Meanwhile, the center and left wings under Montfort and his allies held firm. Montfort launched a fierce counterattack against Henry’s center, routing the royal forces and capturing the king.
With Edward’s troops isolated and overwhelmed, Montfort was able to defeat the prince’s division as well.
Aftermath of the Battle
The Battle of Lewes resulted in a decisive victory for Simon de Montfort and the baronial rebels. King Henry III and his brother Richard of Cornwall were taken prisoner, while Prince Edward managed to escape.
The victory gave Montfort effective control over the English government, and he established a reformist regime that sought to impose constitutional limits on royal power.
Consequences and Significance
Montfort’s Government and the Birth of Parliamentary Representation
Following the battle, Montfort called the famous Parliament of 1265, which is considered a landmark event in the development of representative government. For the first time, commoners, including knights and burgesses from towns, were summoned alongside the barons and clergy to discuss national matters.
This Parliament laid the groundwork for the English parliamentary system, shifting the governance model away from absolute monarchy toward a more consultative and representative framework. shutdown123