In 1264 Simon de Montfort succeeded in capturing Henry III of England after leading a baronial uprising against the King, sparked by the Kings refusal to uphold the Magna Carta. In 1265 de Montfort called the first directly elected parliament in Europe with a view to agreeing a new English Constitution. De Montfort seeked to establish a Triumvirate with two of his allies, who along with Parliament would form the proposed new English government.
In OTL de Montfort's parliament failed due to a withdrawal of baronial support (not helped by an unpopular alliance with the Welsh, negotiated by de Montfort). Henry III's son, Prince Edward escaped de Montfort's custody in the midst of all this and took up arms against de Montfort. Eventually de Montfort was killed at the Battle of Evesham, which allowed the restoration of Henry III to the throne.
My question is this. Could Simon de Montfort have succeeded in crafting a new constitution at the Parliament of 1265? If so could the resulting government have endured? And how might subsequent history be affected by all this?
(More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_de_Montfort,_6th_Earl_of_Leicester)
In OTL de Montfort's parliament failed due to a withdrawal of baronial support (not helped by an unpopular alliance with the Welsh, negotiated by de Montfort). Henry III's son, Prince Edward escaped de Montfort's custody in the midst of all this and took up arms against de Montfort. Eventually de Montfort was killed at the Battle of Evesham, which allowed the restoration of Henry III to the throne.
My question is this. Could Simon de Montfort have succeeded in crafting a new constitution at the Parliament of 1265? If so could the resulting government have endured? And how might subsequent history be affected by all this?
(More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_de_Montfort,_6th_Earl_of_Leicester)