Henry III of England

NAME Henry III of England

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Henry III was King of England from 1216 to 1272 — one of the longest reigns in English history. He is remembered for his deep piety, his passion for architecture (particularly the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey), and his turbulent reign marked by baronial unrest and the rise of parliamentary power under Simon de Montfort.

BIRTH Henry was born on October 1, 1207, at Winchester Castle in Winchester, Hampshire, England. He was born during a turbulent period, as his father King John was embroiled in conflict with rebellious barons.​

FAMILY BACKGROUND Henry was born into the House of Plantagenet. His father was King John of England (1167-1216), one of England's most controversial monarchs, infamous for losing much of the Angevin Empire to France and for his conflicts with the barons that led to Magna Carta. His mother was Isabella of Angoulême (c.1188-1246), daughter of Aymer, Count of Angoulême. 

Henry was the eldest son and had four legitimate younger siblings: Richard, Earl of Cornwall (1209-1272), who later became King of the Romans; Joan (1210-1238), who married Alexander II of Scotland; Isabella (1214-1241), who married Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II; and Eleanor (1215-1275), who married Simon de Montfort.​

CHILDHOOD Very little is known of Henry's early childhood. He was initially looked after by a wet nurse called Ellen in the south of England, away from his father King John's itinerant court, and probably had close ties to his mother. 

Henry's childhood was marked by tragedy and upheaval. In October 1216, when he was just nine years old, his father King John died in the midst of the First Barons' War, leaving Henry to inherit a kingdom in chaos. Over half of England was occupied by rebels, and most of his father's continental possessions were in French hands. Henry was staying safely at Corfe Castle in Dorset with his mother when his father passed away.

Many English barons had sided with the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII of France), who claimed the English throne. Henry and his supporters — loyalists of the crown — were forced to flee London and take refuge in the west. His first coronation was hastily arranged at Gloucester Cathedral on October 28, 1216 by Cardinal Guala Bicchieri, the papal legate, who crowned the young boy with a simple gold circlet from his mother’s jewelry box.

In July 1217, his mother Isabella essentially abandoned him and his siblings, leaving England to return to France to assume control of her inheritance of Angoulême, where she later married Hugh X of Lusignan. 

EDUCATION When Henry was only five years old, in 1212, his education was entrusted to Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester. Des Roches was a Poitevin diplomat, soldier, and administrator, one of the ablest statesmen of his time. Under his tutelage, Henry received military training and was taught horsemanship. 

In 1219, Peter des Roches became Henry's guardian while the king remained under minority rule. The education Henry received prepared him for kingship, though the extent of his scholarly learning in Latin, theology, or the liberal arts is not well documented. What is clear is that Henry developed a deep religious sensibility and a sophisticated appreciation for art, architecture, and culture.​

CAREER RECORD 1216 (Age 9): Became King during the First Barons' War. His reign began with a regency government due to his minority, led first by William Marshal (until 1219) and then by Hubert de Burgh (until 1227).

1227: Assumed formal control of the government, though he retained Hubert de Burgh as his chief advisor.

1232: Dismissed Hubert de Burgh, intending to rule more personally.

1236: Married Eleanor of Provence, leading to the influx of foreign relatives who were granted prominent government positions, alienating the English barons.

1258: Forced by the barons to accept the revolutionary Provisions of Oxford, which limited his power and established an aristocratic council to govern the realm.

1264: Captured by Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Lewes during the Second Barons' War.

1265: Rescued by his son, Prince Edward, after Montfort was defeated and killed at the Battle of Evesham.

1267: Restored to full authority by the Dictum of Kenilworth.

1272: Died, having reigned for 56 years.

APPEARANCE Henry had dark hair and dark eyes and  was probably around 1.68 meters (5 feet 6 inches) tall with a sturdy build. In his youth, his hair was described as curly and blond, darkening in maturity and turning white in old age.

