Publications
Battle Royal: A New Account of Simon de Montfort's Struggle against King Henry III, by Tufton Beamish, published 1965 (285 pp., London: Frederick Muller Ltd.) accessible at: & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries
Review by C. H. L. in Sussex Notes and Queries, November 1965:This book is the story of the events which led to the Barons' War, the Battle of Lewes, and the aftermath which resulted in the establishment of a more representative government in England. The author steers his reader through the political currents, cross-currents, and rapids of the turbulent reign of Henry III. The book contains a wealth of detail, the fruit of much research, always informative and never boring. In the political portions of the book the touch is sure; but unfortunately Chapter VII, in which the battle is described, does not reach the same standard. Differences of opinion on how it was fought are inevitable, for there are two schools of thought; one that of Ramsay and Burne that it was fought, or at any rate begun, on Offham Hill, and the other, that of Oman and Blaauw, that it was fought on the outskirts of the town. But whatever theory is put forward the reader is entitled to a reconstruction which gives full consideration to the ground, logistics, psychology of commanders, and such definite evidence as grave pits. Would the pious Simon de Montfort, thoroughly imbued with the doctrine of the divine right of kings, have struck first against his anointed sovereign? Would his mail-clad horsemen, not too well mounted, have been able to make a night march in separated bodies over largely trackless country, scale the onein-six northern slopes of Offham Hill in the dark, and at dawn reach a rendezvous successfully on the flat top? De Montfort is described as being 'without question an outstanding military commander of his day,' yet he orders his untrained Londoners to march unsupported on the Castle, against the elite of the Royal Army who annihilate them. ' De Montfort,' we are told, 'can hardly have hoped that he could storm the castle on foot . . . perhaps he actually intended them as a decoy.' As no satisfactory reason is given why de Montfort employed such extraordinary tactics, one might be pardoned for concluding that he did not do so.
The Londoners, who are observed by foragers, march five furlongs (which would take them about 12 minutes) to the Wallands (site of the secondary modern school). There they meet the Lord Edward's cavalrymen, who, we are asked to believe, had been alerted, equipped themselves, saddled their horses, turned out, formed up, and also marched five furlongs, all in the same 12 minutes. There are some more strange logistics when the king makes his sortie from the Priory.
The pen-portraits of the chief actors in the drama are well drawn; that of Simon de Montfort forming a slight corrective to the exaggerated eulogies he has sometimes received. One feature of the book is a brilliant translation by Jane Hodlin of the too little known Song of Lewes, and another, the very interesting collection of illustrations from medieval documents which enliven the narrative.
The inclusion of quotations from a comic history of England as chapter headings may not appeal to some, but is certainly original. Sir Charles Petrie writes the foreword to this most informative book.
The Londoners, who are observed by foragers, march five furlongs (which would take them about 12 minutes) to the Wallands (site of the secondary modern school). There they meet the Lord Edward's cavalrymen, who, we are asked to believe, had been alerted, equipped themselves, saddled their horses, turned out, formed up, and also marched five furlongs, all in the same 12 minutes. There are some more strange logistics when the king makes his sortie from the Priory.
The pen-portraits of the chief actors in the drama are well drawn; that of Simon de Montfort forming a slight corrective to the exaggerated eulogies he has sometimes received. One feature of the book is a brilliant translation by Jane Hodlin of the too little known Song of Lewes, and another, the very interesting collection of illustrations from medieval documents which enliven the narrative.
The inclusion of quotations from a comic history of England as chapter headings may not appeal to some, but is certainly original. Sir Charles Petrie writes the foreword to this most informative book.
Battle Royal: A New Account of Simon de Montfort's Struggle against King Henry III, by Tufton Beamish, published 20 November 1978 (reprint, 285 pp., London: Frederick Muller Ltd., ISBN-10: 0584100183 & ISBN-13: 9780584100181)