The Noble family of Henry De Montfort was over many years related to Kings of Jerusalem, France, England, Scotland and to rulers of Wales and the Orsini family of Rome.

Henry de Montfort was born in 1238 and was the grandson of Simon the crusader, and eldest brother of the Constable sir Amaury de Montfort who died in 1301, and like all his brothers was concieved by Eleanor Plantagenet (1215-1275), daughter of King John I of England (wed 1237-8). The marriage between the king's sister, Eleanor, and the Frenchman, Simon de Montfort earl of Leicester, further increased the foreign influence begun by the king, which was to result in great hostility by those very Barons who later revolted against the king!

Henry had four known brothers and a sister named Eleanor de Montfort. His most prominent brother Simon de Montfort (1240-1271) was born two years his junior. Named after his uncle, (also a veteran Crusader) was Guy de Montfort one of Henries brothers, the others being Richard de Montfort (died 1266), and Pierre whom with Henry died at the Battle of Evesham.

His father Simon de Montfort, had traveled from his home in France to England in 1229 to re-claim his father's estate, but although he became the kings Brother in law he led a revolt against Henry IIIrd, eldest son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, then also Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and the Count of Anjo, his lord, in a conflict to become known as the Barons_War.

Henry De Montfort, and his brothers had lost their grandfathers estate because De Montfort had fought in France against England and had been banished from England by king John in 1207. However the de Montfort's were from a family of seasoned Crusaders and devoted to the Church, failing only to hesitate if called upon to die for their cause! The family motto being "Quod Deus Vole Volo" (What God wishes, I wish).

Almaric de Montfort whilst conveying his sister from France some years later to be married to Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, was to be taken a prisoner with his sister, whilst at sea, to suffer a long imprisonment at the vengeful bequest of the king, then Edward I. 

Siege of Gloucester 1263

The City of Gloucester first became involved in the Barons war when rights to the castle were disputed between the Barons and the King in 1263. The barons by a cunning deception led in an army and occupied the town, but did not manage to secure the castle, so that at length the fighting between castle and the Baronial army in the town was concluded by a royalist victory.

Simon de Montfort, his brother Henry Henry de Montfort and Humphrey de Bohun along with the King and the Price Edward (later Edward I) as prisoners, spent two weeks fortifying the town and castle.

Northampton.

The brother of Henry, Simon de Montfort, son of the Earl of Leicester, along with Peter de Montfort, and others were captured at Northampton.

In 1258 the King, then Henry III agreed to the Provisions of Oxford, constraining royal authority with the administration of the realm undertaken by 24 elected barons. Of these 24 Barons who became the 'barons' party' in 1263, the following 15 were at Lewes, when on the 14th May 1264 the armies of both sides met in Sussex:

Simon de Montfort (Earl of Leicester), Ralph Basset, William le Blound, Humphrey de Bohun, John de Burgh, Hugh Despenser, John Fitz-John, Henry de Hastings, Henry de Montfort, William de Montchensy, Nicholas de Segrave, Robert de Ros, Geoffrey de Lucy, John de Vesey, Richard de Vipont.

The king had gone back upon his word and civil war was renewed against the Crown, the Battle of Lewes was fought on May in 1264 a ended in a victory for the barons.

The Battle of Lewes.

Around the time of the Battle of Lewes Robert de Stuteville had been captured and imprisoned by Henry de Montfort as a defeated knight, immediately suffered the seizure of his manor of Withersfield in Suffolk.

In January of the following year Simon de Montfort carried out the first of the Provisions by summoning knights of shires and burgesses to form a parliament. He thus became the founder of the English House of Commons.

In the same year a powerful party was raised up against him among the barons, and soon afterwards the battle of Evesham was fought, in which the royal forces were led by Prince Edward, and there, in attempting to rally his troops, by rushing into the midst of the enemy, De Montfort was surrounded and slain, Aug. 4, 1265.

The principal persons slain in the memorable engagement were, the Earl himself; Henry de Montfort, his eldest son; Hugh Le Despencer, the Justice of England; Ralph Basset, of Drayton, and about one hundred and sixty knights, and many other gentlemen of his party.

Battle of Evesham.

Henry de Montfort died with his father and brother at battle of Evesham, having been recalled to England from France to lead the rebellious knights of the baronial army during the Barons War (1263-1264).

"On the battlefield in the bloody slaughter Roger de Leybourne noticed the wounded and confused figure of the king and dragged him, bleeding from a face wound, to safety".

"The final act was played out in a monstrous summer storm, (in) 'such a downpour of rain, such thunder and lightening, and the darkness was so profound, that though it was dinner-time those who sat down to eat could scarcely see the food before them'. The first of the noble's to fall in battle was Henry de Montfort, 'first born son and heir, in full view of his father, perished, split by a sword.'"

"‘Thus the whole weight of the battle fell upon the earl of Leicester, who was an old and shrewd warrior. He stood the shock like a strong tower; but, surrounded by few followers, and overcome by numbers, he fell, and thus terminated an hereditary prowess, rendered famous by many glorious deeds'".

Henries Brother Guy de Montfort fought with his brother in the van of the baronial army but was captured and imprisoned at Dover Castle, which was held by Richard de Grey Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Guy was able to escape and fled into Tuscany, and there acquiring a high reputation as a soldier, he wed the daughter and heiress of the Earl Rufus. 

The siege of Kenilworth.

Simon de Montfort, son of the earl of Leicester, brother of Henry de Montford had gallantly defended the castle of Kenilworth, for the Barons, until even he was finally taken prisoner in the Isle of Ely, by Prince Edward.

Effecting an escape, in 1270 he fled to France, his native home and in Italy, with his brother Guy, in 1271, to avenge their father he conspired to the murder of his cousin, Henry of Almain, the eldest son of Richard, 'King of the Romans', in the church of St. Silvester, as the prince assisted in the mass.