His most distinctive physical feature was a drooping left eyelid, a condition known as ptosis or blepharoptosis, which he inherited and which was passed to his son Edward I. This hereditary condition was traced through numerous descendants of William the Conqueror.​​ This physical characteristic was recorded in medieval chronicles and appears in his artistic representations, including the gilded bronze effigy created in 1290 by William Torel at Westminster Abbey, though this was made eighteen years after his death.​​

Henry III By David Hoyle - https://www.picsofcelebrities.com

FASHION Henry dressed with a sense of royal dignity, wearing the finest fabrics available, including silks, velvets, and richly embroidered cloths, often decorated with gold thread and jewels. The clothing of the period became increasingly fitted and tailored as the 13th century progressed. Cloaks were often lined or trimmed with fur. Henry's concern with outward display is evident in his redesign of the silver penny, which for the first time identified him as Henry "the third" and featured a better-designed head and crown.​

CHARACTER Historical portraits of Henry III reveal a man who was, in many ways, charmingly out of step with the age of sword-swinging monarchs. According to historian David Carpenter, Henry had an "amiable, easy-going, and sympathetic" personality. He was unaffected and honest, showing his emotions readily and being easily moved to tears by religious sermons. This emotional openness distinguished him from many medieval monarchs.​ (1)

He was often deficient as a judge of character (favouring less-competent foreign advisers), and could be bullheaded. 

Still, beneath the gentle piety, there were flickers of something more fiery. Henry could be quick-tempered, and was occasionally prone to sudden bursts of anger that startled those around him. Some contemporaries even described him as hyperactive, a king whose energy sometimes outran his judgment. Yet his anger usually blew over as quickly as it appeared, giving way to his more familiar mildness.

Henry’s Christian faith was sincere and spectacularly public. The chronicler Matthew Paris, not always generous with his compliments, dubbed him princeps Christianissimus (“the most Christian prince”), which in medieval terms was the equivalent of getting five stars and a glowing review.

Henry’s generous streak shone through. He gave freely to the poor, lavished funds on monasteries, and supported a dizzying number of religious foundations. Unlike his warrior ancestors, Henry was a self-professed rex pacificus—a peacemaker king—who preferred prayer to plunder and diplomacy to domination. 

His relationship with his brother-in-law Simon de Montfort was a perfect illustration of his contradictions: intense affection one year, outright loathing the next. Henry III might never have conquered new lands, but he managed to be the rare medieval monarch whose greatest battles were fought within himself.

SPEAKING VOICE Henry was not a fiery orator but spoke thoughtfully, often invoking religious imagery and appeals to divine justice.

SENSE OF HUMOUR  There is no substantial historical evidence documenting Henry III's sense of humor. Medieval chronicles focused on political events, religious matters, and military campaigns rather than personal quirks or humorous anecdotes about the king.

RELATIONSHIPS On January 14, 1236, at Canterbury Cathedral, 29-year-old Henry married 13-year-old Eleanor of Provence, daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy. 

The wedding of Eleanor and Henry III depicted by Matthew Paris in the 1250s

Despite the age difference, their marriage was notably happy and affectionate. Henry had the Palace of Westminster refurbished for his bride, gave her many gifts, and paid personal attention to establishing her household. There was not a whisper of sexual scandal during their marriage—no mistresses or lovers. 

Eleanor and Henry were devoted to each other throughout their lives. Eleanor stood by Henry during the Barons' Wars, raising troops for him after his defeat at Lewes in 1264.​

Henry and Eleanor had five children:​

Edward I (1239-1307), who succeeded his father as king

Margaret (1240-1275), who married Alexander III of Scotland

Beatrice (1242-1275), who married John II, Duke of Brittany

Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster (1245-1296)

Katherine (1253-1257), who died at age three

Henry's relationship with his younger brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall (1209-1272), was complex and often fractious. Richard rebelled against Henry three times but also served as regent on three occasions. Despite their conflicts, Richard was one of the richest men in Europe and became King of the Romans in 1257. 

