ABSTRACT
KingHenryIII,whoreignedfrom1216to1272,rarelyfeaturesamongthegreat monarchsofEnglishhistory.Infact,hisreignisfrequentlyperceivedasoneof moreorlesscontinuouscrisis,exacerbatedbythepersonalityofakingwhowasat bestapiousfoolandsimpleton.Writinginthelatenineteenthcentury,Bishop Stubbs,inhisConstitutionalHistoryofEngland,setthetoneformanymodern commentators:'HenryIII'sirresolutionandimpolicyhadonegoodresult;they incapacitatedhimfrombecomingasuccessfultyrant...Hereignedsolongthatthe chanceofsuchaconsummationpassedaway. . . .'1ToR.F.Treharneeventhatwas notredemptionenough:'Hehadnoteventheviceswhichcanmakeabadkinga strongruler...thoughsometimesgrandiose,hisschemeswerealwayseither intrinsicallysilly,orfarinexcessofhisresources.'2HenryIII,inshort,was significantaboveallbydefault.Hewasaking,toparaphraseJohnGillingham, whoreigned,ratherthanonewhoruled.3Hemattered,becauseofthesheerduration ofhisreign,andbecausehiscontinuingincapacitytoestablishfirmroyallordship pavedthewayforwhatwastobecomethegloryoftheVictorianconstitution.
