750 years ago today the Battle of Lewes took place, a milestone marked by the recent creation of the Battle of Lewes Tapestry, unveiled in Lewes today. The tapestry, which is similar to the Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the Battle of Hastings, took a team of 60 embroiderers two years to make.
It is not one of England's best-known battles, but the battle which raged outside the Sussex town of Lewes (pronounced "Lewis") on 14 May 1264 must be one of the most important battles ever fought in England, putting it up there with the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the Battle of Britain in 1940.
The Battle of Lewes, part of the Second Barons' War, saw King Henry III defeated by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester.
De Montfort had been fighting for England to be ruled by the English and his victory in the battle, which led to Henry III hiding in a priory, led to him becoming the de facto ruler of England - "the uncrowned King of England".
During his rule, de Montfort called two famous parliaments. The first stripped the king of unlimited authority and the second - "de Montfort's Parliament" of 1265 - included ordinary citizens of the towns.
For this reason, de Montfort is regarded today as one of the progenitors of modern parliamentary democracy.
Battle of Lewes: England's first fight for democracy?
By Nick Tarver
BBC News
14 May 2014
The Battle of Lewes was fought on 14 May 1264 and pitted the King against Simon de Montfort
Did the Battle of Lewes, which saw King Henry III defeated 750 years ago, lead to England's first tentative steps towards representative democracy?
As bloodied bodies littered the South Downs, King Henry III hid in a priory.
His father, King John, had been forced to sign Magna Carta by England's rebellious barons; now Henry had suffered even greater humiliation at their hands.
His victor was Simon de Montfort, the French-born Earl of Leicester, who was fighting for the rights of England to be governed by the English.
After the battle, where de Montfort's forces were outnumbered by two to one, he forced the unpopular King to transfer nearly all of his powers.
What followed for a year and half - before de Montfort was eventually killed and mutilated in the Battle of Evesham - was an experiment in representative democracy.
De Montfort called two parliaments in 1264 and 1265, both consisting of knights and leading men who had been elected or chosen in the shires and major towns of England.
King Henry remained as head of state, but his powers were severely restricted.
David Carpenter, who is professor of medieval history at King's College London, said: "No historian has ever been able to show a parliament which had both of these before. You could say it represented the House of Commons in its earliest form.
"De Montfort was a remarkable individual. He had a sense of cause and religiosity. He was utterly committed to it. He was a great general and had a sure eye for political issues that were going to whip up a following.
"In some ways he was the Nigel Farage of his day. His motto was England for the English.
"Of course the great paradox was that he was French, but the English accepted this foreigner was here to save them."
Perhaps the greatest legacy of the battle was the effect it had on Henry's son Edward.
The prince, who would become known as Edward Longshanks (Edward I), took part in the battle and was imprisoned following it.
According to Dr Andrew Spencer, who is college lecturer at Christ's College Cambridge and specialises in 13th Century history, Edward adopted many of de Montfort's changes.
The Battle of Lewes tapestry has been created to commemorate the 750th anniversary. Stitched by 60 local embroiderers over the last two years it has been unveiled at a ceremony in the town today
"He becomes the apogee of medieval kingship - he doesn't have favourites, he discusses things corporately and uses parliament as a way of advancing kingship," he said.
"Unfortunately he is seen as the bad king in Braveheart and his reputation has been tarnished by Scottish and Welsh historians who see him as a domineering figure.
"But from an English perspective he is probably the finest medieval English king. He brings together an English political class in a way that has not happened before."
Lewes, in East Sussex, which is proud of its non-conformist history (its burns effigies of the Pope rather than just Guy Fawkes every Guy Fawkes Night), has been commemorating the battle with a series of events.
Among them is the creation of a tapestry, similar in style to the Bayeux.
And a song called the Sword of Freedom has also been composed and was performed on Tuesday, simultaneously with people from Lewes, in Delaware, US.
Mike Chartier, who is the vice chairman of the Sussex Archaeological Society, which has organised many of the commemorations, said: "This is an occasion to enjoy and remember.
"But obviously in 1264 the battle was disastrous for Lewes, with people killed and their houses burned down.
"This battle was extremely important - unlike the War of Roses which was about who was going to be king, this was about how the country was going to be governed.
"It was probably the first time an English monarch was defeated by his subjects."
Edward I, known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, learned from his father Henry III's defeat at Lewes
The memorial to the Battle of Lewes
Lewes today
Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort was in his late 50s when he organised the rebellion against King Henry III.
The King had become unpopular with his subjects for installing many of his French relatives in positions of power.
Dr Andrew Spencer, who is college lecturer at Christ's College Cambridge, said: "He was quite an impressive person and was said to have a silver tongue.
"He had great charisma and people who got onboard absolutely loved him and were loyal to the end.
"But his brashness and confidence also led many to hate him."
De Montfort was killed then mutilated in the Battle of Evesham on 4 August 1265, which effectively ended the rebellion.