Henry's sister Eleanor of England married Simon de Montfort in 1238, which led to one of the most tumultuous relationships of the reign.​ Henry's relationship with his brother-in-law Simon de Montfort was notoriously volatile, shifting from bosom friends to arch enemies. Henry sent Simon to govern Gascony in 1248, but later turned against him, leading to Simon becoming the leader of the baronial opposition and ultimately defeating and imprisoning Henry at the Battle of Lewes in 1264.​

Eleanor of England depicted in the early-14th century Genealogical Roll of the Kings of England

MONEY AND FAME Henry III's financial management was one of the most controversial aspects of his reign. He was frequently accused of wasteful spending and heavy taxation. 

Henry spent staggering sums on building projects. Over his reign, he spent approximately £30,000 on his residences—more than any of his predecessors since 1066. At Westminster Palace alone, he spent £10,000 embellishing the Painted Chamber. Another £15,000 was spent at Windsor. The rebuilding of Westminster Abbey cost approximately £45,000 (equivalent to about £15 million in modern money). His total expenditure on Westminster Abbey and Palace exceeded £55,000 (over £40 million today).​

Henry also faced significant debts from his failed military campaigns. His 1242-1243 expedition to Poitou left him with debts totaling £15,000. His financial commitments to the papacy further antagonized the barons.​

Between 1232 and 1257, Henry petitioned for general taxation at roughly twelve of thirty parliaments but was successful only once, in 1237. His inability to secure parliamentary grants forced him to pursue contentious money-raising schemes, including pledging royal jewellery, imposing increments on sheriffs, and heavily taxing the Jewish community.​

Henry's financial difficulties, which led to heavy taxation was a primary cause of the baronial discontent and the civil war.

FOOD AND DRINK Henry likely enjoyed game, roasted meats, and fine wines, though chroniclers accused him of gluttony in later life.

When his daughter Margaret married Alexander III of Scotland, Henry planned a grand wedding feast that took months to prepare. Over 1,300 deer were slaughtered for venison, 7,000 hens, and 68,500 loaves of bread were provided. Fish included 60,000 herring (mostly preserved in salt, smoked, or pickled), 1,000 "green fish," 10,000 haddock, and 500 conger eels. 

MUSIC AND ARTS Henry III was one of England's greatest royal patrons of art and architecture, exceeding in scale anything achieved by his predecessors since 1066. He was extremely interested in architecture, sculpture, and painting—passions shared by his wife Eleanor of Provence. Together, they placed England in the mainstream of contemporary European art and architecture.​

The excellent survival of royal records shows Henry and Eleanor issuing instructions almost daily for the improvement of their estates. Henry ordered elaborate decorations for royal chambers, including paintings and murals. In 1238, he ordered Eleanor's chamber at the Tower of London to be "painted with points and to cause flowers to be painted below the points". A few years later, he commanded her chamber to be whitewashed and "painted with roses".​ (2)

Henry's greatest artistic legacy is Westminster Abbey, which he rebuilt in the Gothic style starting in 1245. The Abbey was designed to rival the great French cathedrals, incorporating features from Reims, Amiens, and Chartres. It featured pointed arches, ribbed vaulting, rose windows, and flying buttresses—characteristic Gothic elements. The Abbey has the highest Gothic vault in England, at nearly 102 feet. The building included elaborate Cosmati pavement work created by Roman craftsmen. The chronicler Thomas Wykes, who attended the consecration in 1269, said it exceeded in splendor all other churches in the world.​

The north transept, completed during the reign of Henry III By amandabhslater - https://www.flickr.com

Beyond Westminster, Henry built an astonishing eighteen new chapels during his reign. He was influenced by Louis IX of France's Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, which he saw on a visit in 1254.​

LITERATURE Henry’s scholarly interests inclined him toward Latin works, particularly moral and theological texts. He encouraged literacy among clerks and nobles.

Henry III's reign coincided with important developments in manuscript production and literary patronage. The royal court was a center of literary and scholarly activity. Henry's patronage extended to illuminated manuscripts and religious texts, particularly those relating to his patron saint, Edward the Confessor.​

Matthew Paris, the famous 13th-century chronicler, was active during Henry's reign and produced the most extensive chronicle of the period, the Chronica Maiora. Paris also created drawings, including illustrations of the elephant given to Henry. 

