Henry William Carless Davis

“ There is better ground for believing that he disliked the narrow class-spirit in which the victorious barons used their victory; and that he would gladly have made a compromise with the moderate royalists whose policy was guided by the Lord Edward, Henry’s eldest son. But the king’s success in dividing the barons and in fostering a reaction rendered such projects hopeless. In 1261 Henry revoked his assent to the Provisions, and Montfort left the country in despair. ”

“ He acquitted himself with distinction, and there was some thought among the Frankish barons of appointing him to act as regent of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem. But he returned in 1241, took part in Henry’s disastrous French expedition of 1242, and was readmitted to full favour. Between 1243 and 1248 he received many gifts from the king; he stood forward in parliament as a mediator between the court party and the opposition; it is only from the correspondence of his friends Grosseteste and Adam de Marsh that we learn of his dissatisfaction with the condition of church and state. ”

“ Henry yielded to the outcry and instituted a formal inquiry into the earl’s administration. Montfort was formally acquitted on the charges of oppression, but his accounts were disputed by the king, and he retired in disgust to France (1252) . The nobles of France offered him the regency of the kingdom, vacant by the death of the Queen-mother Blanche of Castile, but he preferred to make his peace with Henry (1253) , in obedience to the exhortations of the dying Grosseteste. He helped the king in dealing with the disaffection of Gascony ”