Talk:Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
From Academic Kids
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Barons' Revolt
Erm, surely Barons' Revolt???
Burial
Was his body taken by the monks of Evesham Abbey and buried before the High Altar? I remember reading that somewhere a long time ago.
I seem to remember than the grave was desecrated many years later, possibly at the Reformation.
I have now visited the site again and the interpretation plaque suggests that he was buried in a tomb before the High Altar. There is an artist's interpretation of the view of the scene. I am reluctant to actually change what is written in the wikipedia page without discussion. Could this be reviewed please? Songwriter 06:28 3 Jul 2003 (UTC)
There is conflicting testimony as to the disposition of his remains. Opus Chron. (Rolls Ser., no. 28), p. 18-20, says he was buried by the monks at Evesham, and that miracles were wrought at his tomb. Other chronicles state he was dismembered, with portions doled out to various places, his head (or head and hands) to the wife of Roger de Mortimer, then at Worcester Castle (Rishanger, Rolls Ser., p. 37). William de Newburgh (Rolls Ser., vol ii, p. 548) combined the stories, with the body cut up, dispersed, and all parts eventually returned to Evesham and miraculously rejoined, and then buried at Evesham. - Nunh-huh 18:33, 3 Apr 2005 (UTC)
Coat of arms - Chartres
The coat of arms of Simon de Montfort was a red field with a white two-tailed (lion?) rampant. A television programme about stained glass windows was showing Chartres Cathedral and there seemed in one of the pictures to be a depiction of that coat of arms. Could someone possibly check on that if visiting Chartres Cathedral please?
Secretly married
"Secretly married" here seems to imply that the King was not aware of the marriage until after the fact. Margaret Wade Labarge [Simon de Montfort, 1962] says that "the King arranged for the ceremony in his own private oratory"; a chapel adjoining his bedchamber. The wedding may have been a surprise to other nobles, but not to the King.
Amaury
Whatever became of Simon's brother, Amaury? There is nothing anywhere that I can find about why he would have given up his rights in England, or where he went from there. Was he more interested in France and its politics at the time, as Simon was certainly more interested in England?
And why would Amaury renounce any English rights? Did his brother convice him that under Simon's care and guile the title of Earl of Leicester could finally be made official by King Henry III?
Anyone who knows of any sources that might explain these things, please leave a comment. Thank you.
"Falls the Shadow" by Sharon Penman
I cannot answer questions re his grave or his brother Amaury, but answers may be in the excellent historical novel (with emphasis on historical accuracy, as well as a ripping good yarn) - "Falls the Shadow" by Sharon Penman (I vividly recall the description of the battle of Evesham Abbey and his death, and also Amaury was a major character too - but I thought one of his son's, perhaps same name). The book is the second of a trilogy, the first being "Here Be Dragons" and the last "The Reckoning", that chronicles Britain in the days of the Plantagenets. Simon de Montfort stars as the main character of the second book and really what an extraordinary man. One day there will be a blockbuster movie about him, just hope it measures up to this book. Sharon Penman has written two further books "When Christ and His Saints Slept" and "Time and Chance" that start from the time of Henry I, a third book yet to be published will feature the last days of Henry II and end at the time of "Here Be Dragons", thus making 6 books chronicalling the 12th and 13th centuries of England and Wales.
