The Siege of Kenilworth

The siege of Kenilworth began on June 25, 1266. Kenilworth had been a royal castle, fortified by King John, the father of King Henry III. Once his father died and Henry himself ascended the throne, he gave it as a gift to Simon de Montfort, his brother-in-law, potentially in an attempt to insure his loyalty. That decision came back to haunt him as the castle was one of the strongest fortifications in England, and included a lake or ‘mere’. After Simon’s defeat and subsequent death at Evesham, the last holdouts in the war retreated to Kenilworth, and when Henry attempted to negotiate with the defenders, they sent back his messenger without his hand. By the time the royal forces assembled at Kenilworth Castle, the garrison – who probably numbered about 1,200, including wives, children and servants – had built up Read more…

Kenilworth Castle

It is thought that a castle has stood at Kenilworth in Warwickshire, since Saxon times. It is likely that the original structure was destroyed in the early 11th century during the wars between the Saxon King of England, Edmund, and Canute, King of the Danes. 100 years later, in 1129, the Norman King Henry I gave the land upon which Kenilworth now stands to his Chamberlain, a Norman noble named Geoffrey de Clinton, who at the time was both Treasurer and Chief Justice of England. Shortly afterwards, Geoffrey founded an Augustinian priory and built the current castle. This new original structure probably started out as a modest motte-and-bailey timber castle and even today the large earth mound that formed the base of the motte can clearly be seen. The castle itself is built of red sandstone and represents five centuries Read more…

Eleanor (Elinor) de Montfort

Eleanor (Elinor in Welsh) de Montfort (1252-1282) was the wife of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the last Prince of Wales.  She was the daughter of Simon de Montfort, who was killed in the Battle of Evesham by the forces of Edward I when she was only thirteen.  Her mother, Eleanor of Leicester, was the youngest daughter of King John of England and his wife, Isabella of Angouleme.  Interestingly, that made Elinor’s mother and Joanna, Princess of Wales and the wife of Llywelyn Fawr (Llywelyn ap Gruffydd’s grandfather), half-sisters.  Joanna had been born in 1191.  After Simon de Montfort’s death, Elinor and her mother) found refuge at the Dominican nunnery of Monargis in France.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan,_Lady_of_Wales J. Beverely Smith writes:  “Llywelyn’s decision to marry Simon de Montfort’s daughter was revealed in dramatic circumstances at the end of 1275.  Eleanor was travelling from France Read more…

Simon de Montfort

Simon de Montfort led a rebellion, successful for a time, against King Henry III of England, and paid the ultimate price at the battle of Evesham, falling in defeat to the forces of Edward (at the time, Prince of England). “Simon de Montfort was born in France in about 1208. His father was a large landowner, but when he died he left his land to Simon’s older brother Amaury. The de Montfort family had owned land in England in the past and Amaury suggested that Montfort should visit Henry III in to see if the land could be reclaimed. Montfort arrived in England in 1230. Henry liked Simon, was sympathetic to his claim and gave him back his family lands. The king also agreed that Montfort should become the new earl of Leicester. In return, Montfort promised to pay a fee Read more…