1265 Simon de Montfort Parliament
From the Anglo-Saxon period onwards, kings gathered leading subjects together to advise them. In the 13th century, these assemblies came to be known as Parliaments. After Magna Carta, more people were summoned to attend – records of elections of knights to represent their counties survive from 1254. There is evidence of Parliaments emerging around this time in Scotland and Ireland.
In 1258, England's Parliament was again shaped by rebellion. After unpopular foreign policies and local government abuses, a group of barons forced Henry III to accept reform under the Provisions of Oxford, but civil war followed. Henry's brother-in-law, Simon de Montfort, emerged as the rebel leader, and at the Battle of Lewes (1264) he captured Henry and took control of government.
In 1265, Montfort called a ground-breaking Parliament. As well as the Lords, he summoned knights from the shires and representatives from towns, who were known as burgesses. This was the first time that both knights and burgesses – ‘common men' – had attended Parliament together to discuss national issues and not just consent to taxation. Henry regained control after Montfort's death at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, but afterwards knights and burgesses were called to Parliament more regularly. These assemblies eventually became the House of Commons, with representatives joining from Wales (1542), Scotland (1708) and Ireland (1801).
