Simon de Montfort: an antisemitic “populist” or “pioneer of modern democracy?”

It is difficult to escape the legacy of Simon de Montfort within Leicester, as his name is plastered on almost every important landmark within the city. Despite this fact, most in Leicester are unaware of his history, which is steeped in controversy.

Simon de Montfort was the sixth earl of Leicester, French-born and a descendant of the well-respected medieval family of the House of Montfort. He inherited the title of earl from his father in 1229. During his rule over the earldom of Leicester, de Montfort would spearhead revolutionary reforms within England that would forever change how the country was democratically structured.

Controversy surrounding Simon de Montfort

Simon de Montfort has been the face of contemporary controversy and scrutiny. The most notable example is the recent discussions about de Montfort’s treatment of the Jewish population during his time as the earl of Leicester. This debate has led many critics to question the level of admiration the modern city of Leicester holds for him.

Some claims against de Montfort are visible on the De Montfort University website. The university references the idea that de Montfort expelled the Jewish population of Leicester from the city in 1231 as well as the belief that he incited antisemitic riots that resulted in the massacre of Jewish people across the country.

This sentiment was put to the forefront of the Leicester public during the 2020 protests by a group of De Montfort University students, who demanded the university change its name to disassociate the institution from the medieval figure. In response, the university said: “We believe there should be no remembrance of Simon de Montfort without acknowledgement of the controversy he attracts. As a university, we actively encourage challenging discussion and the sharing of many cultural viewpoints and opinions.” However, they refused to change the university's name.

Recently, there have been efforts to re-evaluate the evidence of de Montfort's acts against the Jewish population to refute claims of his antisemitism. When I questioned the historian John Thomas about de Montfort, he claimed “The evidence of Simon's anti-Semitism is rather flimsy.”

The historian claims that “it is based on three documents: a letter sent by the king to the sheriff of Leicester dated 13 August 1231, but in 1231 there was no sheriff of Leicester; a letter sent by Robert Grosseteste to Margaret, countess of Winchester, which was probably written before Simon ever landed in England; and the charter of the expulsion of the Jews held in the Leicester Record Office.”

“This document suddenly appeared in 1795 with no provenance, uses some rather strange Latin, and was witnessed by an assortment of nobodies. The method of affixing the seal was slightly anachronistic, and the seal, according to Belmont, an expert, was that of a different Simon de Montfort. Finally, there is no evidence that there ever was a Jewish settlement in Leicester, let alone one being expelled.”

John Thomas’ evidence against de Montfort’s modern-day scrutiny is important as it necessitates the importance of further historical research and discussion about de Montfort to allow us to have a greater understanding of both the positive and negative impacts that the individual had upon the medieval era as well as the modern-day.

The early life of Simon de Montfort

On 15 June 1215, while Simon de Montfort was still a child, England’s most influential reform within the medieval era took place, as king John affixed his seal on the Magna Carta document.

This was a significant moment within Medieval and English politics, as the Magna Carta relinquished most of king John’s power and stated that the monarch was unable to put forward major reforms without the approval of his lords or barons. The Magna Carta was thrust into existence due to king John’s steep decline in popularity due to his numerous military failures, heavy taxation, and excommunication from the Catholic Church. With the Magna Carta now firmly established, extra pressure was put on John, and the future monarchs of England, to adhere to the country's laws and operate more democratically.

Simon de Montfort arrived in England in 1229, at the age of 21, where he would then inherit his father’s title as the fifth earl of Leicester, despite initially being unable to speak or read English. During de Montfort’s early years in England, he quickly befriended king John’s son and heir – Henry III – and eventually went on to marry the new king's sister, Eleanor of England.

This union allowed de Montfort to further climb the feudal hierarchy of thirteenth-century England and possess more political power and influence within the English courts. Despite de Montfort’s newfound power, many high-ranking English lords and barons took issue with the marriage of Simon and Eleanor. As the de Montfort family were little established within England and Eleanor had already sworn a vow of chastity in honour of the premature death of her first husband, the earl of Pembroke William Marshal.

Simon de Montfort’s strained relationship with king Henry III

Almost 20 years after de Montfort arrived in England, Henry III began to challenge the limitations set by the Magna Carta with acts such as the call for an increase in the taxation of the earldoms of England. This new tax was initially claimed by Henry as being a device to fund a new religious crusade, but instead, the collection was spent on an attack on the already Catholic kingdom of Sicily.

This deception by Henry III not only outraged his barons but was also a complete failure that left England in extreme debt, as the English forces failed the siege over Sicily. As a result of the King's betrayal of trust, the barons of England began to create a new legal document known as the Provisions of Oxford.

