Henry III of England

King of England

Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester

(C. 1216 - 1229)

Edward I of England

(C. 1229 - 1238)

Eleanor of England

Joan of England

Edmund, 2nd Earl of Richmond

Richard, 2nd Earl of Somerset

Constance of England

**Henry III of England** (C. 1161 - 1238) was King of England succeeding his father John I of England. Henry was the eldest son of John I of England, and his first wife Marie of Provence, he had 2 full sisters, the older sister was Eleanor of England and the younger was was Princess Joan. Henry's mother died in 1167, and his father remarried Isabella I, Countess of Auvergne who Henry despised, Henry moved to Normandy with his older sister to not have to live with his step-mother. In Normandy, he met his 2nd cousin Eleanor of Provence who he fell in-love with, he married Eleanor when he was 17 in 1178 with the Pope's approval and his father's approval. Henry and Eleanor moved to Provence during the reign of Henry's father and lived with Henry's maternal cousin Geoffrey II, Count of Provence. Eleanor gave birth to a son Edward of England in Provence which infuriated the English who wanted the heir apparents son to be born in England. When Henry became King in 1208, he was 45 and a very weak man from crusading, he appointed his wife regent and he spent most of his wives regency in Windsor Castle sleeping and playing with his sons and daughters. Henry never took a mistress as he was indeed dedicated to his Queen, but in 1216, Henry's niece Simon de Montfort imprisoned Henry and his family and declared himself regent of England, but Henry's wise son Edward escaped and defeated de Montfort and let his family out, but Edward refused to hand power to Henry or Eleanor and he was the real power in England, Henry died of sweating sickness and was succeeded by his son Edward who was a very popular king.

## Early Life

### Childhood

Henry Plantagenet was born in 1161 during the reign and imprisonment of his uncle Richard the Lionheart. He was the eldest son of John I of England and Marie of Provence. Henry was given the title Earl of Huntingdon as he was the son of a possible future king, young Henry was raised by his aunt Constance of England, the who was also his grand mother through his mother Marie. He had an older sister named Eleanor of England, and a younger one Joan of England. When John was approximately 4 years old, his uncle died and his father succeeded Richard, even though Richard stated Henry's cousin Mary, 4th Countess of Gloucester should take the throne next. Henry's mother soon died of illness at a young age and Henry certainly was distraught, Henry's father remarried the more popular and beautiful Isabella I, Countess of Auvergne whom Henry despised, when Henry was 12 after the first baron's war, he and his sister Eleanor moved to Normandy to avoid there step-mother. Henry from then on was raised by the King and Queen of France, Henry grew to like France and spent most of his adult years there.

### Education

The Queen of France hated that Henry's father spent very few on education for Henry, and took Henry to school along with her own children, the Queen of France (Joan I of Navarre) often had to drag Henry to go to school because Henry hated school, Joan was certainly not going to let Henry do whatever he wanted and made sure Henry did well in school. Henry though was quite fond of reading, war, and archery, but not the most fond of math, writing, and history. Henry's older sister was considered Henry's best companion as Eleanor often helped Henry with his work. Henry and Joan's eldest son Charles became best friends during Henry's stay, they often read books together and jousted together. Charles also probably had many affairs with Henry's sister who was considered "The Pear of Womanhood" for her beauty.

### Marriage

When Henry was 17, his father John wrote letters to Henry urging him to get married, Henry declared he was bride-hunting in mid 1178, but he found no interest in most of the daughters of French nobles, and wen't to Provence were some of his relatives came from on his mothers side. There he fell in-love with his 2nd cousin the famed beauty, Eleanor of Provence, Eleanor was 15 but instantly fell in-love with the powerful and handsome prince, Henry had Eleanor's father approve, and the pope's approval, and finally Henry had his father's approval, Eleanor and Henry were married in Westminister abbey, but as soon as they were married, they left back for Provence.

## Life in Provence

Henry as a married heir apparent was expected to live in England in respect for the people, but Henry loved France more then England, and moved back in Provence where Henry had his first child, Prince Edward. This enraged the English who could not deal having another French king of England. But Henry did not mind the outrage as he knew it would shift away. He raised his son to be a fighter and a warrior. In 1179, Henry entered the 12th Crusade leaving his wife in-charge of there now 3 children, and finances. Henry spent 2 years on crusade before in ended in the Pope's demand. Henry never took a mistress as he was dedicated to his wife dearly.

## England

Henry soon was forced back to England by his father while his wife was pregnant, her brought his 3 children with him to London, and his father scolded Henry for staying in France. Henry's step-mother was not welcoming to Henry, and tried to make way for her own son to claim the throne. Henry though was determined to become king of England after his father, and did not drink the poisoned beer given to him by Isabella I of Auvergne. In England, his wife gave birth to a daughter named Joan. Henry granted his wife, Richmond Palace. His wife was not a popular queen, but not unpopular, people did not like Eleanor of Provence because of her family, but they liked her for her dedication to the English. Henry had a son in England, named Edmund of England, Eleanor convinced Henry to bestow there second child with the Earldom of Richmond, which Henry listened to his wife, and made Edmund the new Earl of Richmond. Eleanor gave birth again to Richard of England who was bestowed with the Earldom of Somerset.

