliamentary state and universities to the great cathedrals of the land, including Henry's own enduring achievement, Westminster Abbey.

A couple more books on Henry III:

• The Minority of Henry III by David Carpenter
• The reign of Henry III by David Carpenter
• King Henry III and the Lord Edward by Sir Maurice Powicke