Hey, everyone. Welcome to the show. Great to
be diving in again. Can you imagine the sheer
terror? I mean, holding a crown meant for you
when powerful enemies are just circling, ready
to snatch it away. That's quite a picture, isn't
it? That's the razor's edge we're exploring today.
A forgotten but utterly gripping chapter of English
history. What's fascinating when you really think
about it is how close England actually came to
a completely different trajectory. This isn't
just, you know, dusty dates and names. No, not
at all. It's a really visceral story of survival
against, well, pretty overwhelming odds. Absolutely.
Today in this historical deep dive, we're plunging
into the early years of King Henry III's reign,
a period just brimming with high stakes. unexpected
heroes, and the surprising tenacity of a royal
line basically teetering on the brink. That's
a good way to put it, teetering. We'll be using
Matthew Lewis's book, Henry III. And hey, you'll
find a link on Amazon in the description if you
want to delve even further as our guide. That's
a great resource. Yeah, to understand why this
king and this crucial period has been so often
overlooked, don't forget to like and subscribe
while you're listening. And for us, really the
core question in this deep dive is this. How
did a nine -year -old boy inheriting a kingdom
pretty much in chaos, managed to hold onto his
throne. Right. How did he? We're going to unpack
the key personalities, the pivotal decisions,
and just the sheer will that prevented England
from, well, becoming part of France. Okay, let's
unpack this then. The story doesn't actually
begin with Henry III himself, does it? We need
to wind the clock back a bit. That's right. Yeah,
you have to look at his grandfather, King Henry
II, who died way back in 1189. Talk about a family
in turmoil. Oh, absolutely. Henry II's final
years were just plagued by rebellions from his
own sons, Richard and John, most famously. And
the vast Angevin Empire, that huge collection
of lands in France and England, was really starting
to crumble. So the foundations were shaky from
the start. Very unstable. Yeah, this internal
conflict laid a very unstable foundation for
everything that followed. Right. Fast forward
a couple of decades, and under King John, things
have gone from bad to, well, truly dire. Dire
is the word. We all remember Magna Carta and
the grumbling from the barons, but it escalated
way beyond that, didn't it? To the point where
they were actually plotting to kill the king
outright. Yeah. What's truly striking, I think,
is the level of desperation among the English
barons by then. Desperation is right. By 1212.
A significant number of them were so utterly
fed up with John's rule, I mean completely finished,
that they were willing to invite Prince Louis
of France to become their king. Wow. Inviting
the French prince? Can you imagine? This wasn't
just some minor disagreement. It was a fundamental
challenge to the entire English monarchy. How
did Louis even have a claim? Well, it was tenuous,
but it came through his wife, Blanche of Castile.
She was actually John's niece. Ah, okay. So there
was some connection. Enough, in their eyes anyway,
to give his ambition a sort of semblance of legitimacy.
And then in 1216, John's reign just ends rather
unceremoniously. Yeah. Lost his baggage train
in the wash. John succumbs to dysentery. Not
exactly a heroic exit. Not really. But even his
final concerns, the things in his will, they're
quite telling, aren't they? Absolutely. John's
will, and it's amazing, it still survives in
its original form, the oldest one we have from
an English king. Really? The actual document?
The actual parchment. It's quite small physically.
It gives this fascinating, intimate look at his
priorities as he faced death. So what was top
of his list? Despite everything. His overwhelming
concern was securing the inheritance for his
young son, Henry, who was only nine. Just nine
years old. Wow. Yeah. His other requests were
more, you know, standard for the time, reparations
to the church, aid for crusades in the Holy Land,
rewards for loyal servants, alms for the poor.
Covering all the bases before the end. Exactly.
reflect the traditional obligations and anxieties,
maybe, of a medieval ruler facing judgment. And
who does he entrust with this massive task, protecting
his kid's claim? He names 13 executors, an incredible
group of powerful individuals. 13? Who was in
that group? Looking at the list, it's like a
snapshot of the entire English political elite.