The royal household would have possessed various books including religious texts, legal documents, and administrative records, though the extent of Henry's personal library is not well documented.​

NATURE Henry III ordered the creation of several gardens for Queen Eleanor, who had a special love for them. Gardens were constructed at various royal residences, reflecting a medieval appreciation for cultivated nature and herbal plants used for medicine and cooking.​

PETS Henry III established the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London on a permanent footing, with animals kept continuously from 1235 onwards. In 1235, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II presented Henry with three "leopards" (probably lions) as a wedding gift upon Henry's marriage to Eleanor of Provence. These three lions inspired the heraldic symbols still associated with England today.​

Henry's menagerie grew significantly over time. In 1252, King Haakon IV of Norway gave him a "white bear," presumably a polar bear, which was allowed to swim and hunt for fish in the Thames while wearing a muzzle, chain, and stout cord to prevent escape. 

The elephant, given to Henry by Louis IX of France in 1255, was the first seen in England since the Roman invasion of 43 AD. A special house measuring 40 feet by 20 feet was constructed for it at the Lion's Tower of the Tower of London. The elephant attracted crowds of onlookers, including the chronicler Matthew Paris, who produced two drawings of it. Unfortunately, medieval keepers did not know how to care for these exotic animals—the elephant was fed a gallon of wine daily, supposedly to keep out the chill—and it died on February 14, 1257. 

Henry's elephant, given to him by Louis IX of France, by Matthew Paris

The menagerie also included a baboon troupe and various other exotic animals.​

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Henry III engaged in hunting, as was expected of medieval royalty, though he was not as passionate about the sport as many of his contemporaries and successors. Royal hunting was not merely recreation but a mark of power and the right to rule. Medieval monarchs used hunting to cultivate virtues deemed essential for sovereignty: patience, focus, self-control, and love of nature.​

Henry's primary passion, however, was building and architectural projects. He personally involved himself in the design and decoration of his palaces and castles, issuing detailed instructions for their improvement. This hands-on approach to architecture and decoration might be considered his greatest hobby.​

SCIENCE AND MATHS During the 13th century, much of the surviving work of ancient Greek philosophers, particularly Aristotle, had been recovered in the Latin West. Universities at Oxford and Cambridge were developing during Henry's reign, and in 1231 Henry decreed that all students there were to have their names entered on official rolls to avoid abuse of royal privileges.​

The medieval period saw theoretical advances in natural philosophy, though experimental science as we know it did not yet exist. The academic natural philosophy of Henry's time was essentially theoretical and a branch of philosophy, with little emphasis on controlled observation or experimentation. While figures like Roger Bacon were active during this period, there is no evidence that Henry himself engaged directly with scientific or mathematical pursuits.​

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Henry was a deeply pious and religious king, sometimes nicknamed "the Pious." His piety heavily influenced his policy and expenditure.

His theological outlook was shaped by his devotion to Edward the Confessor. He adopted the Confessor as his patron saint and saw him as a model for consensual, pious kingship. Henry's spiritual life revolved around veneration of the Confessor, and he made efforts to be present at Westminster on both of Edward's feast days—the anniversary of his death (January 5) and the translation of his relics (October 13).​

Henry demonstrated his piety through daily masses, liberal almsgiving, and attention to the saints. On January 5, 1260, the anniversary of Edward the Confessor's death, Henry fed 1,500 paupers; on October 12-13, 1260, the vigil and anniversary of the saint's translation, he fed 5,016 paupers—the largest number fed during the entire year.​

Henry's theology was influenced by the thirteenth-century mendicant orders, particularly the Franciscans and Dominicans. His religious patronage was directed significantly toward the poor and the sick, reflecting mendicant values. He maintained a Sacramental Kingdom worldview in which the boundaries between the religious and secular were united in government. This was not an alliance between throne and altar but their fundamental union.​

On October 13, 1247, Henry III informed his assembled nobles at Westminster Abbey that he had received “most agreeable news of a holy benefit recently conferred upon the English.” A relic of the Holy Blood of Jesus was on its way from Jerusalem, and the king prepared for its arrival with unusual solemnity. The night before its reception in London, Henry kept vigil—fasting on bread and wine, surrounding himself with candles, and offering fervent prayers.