## 13th Crusade

Henry attended the 13th Crusade with his wife in Jerusalem, Henry was nearly killed in a shickwreck going there, but another boat was sent to save Henry and Eleanor, Henry's wife accompanied Henry to Jaffa were he defeated the Ottoman Overlords, and Eleanor gave birth in Jerusalem to there last child Constance of England, Henry had to stop crusading to send his wife and daughter home to England. Henry wen't back on crusade with his long time best friend Charles, and they wen't together to Arce. After the 13th Crusade, Henry took a break in Devon Palace which was an estate for him granted him by his father. His wife though wanted Henry to moved to Richmond Palace, so Henry traveled from Kent to Richmond by carriage.

## King of England

### Coronation

In 1206, Henry and a few noblemen hatched a plot to murder his father in revenge for the murders John committed, Henry poisoned John's tea and he was found dead in the evening, Henry inherited England, Ireland, Normandy, Aquitaine, Poiters, and Angoulême, while his younger half-brothers inherited Brittany, Jordan, and Anjou. Henry and Eleanor were crowned in westminister abbey, England, Henry's son was 28, and he married Eleanor of Castile, Henry was 45 and old and very tired. Henry knowing he was to old to preform his kingly duties, so he appointed his wife regent as he stayed in Windsor Castle with some of his daughters and grand-daughters and sons.

### Regency of Eleanor of Provence

Henry III moved to Windsor Castle with his teenage daughter Constance, and many of his grand-children which he took care-of, Henry often would read books to his grand-children to share his admire of reading. Eleanor however set up her own government were she hired people from her own family to high government positions, which surely enraged the English. Henry's son Edward gave birth to a son Edward of England whom Henry raised. Eleanor of Provence was controlled by her brothers to dictate England the way they wanted, but Henry's niece Simon de Montfort had the answer to the people's problems and started gaining support.

### Simon de Montfort

Simon was the Earl of Leicester and the son of Henry's older sister Princess Eleanor, thus making Simon Henry's niece. Simon was aggresive and ruthless, and greatly feared by the English nobility, but Simon was indeed a ladies man inherited his good looks from his beautiful mother, Simon declared war on the king who was sickly and unable to command an army, Eleanor of Provence freaked out and ordered the army to attack Simon's base, Simon's wife and children were killed in the raid and Simon's friends were slaughtered, furious he got support from the king of Dublin and he kidnapped Eleanor of Provence and her children, they were imprisoned in Angevin Castle, Simon kidnapped Edward and Eleanor and the rest of the grand-children of Henry III, the last step was to kidnap Henry III and Constance, Henry scared for his daughters life sent her and her fiancee to Paris. Constance was the only one to not be imprisoned, Henry was kidnapped and imprisoned in Angevin Castle. Simon was very popular and the English cheered him, Simon used the symbol of his aunt Joan of England who was one of England's most beloved princesses, to prove to loyalty to the English. Eleanor was terrified of Simon's men, and never left there eldest son Edward's room. Henry was to old to be be scared or wanting to leave as he was weak and unable to rule. Henry soon developed signs of blindness and he had to be helped by captors to not bump into him, the captors were not that good of captors, they often had affairs with Henry's children instead of preforming there duty, one of Henry's daughters married one of the guards, and was let free. after 13 years of imprisonment, Henry's son Edward and Eleanor of Castile escaped dressed as guards, and declared war on Simon de Montfort, at first the English were not happy about this and sided with de Montfort, but when they noticed Edward's military skills they were indeed impressed, Edward promised to invade England's enemy Dublin if they side with him, Edward defeated de Montfort within 3 days and freed his family, he did not allow Henry any real power as he proclaimed himself regent, he did as promised and invaded the kingdom of Dublin. Edward then established the parliment of England, which was a government elected by the people and nobles which was the first office in English History. Henry spent his son's regency back in Windsor Castle. Simon de Montfort was hanged drawn and coutered publically for attempting to usurp the throne, Edward's popularity grew for invading much of the lost English territory.

### Edward's regency

Edward freed his family, but did not allow Henry back his power, Edward kept Henry under heavy supervision, and made sure Henry did not try to overthrow him. During Edward's regency, Eleanor of Provence moved to Edward's court, and Henry raised his great-grand-children in Windsor Castle, Henry was so weak in 1236, he could not leave his bed for days. Doctors were sure Henry had sweating sickness because of the chills he complained he was getting. Henry was moved from Windsor Castle to Château de La Roche-Jagu in the comfort of Henry's half-brother, the Duke of Brittany who was also sick of an unknown illness, the Duke of Brittany died of the illness, and Henry was in the company of the Duke's children and widowed wife. Henry was also often visited by his wife in England. Henry's condition worsened as he was soon permenently blind and deaf, a priest later visited the dying king.

## Death

Henry read brail from his wife asking him about the will to his children, Henry answered though not hearing himself "Give all to the eldest!" Henry's family came to see Henry on his death bed who lied down constantly asking for water. That night of an unknown day, Henry died in his sleep, his daughter Constance thought he was sleeping and did not alert anyone of the death until she was sure he was dead, Henry's body was carried from Brittany to Westminister, England. Were he was buried next to the chapel of his grand-mother Eleanor of Aquitaine. His wife was buried next to him when she died not long after, Edward succeeded everything and he and Eleanor of Castile were crowned in westminister abbey.