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Simon de Montfort

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  • Lifespan

    1208-1265

  • Famous Quote

    "Then it is time to die" after his son's death and just before his army been destroyed by Prince Edward in the battle of Evesham.

Why are they famous?
Simon de Montfort is one of the fathers of modern democracy. Napoleon Bonaparte considered him as "one of the greatest Englishmen".
DID YOU KNOW?
He married secretly Eleanor of England, daughter of King John, without consulting the great barons. Eleanor was previously married and swore a vow of perpetual chastity. When the marriage had been learnt, English nobles' protested and Eleanor's brother rose up a revolt while the Archbishop of Canterbury condemned the marriage. De Montfort had to seek the papal approval.

Son of a French nobleman and crusader, he led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4 and subsequently became de facto ruler of England.  De Monfort called the first directly elected parliament in Medieval Europe.

European Regional Development Fund
The European Union, investing in your future European Union Flag Interreg Fonds Européen De Développement Régional
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The Norman Connections project was selected under the European Cross-border Cooperation Programme
INTERREG IV A France (Channel) – England, co-funded by the ERDF.