The Provisions of Oxford was a document with a similar goal to the Magna Carta. It further restricted the power of the English monarch. The provisions reduced Henry's power and political sway to such a degree that his position as king was rendered more of a ceremonial and non-influential position within the English courts.

In Henry’s stead, the responsibility of the creation of new laws for the country was now split between the king’s fifteen barons. This distribution of power resulted in a much more democratic method of governing the country. Despite this attempt to create a non-biased council, it quickly became apparent that Simon de Montfort possessed the most influence.

The beginning of the Second Baron’s War

Henry III abided by the limitations set by the Provisions of Oxford for three years. The king only began to challenge the provisions when de Montfort left England to return to France, as his absence within the country drastically reduced his influence over the English courts. Henry III regained his power by petitioning the Catholic pope to annul the Provisions. The reason for his petition was to claim the document was unlawful as it challenged the idea of his divine right to rule – the belief that the monarch of a country was chosen by the Catholic God. Henry's petition was successful, and the pope annulled the document in 1263, resulting in the monarch regaining the entirety of his lost power.

The restoration of Henry III’s political power outraged de Montfort and the other barons to such a degree that de Montfort immediately returned to England that same year to lead a rebellion against Henry III. This rebellion became known as the Second Baron's War.

In 1264, just outside the town of Lewes, de Montfort and Henry III's armies met in an open field for battle. The king and his son, prince Edward, took refuge within the town in an attempt to evade de Montfort and his infantry. This battle became known as The Battle of Lewes. Simon de Montfort's forces swiftly broke through the defences of Henry III's army and stormed the town of Lewes, where he captured the monarch and his family.

Simon de Montfort's parliamentary reforms

Henry III's loss in The Battle of Lewes resulted in the complete loss of all his power. Simon de Montfort allowed the monarch to keep his title as king of England, but effectively imprisoned him within the confines of his royal home.

His victory against the king reaffirmed his unparalleled influence within the English courts. Due to this factor, de Montfort was put in charge of reforming the country's government. The earl’s first act in power was the cancellation of all the debts owed to the country's Jewish moneylenders. This act helped de Montfort gain the favour of the few barons that still opposed him. Still eager for more support, de Montfort, for the first time in English history, opened his new parliament to high-ranking citizens within the towns and boroughs of the country. These high-ranking citizens would later be known as the burgesses.

Simon de Montfort's opening of Parliament to the burgesses is seen by historians as his most radical change while in power. This is because, by opening up parliament to lower-ranking citizens, de Montfort helped create what would later be known as the House of Commons. As a result, de Montfort's reforms nudged England’s parliament nearer to the democratic and more equal form of government that we know today. It is important to note, however, that de Montfort's actions were not without self-interest, as these new voices within parliament resoundingly supported his position at the top of the hierarchy of English governance.

Not long after de Montfort called parliament, his authority as the head of England's governing class was challenged by England’s other barons. Jim Butler from the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society suggests that “for Simon, the parliaments were only ever convenient stepping stones for furthering his own power and wealth. He never envisaged where his reforms would eventually lead, and I suspect he would have regarded the notion of 'one person, one vote' as outrageous. However, he was a populist who knew how to get the support of the people he needed when he needed it.”

The Battle of Evesham and his downfall

Simon de Montfort's rule was not long-lasting as, in 1265, Henry III’s son, prince Edward, escaped de Montfort's captivity and formed a new army that was backed by disgruntled barons who were dissatisfied with the personal wealth that the de Montfort family had amassed since The Battle of Lewes. On 4 August, Simon de Montfort's army was caught unawares by Edward's new forces outside the town of Evesham. During the battle, de Montfort's forces were easily beaten and the earl himself was found dead on the battlefield, with all his limbs severed from his body. Simon de Montfort was buried in Evesham Abbey, and his wife Eleanor and the rest of the House of Montfort fled to France.

Once again, Henry III's power was reinstated and most of de Montfort's reforms were reverted to how they once were under Henry's rule. Despite this return to normality, de Montfort's legacy lived on as the individual had opened up the idea for a fairer and more equal way to govern England.

The legacy of Simon de Montfort

Simon de Montfort's legacy is evident throughout all of Leicester, as many of the city's historical landmarks are dedicated to his memory. De Montfort's impact is even felt internationally, as his portrait is adorned within the House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol, where he is also hailed as one of the pioneers of modern democracy.

Like most historical figures, de Montfort’s legacy as a figure for positive change is challenged over 700 years on from his death due to the claims of his prejudice and discrimination against the medieval Jewish population. It remains to be seen what future generations will make of Leicester's fondness for the earl himself, or whether new historical evidence will prove his attitudes towards Jewish people.