BBC News - Battle of Lewes: England's first fight for democracy?
De Montfort's Parliament - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It is not one of England's best-known battles, but the battle which raged outside the Sussex town of Lewes (pronounced "Lewis") on 14 May 1264 must be one of the most important battles ever fought in England, putting it up there with the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the Battle of Britain in 1940.
The Battle of Lewes, part of the Second Barons' War, saw King Henry III defeated by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester.
De Montfort had been fighting for England to be ruled by the English and his victory in the battle, which led to Henry III hiding in a priory, led to him becoming the de facto ruler of England - "the uncrowned King of England".
During his rule, de Montfort called two famous parliaments. The first stripped the king of unlimited authority and the second - "de Montfort's Parliament" of 1265 - included ordinary citizens of the towns.
For this reason, de Montfort is regarded today as one of the progenitors of modern parliamentary democracy.
Battle of Lewes: England's first fight for democracy?
By Nick Tarver
BBC News
14 May 2014
The Battle of Lewes was fought on 14 May 1264 and pitted the King against Simon de Montfort
Did the Battle of Lewes, which saw King Henry III defeated 750 years ago, lead to England's first tentative steps towards representative democracy?
As bloodied bodies littered the South Downs, King Henry III hid in a priory.
His father, King John, had been forced to sign Magna Carta by England's rebellious barons; now Henry had suffered even greater humiliation at their hands.
His victor was Simon de Montfort, the French-born Earl of Leicester, who was fighting for the rights of England to be governed by the English.
After the battle, where de Montfort's forces were outnumbered by two to one, he forced the unpopular King to transfer nearly all of his powers.
What followed for a year and half - before de Montfort was eventually killed and mutilated in the Battle of Evesham - was an experiment in representative democracy.
De Montfort called two parliaments in 1264 and 1265, both consisting of knights and leading men who had been elected or chosen in the shires and major towns of England.
King Henry remained as head of state, but his powers were severely restricted.
David Carpenter, who is professor of medieval history at King's College London, said: "No historian has ever been able to show a parliament which had both of these before. You could say it represented the House of Commons in its earliest form.
"De Montfort was a remarkable individual. He had a sense of cause and religiosity. He was utterly committed to it. He was a great general and had a sure eye for political issues that were going to whip up a following.
"In some ways he was the Nigel Farage of his day. His motto was England for the English.
"Of course the great paradox was that he was French, but the English accepted this foreigner was here to save them."
Perhaps the greatest legacy of the battle was the effect it had on Henry's son Edward.
The prince, who would become known as Edward Longshanks (Edward I), took part in the battle and was imprisoned following it.
According to Dr Andrew Spencer, who is college lecturer at Christ's College Cambridge and specialises in 13th Century history, Edward adopted many of de Montfort's changes.
The Battle of Lewes tapestry has been created to commemorate the 750th anniversary. Stitched by 60 local embroiderers over the last two years it has been unveiled at a ceremony in the town today
"He becomes the apogee of medieval kingship - he doesn't have favourites, he discusses things corporately and uses parliament as a way of advancing kingship," he said.
"Unfortunately he is seen as the bad king in Braveheart and his reputation has been tarnished by Scottish and Welsh historians who see him as a domineering figure.
"But from an English perspective he is probably the finest medieval English king. He brings together an English political class in a way that has not happened before."
Lewes, in East Sussex, which is proud of its non-conformist history (its burns effigies of the Pope rather than just Guy Fawkes every Guy Fawkes Night), has been commemorating the battle with a series of events.
Among them is the creation of a tapestry, similar in style to the Bayeux.
And a song called the Sword of Freedom has also been composed and was performed on Tuesday, simultaneously with people from Lewes, in Delaware, US.
Mike Chartier, who is the vice chairman of the Sussex Archaeological Society, which has organised many of the commemorations, said: "This is an occasion to enjoy and remember.
"But obviously in 1264 the battle was disastrous for Lewes, with people killed and their houses burned down.
"This battle was extremely important - unlike the War of Roses which was about who was going to be king, this was about how the country was going to be governed.
"It was probably the first time an English monarch was defeated by his subjects."
Edward I, known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, learned from his father Henry III's defeat at Lewes
The memorial to the Battle of Lewes
Lewes today
Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort was in his late 50s when he organised the rebellion against King Henry III.
The King had become unpopular with his subjects for installing many of his French relatives in positions of power.
Dr Andrew Spencer, who is college lecturer at Christ's College Cambridge, said: "He was quite an impressive person and was said to have a silver tongue.
"He had great charisma and people who got onboard absolutely loved him and were loyal to the end.
"But his brashness and confidence also led many to hate him."
De Montfort was killed then mutilated in the Battle of Evesham on 4 August 1265, which effectively ended the rebellion.
BBC News - Battle of Lewes: England's first fight for democracy?
De Montfort's Parliament - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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