The Provisions of Oxford, 1258 (AQA GCSE History)

Summary

Unlike the barons who revolted against John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta, those who rebelled against Henry III united behind one leader. That leader was Simon de Montfort. He not only led armies into battle against Henry but ended up defeating him and taking the king and his son prisoner.

Who was Simon de Montfort?

• Simon de Montfort was the 6th Earl of Leicester

• Born in France he was an English nobleman

What caused the Provisions of Oxford?

• The provisions of Oxford resulted from:

  • A falling out between de Montfort and the king

  • The barons losing patience with the king

Why did de Montfort and the king fall out?

• In 1248, Henry sent de Montfort to France to gain control of Brittany and Gascony

  • The campaign was brutal but successful and the victories greatly pleased Henry

• News of de Montfort’s ruthlessness in France led Henry to launch an enquiry into his behaviour

  • An enquiry found de Montfort innocent 

  • The king replaced de Montfort with Prince Edward as the leader of the campaign 

• Feeling betrayed and unjustly treated, de Montfort returned to England 

  • He then became the unofficial leader of the unhappy barons

The Barons lose patience

• By 1254, relations between the King and the barons had reached a crisis point

  • The Pope had requested more funds to help fight his wars

  • Henry needed more funds to help secure his lands in France

• The barons, angered by years of taxation and increased influence by foreign ‘aliens’, refused to support Henry’s increase in taxes

Features of the Provisions of Oxford

• Desperate to avoid ex-communication by the Pope, Henry agreed to meet with the Great Council of Barons in 1258 to hear their demands

• Led by de Montfort, the demands became known as the Provisions of Oxford 

• The Provisions of Oxford included the king being under the authority of the Council of Fifteen

The Second Barons’ War

• The removal of French people from powerful positions was popular amongst all of the barons

• However, there were major disagreements amongst the barons about the rest of the changes

  • Some older barons believed the new Provisions went too far and changed too much

  • Some younger barons objected to the Provisions because they knew they would not get elected to the Great Council and therefore have little influence

• With the barons divided and arguing amongst themselves, Henry saw his chance to free himself from their demands

  • Henry wrote to the Pope and requested that the Provisions of Oxford be cancelled

  • In 1261, the Pope agreed and Henry filled the Great Council with his own men

  • The barons had lost their influence and a furious de Montfort left for France

The Battle of Lewes

• Three years later, in 1264 the barons were once again angry and frustrated with Henry’s rule because they didn’t agree with the way he was ruling the country

• De Montfort returned from France and led the barons' armies against the king

• The Second Barons’ War began

• The main causes were:

  • Henry III ignored the Provisions of Oxford

  • The loss of two wars in France

  • Increasing taxes

  • Henry’s closeness with the French; he had many French advisors

• At the Battle of Lewes in 1264, de Montfort and his forces routed the king’s armies

• When the fighting stopped, both Henry and his son Edward were prisoners of the barons