Simon de Montfort and the Second Barons War

[The Mikado]

Could someone direct me to a solid monograph on this topic?  The rebellion against Henry III seems so bizarre in retrospect.  England came that close to ending up with something resembling a Polish monarchy where Parliament dictated to the royals in the middle of the 13th century.

The 13th century is rapidly becoming my favorite topic...I've been reading a fair amount about the failure of the Hohenstaufen project for Central Europe (Friedrich II is one of the most fascinating figures ever: excommunicated four times, including two overlapping times, and responds by hiring Muslim bodyguards who wouldn't be as responsive to the Pope!) and the Mongol invasions.

[RosettaStoned]

http://www.amazon.com/Simon-Montfort-J-R-Maddicott/dp/052137636X\

 I found that book to be quite insightful.

 I agree with you, the 13th century was extremely interesting.

[Cassius]

I think it fits fairly well into the pattern of medieval England where weak Kings were usually forced to deal with opportunistic magnates who could sense a lame duck. Henry is but one example; Edward II and Henry VI could both be seen as similar cases.

[The Mikado]

I think it fits fairly well into the pattern of medieval England where weak Kings were usually forced to deal with opportunistic magnates who could sense a lame duck. Henry is but one example; Edward II and Henry VI could both be seen as similar cases.

Henry VI is kind of a special case.  He wasn't even 1 year old when he took the throne, there wasn't a lot of royal authority to abrogate, and most of the power went to his uncles, anyway.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And was also pretty obviously severely (times about thirty) mentally ill.