Simon de Montfort

Who was Simon de Montfort?

Simon de Montfort was married to King Henry's sister. He led the barons in the Second Barons' War. He also ruled England while King Henry was in custody and set up a new type of Great Council, known as the Commons.

What was Simon de Montfort's Commons?

De Montfort decided the Great Council should not just involve barons but also commoners. He invited merchants and knights from every county to represent the people, although peasants themselves were not allowed to be part of the parliament.

What was the significance of Simon de Montfort?

There are four reasons de Montfort is significant:

• ❖ Henry's son, Edward I, learned from de Montfort. He set up something called the Model Parliament based on de Montfort's ideas.
• ❖ It was the first time commoners had been represented in parliament. This was a significant step in the democratisation of the country.
• ❖ De Montfort became an inspirational symbol to later movements. For example, there is a carving of him in the US House of Representatives.
• ❖ Future kings were far more likely to listen to the barons and follow the rights set out in the Magna Carta.

What is another name for Simon de Montfort?

Simon de Montfort is sometimes called the Father of Parliament.