You've got the papal legate, Guala. The pope's
representative. Yes. Hugely influential. Then
several powerful bishops like Peter de Roche.
Okay. And formidable lay leaders like the famous
William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, and Ranulf,
the Earl of Chester. William Marshall. Now there's
a name. Absolutely. And others, too. William
Ferrers, William Brewer, Walter DeLacy, Foulkes,
DeBrote. I mean, it's a powerhouse list. So basically
everyone who mattered. Precisely. This group
represented a huge concentration of both spiritual
and, crucially, political and military authority.
Their actions, their loyalty, or... Maybe their
betrayal. Yeah, that was possible too. Would
directly determine Henry's fate. John knew the
future rested squarely on their shoulders. So
this brings us to the boy king himself, Henry
of Winchester. Just 10 days after his father's
death, he's hastily crowned in Gloucester. Hasty
is the word. October 28th, 1216. Not exactly
the grand Westminster Abbey ceremony we picture.
No, the circumstances really underscore the urgency,
the instability. Gloucester was chosen because
London was enemy territory. Prince Louis and
his barons held it. Right. Louis was in London.
And they didn't even have proper coronation gear.
They had to borrow robes, use a simple circlet
or coronet instead of a crown. It shows the chaos.
Wow. Borrowed robes for a king's coronation.
But crucially, the papal legate Guala was there
alongside Peter de Roche. Guala's presence provided
that vital stamp of legitimacy from the church.
That papal approval must have been huge. Absolutely
essential. And then comes this critical moment.
who steps up to actually lead the royalist cause.
William Marshall seems the obvious choice, right?
He does. But there's this rather surprising moment
where he initially offers the role to Ranulf,
the Earl of Chester. Really? Why would he do
that? Well, it reveals the character of both
men, doesn't it? Marshall, despite being, what,
70 years old by then? 70, wow. Yeah, advanced
age, immense challenge. But he was clearly the
most capable leader. Renowned valor, experience,
wisdom. Everyone knew him. Exactly. And Ranulf's
reaction is fascinating, too. He insists Marshall
take the lead. So Ranulf turned it down. He argued
compellingly that Marshall's abilities and popularity
were what they needed. It shows remarkable selflessness,
actually, and shrewd political judgment from
Ranulf. Recognizing the best man for the job,
even if it wasn't him. Both men understood what
was needed to unite their cause in that desperate
hour. So Marshall becomes the guardian of the
king and the realm, not regent. A deliberately
chosen title, yeah. Reflecting the extraordinary
circumstances of child king, kingdom in flames.
And he immediately brings in Peter de Roche,
who'd been Henry's tutor. Right, Marshall nominated
him, likely for continuity. Peter de Roche already
had a relationship with young Henry. Your exits
provide some stability for the boy. Exactly,
amidst all the chaos. Now, the public reaction
to Marshall's appointment was largely positive.
People respected him. Understandably. But contemporary
accounts suggest Marshall himself had private
anxieties. He knew the pressure was enormous,
acutely aware of the young king's vulnerability,
the lack of resources, and his own advancing
years. It was a huge burden for a 70 -year -old.
Immense. And Guala, the papal legate, you mentioned
his importance. He really throws the church's
weight behind Henry, doesn't he? Absolutely.
He excommunicates Prince Louis and all his allies.
Excommunication, serious stuff. Very serious.
And he essentially frames the entire royalist
effort as a holy crusade. Wow. Talk about a powerful
PR strategy. It was pivotal, invoking papal authority,
casting it as a holy war. It provided this potent
ideological justification for supporting Henry.
More than just feudal loyalty. Exactly. It offered
spiritual rewards, potentially swaying undecided
barons, and definitely boosting morale for the
royalists. Okay, so let's picture the situation
on the ground. After John's death, England's
a mess, right? A patchwork of control. Very much
so. Incredibly precarious for the royalists.
