Simon de Montfort the Younger

Simon VI^[A] de Montfort (April 1240 – 1271), known as Simon de Montfort the Younger, was the second son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester and Eleanor of England.

Simon de Montfort
Born	April 1240
Died	1271 (aged 30–31)
Father	Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Mother	Eleanor of England

His father and his elder brother Henry were killed at the Battle of Evesham in August 1265. The younger Simon had been slow to bring his forces from London, and had seen them and their banners captured by Prince Edward, who then used the banners to trick Simon's father. He arrived at Evesham just in time to see his father's head atop a pike. The younger Simon tried to raise a rebellion in Lincolnshire, but this petered out by Christmas.

In 1266, Simon and his supporters were now stuck in Kenilworth Castle, which was previously owned by his father. Having promised to surrender the castle to King Henry III of England, Simon later changed his mind and so the King decided to siege the castle on 21 June. The siege lasted six months, making it possibly the longest siege ever conducted on the British Isles. Simon surrendered the castle to the King on 14 December.

After the surrender at Kenilworth, Simon and his younger brother Guy escaped to France and Italy. In 1271 they discovered and murdered their cousin Henry of Almain (whom they blamed for the death of their father) at the church in Viterbo, for which they were excommunicated. Simon died later that year from Toscana virus at Siena, "cursed by God, a wanderer and a fugitive".

Ancestors

Ancestors of Simon de Montfort the Younger

8. Simon de Montfort 4. Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester 9. Amicia de Beaumont 2. Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester 10. Bouchard V de Montmorency 5. Alix de Montmorency 11. Laurette of Hainaut 1. Simon de Montfort the Younger 12. Henry II of England 6. John of England 13. Eleanor of Aquitaine 3. Eleanor of England 14. Aymer Taillifer, Count of Angoulême 7. Isabella of Angoulême 15. Alice of Courtenay

Note

^A Alternatively Simon VII. The discrepancy in numbering arises from confusion between Simon III de Montfort (died 1181) and his son Simon de Montfort (died 1188). The latter was historically unknown, and Simon III was believed to be the father (not the grandfather)[1] of the crusader Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, who is therefore known as Simon IV in some sources[2] and Simon V in others.[3]

References

• "Montfort, Simon of (1240-1271)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

1. Cokayne, G. E. (1929). The Complete Peerage. 7 (2nd ed.). London: St Catherine Press. p. 716.
2. Phillips, Charles. "Battle of Toulouse". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
3. Lippiatt, G. E. M. (2017). Simon V of Montfort and Baronial Government, 1195-1218. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198805137.