When the day came, Henry took on the role of a pilgrim rather than a monarch. He personally carried the relic through the streets of London, walking the two miles to Westminster Abbey. Once there, he continued the procession through the abbey and the surrounding royal precincts before entrusting the sacred relic to the monks for safekeeping. (3)

Henry carrying the Relic of the Holy Blood to Westminster by Matthew Paris

Henry's piety sometimes brought him into conflict with his barons. Matthew Paris noted that Henry confessed he had sinned against God and the saints when he appointed his half-brother Aymer to the Bishopric of Winchester. 

Henry also developed a devotion to St Nicholas, patron saint of prisoners and the innocent, particularly after his release from captivity following his defeat at Lewes in 1264.​

REIGN Henry III’s career as king began in about the least glamorous way imaginable for a monarch: with a missing crown. On October 28, 1216, at the age of nine, he was hurriedly crowned at Gloucester Cathedral using what was essentially his mother’s jewelry—a simple gold corolla belonging to Queen Isabella—because the royal regalia had been either lost or sold during the civil war. It was less a moment of royal splendor than a scramble to prove England still had a king. A more respectable, second coronation was staged at Westminster Abbey on May 17, 1220, when they’d had time to find a proper crown and polish the ceremony.

A 13th-century depiction of Henry III's coronation

For the first decade or so, Henry’s reign was what we might call “monarchy with training wheels.” England was being run by adults—chief among them the venerable William Marshal, possibly the most famous knight in all Christendom. Marshal had the good sense and battlefield skill to beat back the French at the Battles of Lincoln and Sandwich in 1217, saving the young king’s throne before dying two years later. From there, the administrative baton passed to Hubert de Burgh, who continued to manage the kingdom until Henry was old enough to take charge. Technically, he came of age in 1223, but he didn’t actually start ruling on his own until 1227, by which time he was twenty and presumably had stopped losing things like crowns.

When Henry finally did start governing, he managed to make a series of choices that could best be described as “ambitious but ill-advised.” His attempts to reclaim the old family holdings in France ended in fiasco not once, but twice. His 1230 expedition to Poitou went so badly it was practically a medieval comedy of errors; the second, in 1242, was even worse, culminating in his troops being chased back to Bordeaux by Louis IX of France. Eventually, Henry signed the Treaty of Paris in 1259, surrendering his claims to Normandy and other ancestral lands in exchange for Louis graciously acknowledging him as ruler of what was left—Gascony.

If Henry’s foreign policy record was spotty, his domestic rule was positively combustible. He had an unfortunate habit of mismanaging money and showing blatant favoritism to his French relatives, which was not a good look in a country already grumbling about taxes. The result was the Provisions of Oxford in 1258, a landmark moment when England’s barons decided that perhaps the king needed supervision. They created a council of fifteen men to help run the government—an early and somewhat reluctant nod to what would become parliamentary authority.

Unsurprisingly, Henry didn’t take well to being told what to do. His refusal to honor the Provisions sparked the Second Barons’ War (1264–1267), led by Simon de Montfort, who defeated the king at Lewes and actually took him prisoner. Things looked grim until Henry’s son, the future Edward I, escaped captivity, raised an army, and thumped de Montfort soundly at Evesham in 1265, thereby freeing his father and restoring the monarchy’s dignity.

Henry III died in 1272, having ruled for 56 years and 29 days—a reign longer than any other medieval English monarch. He left behind a country weary of war, wary of royal overreach, and quietly relieved that his son was the sort of man who tended to keep better track of crowns.