Louis was besieging Dover Castle. Which was holding
out. Yes, crucially. But he held London, much
of the southeast, even parts of Yorkshire. Royalist
strongholds were scattered, isolated across the
country. Sounds like a recipe for a long, drawn
-out stalemate. It could easily have been. Louis'
control over key areas, plus his baronial support,
was formidable. But those scattered strongholds,
and especially the resistance at Dover, under
Hubert de Boer. Ah, Hubert de Boer. He's key
here. Absolutely. His defiance at Dover was critical.
It prevented a complete, immediate collapse of
the royalist cause. Tell me more about that.
He refused Louis' offer. Repeatedly. Even when
his garrison was facing starvation. He wouldn't
surrender. That kind of defiance, that must have
been a huge morale boost for Henry's side. Enormous.
It tied down a significant chunk of Louis' forces,
yes. But more importantly, it was this powerful
symbol of resistance. It gave hope. So Louis
can't take Dover. What does he do instead? He
embarks on a campaign to seize other royalist
castles. Hertford, Berkhamstead, Orford, Norwich,
Cambridge, Colchester. Trying to consolidate
his grip. Exactly. But William Marshall manages
to negotiate truces in several places. Truces?
Was that wise? Seems like giving ground. It looks
like he was playing a very strategic game to
delay, buying valuable time. Ah, okay. What was
the goal? Well, it likely served several purposes.
Allowed him to consolidate his own, often scattered,
forces. Prevented further critical losses. Maybe
even sowed some doubt within Louis' ranks. Remember...
Louis had French and English supporters. Good
point. Keep them guessing. It was pragmatic.
Avoid a decisive early defeat while he waited
for the right moment to strike back. And that
opportunity arrives at the Battle of Lincoln,
May 1217. The pivotal moment, yes. Marshall gathers
his forces at Newark. They come up with a plan.
A rather ingenious plan, actually. Marshall's
leadership, combined with Peter Desroches' strategic
thinking, proved decisive. What was the plan?
They decided to approach Lincoln from the northwest
side, which was less heavily defended. They used
the old Roman road, the Fosseway. Catch them
by surprise. Completely. Louis' forces were busy
besieging Lincoln Castle, which was being held
for Henry by a remarkable woman, Nicola de la
Haye, the sheriff. A woman holding the castle.
Fantastic. Nicola de la Haye, yes. So the French
were focused on the siege. Key royalists were
there, with Marshal Randolph of Chester. Fawkes
de Brotte. The executor Fawkes. The very same.
Peter de Roche did some reconnaissance first.
Okay, setting the scene. Then Fawkes' crossbowmen,
inside the castle with Nicola, started firing
down on the besiegers. Reigning death from above.
Pretty much. Meanwhile, Ranulf launched a diversionary
attack on the main north gate, drawing French
attention. Pinning them down. And then, Marshall
himself, despite his age, led a determined assault
on that weaker northwest gate. Leading from the
front. It sounds incredibly dramatic. It was.
Imagine the chaos, the surprise among Louis'
men. There's an anecdote about a French soldier
working a siege engine, looking up in disbelief
just before he's struck down. You can almost
picture the panic. Absolute panic. Marshall's
personal bravery was apparently inspiring. The
tide turned very quickly. The French commander,
the Count of Perche, was captured and killed.
A major blow. Huge. The French forces tried to
retreat back through the town, but it was chaos.
They got jammed up trying to cross the bridge
over the river with him. Bottlenecked. Exactly.
And apparently, the mechanism of one of the town
gates got stuck. supposedly by a cow blocking
it. A cow? You kidding? That's the story. Whether
it's entirely true or not, it paints a picture
of total disarray. Many French knights and rebel
English barons were captured. Lincoln was a massive
victory for the royalists. Incredible. But that
wasn't quite the end of it, was it? Lincoln secured
the land, but there was still the threat from
the sea. French reinforcement. Exactly right.
The war wasn't won yet. Louis could still bring
troops over from France. Which brings us back
to Hubert de Bourgh. The hero of Dover. The very
same. He steps up again for a crucial naval battle
off the coast of Sandwich in August 1217. A naval
battle. Okay. Hubert led the English fleet. They
employed a clever tactical feint, pretending
to sail past the French, then turning sharply
to gain the advantage of the wind. Smart sailing.
