Reality:
Although innovative, the 1265 Parliament did not establish a permanent or institutionalized parliamentary system. It was convened under exceptional circumstances and did not survive Montfort’s defeat at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. Subsequent monarchs resumed more traditional methods of governance, and the evolution of Parliament was gradual, shaped by many factors and figures over centuries.
Reassessing Simon de Montfort’s Governance
Political Motives and Ambitions
Simon de Montfort’s motivations were rooted in consolidating his own power and influence. His baronial reform agenda was aimed at curtailing royal excesses but was not driven by modern ideals of democracy or popular participation.
He sought to enforce the Provisions of Oxford (1258), a baronial reform document that imposed a council to oversee the king’s decisions. This council, dominated by the nobility, effectively reduced Henry III to a figurehead. Montfort’s leadership was thus as much about aristocratic power struggles as it was about legal or constitutional reform. shutdown123