King Henry Research Paper

Henry III of England, also known as Henry of Winchester, played a crucial role in English history as King. Henry was born on October 1, 1207 in the Winchester Castle to King John and Isabella of Angoulême. Because of the death of his father on October 19, 1216 during the First Baron's War, Henry's entire life was changed at age nine. Being as he was the monarch’s eldest son, he was next in line to ascend the throne. In 1223, Pope Honorius III limited Henry's powers as king because of his youth. Four years later, “In January 1227 Henry declared himself of full age and commenced to attempt to regain the overseas French possessions that had been lost. In the preceding years he had lost most of his French possessions but by 1225 had recovered Gascony,

Henry’s father, King John wrote the Magna Carta, one of the first and most important documents in English history. The Magna Carta was a crucial document that ******************* Unfortunately, King John died suddenly during the First Baron’s War. There are numerous accounts as to the reason why he died, many of them fictitious. However, most scholars believe John’s cause of death was caused by an infectious illness (John). After numerous disputes as to who should gain the throne, King John’s eldest son, Henry III ascended the throne of England on October 19, 1216 when he was only nine years old. Several days later, “William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, was appointed regent. On Pembroke’s death in 1219, Hubert de Burgh, who served as justiciar, became the most powerful man in government” (Henry, III). In 1223, Henry was declared of age for certain limited purposes by Pope Honius III since he was believed to be old enough for certain decision making for England and its people. Five years later in January of 1227, Henry was declared of full age to rule England and obtained complete ruling

Soon after Henry became king, England had lost most of the territories his father, King John, ruled over in France. However, by 1225, Henry had already recovered most of Gascony, located around the southwest area of France. This recovery indicated the beginning of Henry’s recovery of his family’s territories around the south of France. Because Henry was in desperate need of Baronial support, a key strategy his father utilized, he restored forest liberties. Several years later Henry was, “invading Poitou and Gascony, and the following year to obtain scutage (a form of revenue) he reaffirmed the liberties of the Church” (Henry, III). In 1232, Henry hoped to rule as his own minister in France, which caused the dismissal of Hubert de Burgh, the most powerful man in the government at that time, was serving as justiciar. Henry then began to alienate the English barons, taking more and more control over France as his own. Henry also brought in his Poitevin friends to replace the English officers that were in France at the time. After, Henry was forced to back down from these acts due to pressure from Hubert de Burgh and the barons in 1234. Two years later, Henry married Eleanor of Provence. Henry and Eleanor’s marriage “resulted in two sons and three daughters who survived infancy, caused England to be flooded with his wife’s