And then they used a, well, a rather unconventional
weapon. Oh, what was that? Powdered quicklime,
they threw it into the wind towards the French
ships. Quicklime? What would that do? It would
blow into the sailors' eyes, blinding them. Pretty
brutal, but effective. Wow. Innovative warfare.
It caused chaos on the French decks. The English
boarded the flagship, which belonged to a notorious
pirate allied with Louis called Eustace the Monk.
Eustace the Monk? What a name! He was captured
and apparently executed pretty much on the spot.
Swift justice. The French fleet was devastated.
Only about 15 of their 80 ships made it back
home. 80 ships down to 15. A crushing defeat.
Absolutely crushing. It severed Louis' supply
lines completely. No hope of significant reinforcements.
So that really sealed it. Pretty much. All of
this culminates in the Treaty of Kingston in
September 1217. Okay, the peace treaty. What
were the terms? Louis finally agrees to withdraw
his claim to the English throne. And the terms
were surprisingly generous, all things considered.
Generous, after all. Well, it focused on restoring
the situation. Lands and rights returned to how
they were before the invasion. Prisoners released
on both sides. English subjects had to renounce
any allegiance they'd sworn to Louis. Banded
stuff. Louis had to release any hostages he held,
order the surrender of the Channel Islands, which
his forces still occupied, and urge his Welsh
ally, Llywelyn a Payerworth, to stop causing
trouble in Wales. Trying to tie up all the loose
ends. And, interestingly, the English agreed
to pay Louis a sum of money. Pay him. to leave.
Essentially, yes. A financial incentive to encourage
his departure quickly and prevent any lingering
resentment that might fuel future conflict. Pragmatic.
Get him out. Draw a line under it. Exactly. It
was a successful resolution to a very dangerous
chapter. So Henry III makes his triumphant return
to London in October 1217. What a difference
a year makes. A huge contrast to that hurried
coronation in Gloucester. And one of the first
big acts is the reissuance of Magna Carta, right?
With some changes. Yes. Under William Marshall's
guidance, the Great Charter was reissued with
some amendments and omissions from the original
1215 version. What kind of changes? Things like
clarifying widow's dower rights, refining clauses
on justice, setting limits on how long goods
could be requisitioned without payment 40 days
generally. OK. Practical adjustments. Yes. Less
frequent meetings of Fasher courts, reestablishing
the tax known as scootage, as it had been under
Henry II, trying to find a workable balance.
And wasn't there another charter issued around
the same time? Something about forests? Absolutely.
The separate charter of the forest. This was
hugely significant. Why so significant? It specifically
addressed grievances about the royal forest.
Vast areas of land under special harsh royal
law. This charter reversed the expansion of the
forest under Richard de Surth and John. So giving
land back, effectively. Restoring rights. More
like it. Rights for ordinary people to graze
pigs, gather wood, forage, things vital for survival.
Big deal for common folk. Massive. And crucially,
it removed the death penalty for poaching deer,
replacing it with fines or imprisonment. A bit
more humane. Definitely. And that charter of
the forest remained English law for centuries.
Its impact was incredibly long lasting. So Magna
Carta and the Charter of the Forest, fundamental
building blocks. Absolutely. Critical steps in
solidifying peace and reestablishing a framework
for governance after the war. And were there
other efforts to kind of reset things, establish
peace more broadly? Yes, there were various efforts.
Measures were taken to protect Jewish communities
who often suffered in times of upheaval. That
sounds positive. Well, yes and no. It came with
the deeply troubling requirement that they wear
identifying strips of cloth on their clothing.
Oh, right. So protection, but also segregation.
Precisely. A reflection of the complex and often
discriminatory attitudes of the time. What else
was happening? Another interesting development
was that many leading barons decided to go on
crusade. Leave the country? Who went? People
like Ranulf of Chester, Robert Fitzwalter, Serda
Quincy, major figures, some of whom had been
rebels against John. Why leave then? Genuine
piety. Partly, perhaps. But it was also convenient.
