Peace of Canterbury
Encyclopedia
During the Second Barons' War
, the Peace of Canterbury was an agreement reached between the baronial government led by Simon de Montfort
on one hand, and Henry III of England
and his son and heir Edward the later King Edward I
on the other. The agreement was signed at Canterbury
some time between 12 and 15 August 1264.
The Peace of Canterbury built on the previous Mise of Lewes
; a settlement forced upon King Henry on the day of his defeat in the Battle of Lewes
on 14 May 1264. The Canterbury settlement, however, went further than the previous settlement had done. After the Battle of Lewes, a triumvirate had been set up, consisting of Montfort, Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, and Stephen Bersted
, Bishop of Chichester
. These three in turn appointed a governing council of nine men. The arrangement in effect took control of government out of the hands of King Henry, and placed it with the baronial faction led by Simon de Montfort. These arrangements were intended to be in effect temporarily, until a permanent settlement could be reached. The Peace of Canterbury, on the other hand, stated that if the conditions of the Mise of Lewes could not be met, then the council would remain in power throughout Henry's reign, and up until an unspecified point in the reign of his son Edward. There was also mention of reform of the church and royal government, particularly to do with banning foreigners from official positions.
The agreement was highly unfavourable to Henry and Edward, but it must be assumed that they agreed to it under duress, since Edward was held hostage by the barons after the defeat at Lewes. On 15 August the document was dispatched to King Louis IX of France
, who previously had been acting as an arbiter between the two parties. Louis had already rejected the terms of the Mise of Lewes; the stricter conditions of the Peace of Canterbury might have been intended to bring pressure on the French king, to help bring about a settlement. King Louis, however, rejected the proposition in angry terms. He was reported to have said that he would rather break clods behind a plough than have this sort of kingly rule. Montfort's government after this gradually started running into problems. In the spring of 1265, Gloucester defected to the side of the royalists, and Edward managed to escape his captivity. The baronial rule came to an end on 4 August 1265, when Montfort was defeated and killed at the Battle of Evesham
, and Henry was restored to full powers.
Second Barons' War
The Second Barons' War was a civil war in England between the forces of a number of barons led by Simon de Montfort, against the Royalist forces led by Prince Edward , in the name of Henry III.-Causes:...
, the Peace of Canterbury was an agreement reached between the baronial government led by Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
on one hand, and Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and his son and heir Edward the later King Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
on the other. The agreement was signed at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
some time between 12 and 15 August 1264.
The Peace of Canterbury built on the previous Mise of Lewes
Mise of Lewes
The Mise of Lewes was a settlement made on 14 May 1264 between King Henry III of England and his rebellious barons, led by Simon de Montfort. The settlement was made on the day of the Battle of Lewes, one of the two major battles of the Second Barons' War...
; a settlement forced upon King Henry on the day of his defeat in the Battle of Lewes
Battle of Lewes
The Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264...
on 14 May 1264. The Canterbury settlement, however, went further than the previous settlement had done. After the Battle of Lewes, a triumvirate had been set up, consisting of Montfort, Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, and Stephen Bersted
Stephen Bersted
Stephen Bersted was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.-Life:Bersted was from a humble background, and came from Bersted, Sussex which at the time was part of the archbishop of Canterbury's estate at Pagham. He studied at Oxford University, and was a regent of theology there for a time...
, Bishop of Chichester
Bishop of Chichester
The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
. These three in turn appointed a governing council of nine men. The arrangement in effect took control of government out of the hands of King Henry, and placed it with the baronial faction led by Simon de Montfort. These arrangements were intended to be in effect temporarily, until a permanent settlement could be reached. The Peace of Canterbury, on the other hand, stated that if the conditions of the Mise of Lewes could not be met, then the council would remain in power throughout Henry's reign, and up until an unspecified point in the reign of his son Edward. There was also mention of reform of the church and royal government, particularly to do with banning foreigners from official positions.
The agreement was highly unfavourable to Henry and Edward, but it must be assumed that they agreed to it under duress, since Edward was held hostage by the barons after the defeat at Lewes. On 15 August the document was dispatched to King Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
, who previously had been acting as an arbiter between the two parties. Louis had already rejected the terms of the Mise of Lewes; the stricter conditions of the Peace of Canterbury might have been intended to bring pressure on the French king, to help bring about a settlement. King Louis, however, rejected the proposition in angry terms. He was reported to have said that he would rather break clods behind a plough than have this sort of kingly rule. Montfort's government after this gradually started running into problems. In the spring of 1265, Gloucester defected to the side of the royalists, and Edward managed to escape his captivity. The baronial rule came to an end on 4 August 1265, when Montfort was defeated and killed at the Battle of Evesham
Battle of Evesham
The Battle of Evesham was one of the two main battles of 13th century England's Second Barons' War. It marked the defeat of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and the rebellious barons by Prince Edward – later King Edward I – who led the forces of his father, King Henry III...
, and Henry was restored to full powers.