It removed potential forces of instability from
England, redirected their energies elsewhere.
A concerted effort to reset and rebuild, as you
said. Makes sense. Get the big players focused
on something else for a while. Exactly. Sadly,
though, William Marshall's incredible service
couldn't last forever. He was getting old. Indeed.
His remarkable contribution was drawing to a
close. He died in May 1219. Did he say anything
before the end? He gave a final speech, apparently,
entrusting the guardianship of young Henry and
the realm not to one person, but to the collective
baronage. Spreading the responsibility. Seems
so. But almost immediately after his death, you
see a bit of a power struggle emerge for the
practical day -to -day control. The regency.
Who was involved? Mainly, Peter de Roche, the
bishop who had been Henry's tutor. Right. And
Hubert de Bourgh, the justiciar. The hereto of
Dover and Sandwich. Ah, the two main figures
left standing. Pretty much. It highlights the
underlying political tensions that were still
there, even after the French threat was gone.
And Marshall himself. Any last wishes? He actually
became a Knight Templar on his deathbed. Really?
Joined the temples right at the end? Yes, reflecting
the deep religious convictions common in that
era. A powerful symbolic act. So Marshall's gone.
Does the Pope's influence lessen now? Not really,
no. Papal authority remains significant. We see
figures like Pandolf, who succeeded Guala as
legate, keeping a close eye on things. Like what?
Particularly the English exchequer, the finances.
There was always interest in collecting funds
for potential future crusades. Always with the
money in the crusades. Often, yes. And Pope Honorius
III himself was writing letters to England. emphasizing
the critical nest for wise and upright men to
instruct and guide the young king. Rome was definitely
still a major power broker. No question about
it. England was still technically a papal fiefdom
since John's time. Right. I forgot about that.
But even with all this guidance, Henry himself
starts to grow up. He's a teenager now. Does
he start showing signs of wanting to rule himself?
He does. Subtle signs at first, but yes. His
second coronation in May 1220 is a key moment.
How so? Unlike the first rushed one, this was
held at Westminster Abbey. It was a much more
peaceful, splendid affair. It symbolized a return
to normality, growing stability. A proper coronation
this time. Exactly. And you see other signs of
stability. Peter Girosh and Fawkes de Brotte
both felt secure enough to take the Crusader's
vow, planning to leave the country for a time.
Things must have felt calmer. Comparatively,
yes. Though there were still ongoing tensions,
particularly with Llewellyn and Wales, William
Marshall had been quite effective in enforcing
royal authority there before he died. So Wales
was still a problem area. Always a potential
flashpoint. But the most interesting signs are
in the official government documents. What kind
of signs? You start to see subtle but significant
changes in the wording. Instead of documents
ending, witness Hubert de Burr, my justiciar.
The guy running things for him. Right. They start
ending. witness myself. Ah, Henry putting his
own name to it. Exactly. A clear, albeit small,
assertion of his own authority, his increasing
desire to take direct control. And then there's
that interesting incident in 1224, something
about the charters. Yes, that's quite revealing.
Henry publicly reaffirms his commitment to Magna
Carta and the Charter of the Forest. Okay, seems
straightforward. But apparently he did it in
the face of some opposition, notably from William
Brewer, one of the old guards from his father's
time. So he stood his ground. He did. It demonstrates
a cautious but definite assertion of his own
will and also a recognition of how important
those charters had become. He knew he needed
to uphold them. A balancing act, asserting himself
but respecting the limits. Precisely. A pragmatic
understanding, even as a young man. Though interestingly,
the Pope also intervened around this time regarding
how Peter de Roche was being treated, showing
the church still held considerable sway. Always
pulling strings. So he's starting to assert himself.
Does he face more direct challenges? He does.
Later in 1224, there's the siege of Bedford Castle.
What happened there? It was held by Fawkes of
Brotet, the same Fawkes who was one of John's
executors, and fought at Lincoln. He rebelled.
His brother was holding it defiantly against
royal orders. Henry led the siege himself. It
was long and difficult, but he eventually took
the castle and dealt quite harshly with the garrison.
Harshly? Yes. It showed he was willing to use
force against those who defied his authority,
perhaps learning that past leniency towards rebels
hadn't always worked. Getting tougher. Seems
so. Then internationally, an opportunity potentially
arises in 1226. What's that? Louis VIII of France,
the same Prince Louis who invaded England, dies.
His son, Louis IX, is just a boy. A minority
in France, just like Henry had been. Exactly.
Potentially creating opportunities for Henry
to try and regain some of those lost Angevin
lands on the continent. Did he take that chance?
He did eventually try, but we'll get to that.
First, in April 1228, the Pope formally confirms
that Henry is assuming full personal authority
in England. He's officially ruling in his own
right. A big milestone. No more guardians. Right.
But that same year, another major figure dies,
Archbishop Stephen Langton. The Archbishop of
Canterbury involved with Magna Carta. The very
one. His death leaves a vacuum in the English
church. And then in 1229, Henry makes his move
regarding France. The invasion? How did it go?
Not well. He launched an expedition to Normandy,
but it was pretty unsuccessful. Logistical problems,
lack of support. Ah, so the opportunity wasn't
seized. No. And Henry apparently blamed Hubert
de Bourgh for the failure. Signs of friction
there. Blaming his chief minister. Then a few
years later, 1232, another major figure passes
Ranulf, Earl of Chester. The one who deferred
to Marshall. Yes. His death brings William Marshall's
son, Richard Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, more
into prominence. The next generation stepping
up. Indeed. And that same year, 1232, Henry does
something quite personal. He visits his father
John's tomb at Worcester Cathedral. Paying respects.
More than that. He commissions and installs a
new tomb effigy for John. It's actually the oldest
royal effigy in England that still survives.
The oldest one? Wow. Yeah, and the sculptures
placed around it are also interesting. There's
one of Edward the Confessor, whom Henry greatly
admired. His ideal king. Right. And some scholars
think other sculptures might represent bad kings,
perhaps as a contrast or a warning. So he's thinking
about kingship. Good versus bad. It really makes
you wonder, doesn't it? What was Henry contemplating
about the nature of kingship, his father's troubled
legacy, and his own role standing there by that
tomb? A fascinating glimpse into his mindset.
It suggests a deep, ongoing reflection on what
it meant to be king, the responsibilities the
legacies left behind. So when we look back at
it all, the early years of Henry III's reign
were just an absolute whirlwind. Totally chaotic.
A child king, civil war, foreign invasion. The
unexpected survival of the Plantagent dynasty
really down to William Marshall more than anyone.
His leadership was incredible, yeah. And then
the slow, difficult consolidation of peace after
Louis left. Plus the reissuance of Magna Carta
and that really important Charter of the Forest,
laying crucial foundations for English law and
liberty. Absolutely fundamental. And even amidst
all the chaos and guidance, you see those early
subtle signs of Henry himself beginning to assert
his own authority. Preparing for the long haul.
Exactly. All laying the crucial groundwork for
the very long and often turbulent reign that
followed. It was a period of immense instability
that somehow... against the odds, forged a new
path for England. It really makes you consider,
though, how did these formative years, so incredibly
chaotic, filled with powerful guardians and constant
threats, how did that ultimately shape Henry's
long rule? That's the big question, isn't it?
Did that early reliance on others, which was
totally necessary at the time, maybe hinder his
development as a truly strong, decisive king
later on? Could it have contributed to the later
periods of unrest that definitely marked his
reign? It's possible. Definitely something to
think about. Well, thanks so much for joining
us for this deep dive into such a fascinating
and often forgotten period of history. My pleasure.
It's an incredible story. What about you listening?
What was the most surprising thing you learned
today or what moment really stood out to you?
Let us know. Yeah, share your thoughts in the
comments below. And please don't forget to like
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