POLITICS Henry III's political career was marked by constant tension between royal authority and baronial power. His reign witnessed the establishment of Magna Carta as a living political document rather than merely a symbolic one. The definitive version was not King John's charter of 1215 but Henry's reissue of 1225. This Charter of Liberties fundamentally changed the nature of kingship by stopping up traditional sources of revenue and making general taxation necessary, while simultaneously insisting it could only be imposed with general consent.​

The first assembly called "parliament" met in 1237. Over the next two decades, parliament's great lever of power—control over taxation—became increasingly apparent. Henry struggled throughout his reign to balance his need for revenue against baronial demands for reform and accountability.​

Henry's reliance on and appointment of foreign relatives (Lusignans and Savoyards) to high political office led to accusations of ignoring native English barons, fuelling a rise in English nationalism. The crisis came to a head in 1258 when Henry's expensive foreign policies, favoritism toward Poitevin half-brothers (the Lusignans), and heavy taxation led to a baronial coup. The Provisions of Oxford placed government under joint control of the king and a fifteen-member baronial council. Parliament was to meet regularly three times a year. This was England's first written constitution and marked an unprecedented limitation of royal power.​

Henry's refusal to abide by the Provisions led to the Second Barons' War (1264-1267). He was defeated and captured at the Battle of Lewes in May 1264 by Simon de Montfort. During Simon's brief period of control (1264-1265), the first directly elected English Parliament was summoned, including two knights from each shire and two townsmen from every city or borough. Simon was killed at the Battle of Evesham in August 1265, and Henry was freed. The Dictum of Kenilworth in 1266 restored Henry's authority and annulled the Provisions of Oxford.​

Henry's political achievement lies not in martial prowess or territorial expansion but in his ability to survive fifty-six years on the throne during one of England's most politically turbulent centuries. He bequeathed his son Edward I a stable kingdom, which is perhaps the greatest testament to his political success.​

SCANDAL Several scandals marked Henry III's reign. His appointment of foreign favorites—particularly his Poitevin half-brothers, the Lusignans, and his wife Eleanor's Savoyard relatives—caused enormous resentment among English barons. These foreign courtiers were advanced to high positions, displacing English nobles and triggering calls for their expulsion.​

Henry's treatment of the Jewish community was particularly harsh and exploitative. Between 1227 and 1259, he taxed England's Jews £250,000. In 1230, he requested £6,000 for army pay from the Jewish community. In 1236, ten of the richest Jews were used as a security deposit to force their brethren to pay £10,000. In 1240, Jews were called upon to pay a tax of £20,000 or about one-third of their property; when they refused, the crown seized their property and arrested them along with their wives and children. Henry also issued the Statute of Jewry in 1253, which attempted to segregate and isolate Jews, requiring them to wear identifying badges and prohibiting the construction of new synagogues.​

From the 1230s onward, there was a rise in anti-Jewish incidents, many related to alleged ritual murders of Christian children. These false accusations occurred in Winchester (c.1232), Norwich (c.1233), and Lincoln (c.1255). The reaction to Henry's persecution was so severe that Elias l'Eveske, arch-presbyter (leader) of England's Jews, asked if they could leave the country—a request that was refused.​

Henry's financial recklessness also constituted an ongoing scandal. His foolish venture in Sicily, where he agreed to support a papal crusade that bankrupted the treasury, led directly to the baronial crisis of 1258. His expensive and failed military campaigns in France (1230 and 1242-1243) further damaged his reputation and drained resources.​

MILITARY RECORD Henry III's military record was largely unsuccessful. His reign began during the First Barons' War, but he benefited from the military leadership of William Marshal, who defeated the rebel barons at the Battles of Lincoln and Sandwich in 1217.​

Once Henry took personal control, his military ventures proved disastrous:

1230 Campaign in France: Henry attempted to reconquer Poitou and other lost Angevin territories. He landed in Brittany in May 1230 with a large force but the campaign foundered due to poor logistics, lack of decisive engagement with French forces, and weak alliances. He returned to England in October 1230 having achieved nothing. The blame for this failure fell on Hubert de Burgh, who was subsequently dismissed.​

1242-1243 Poitou Campaign: This was Henry's most significant military effort. He left England with an impressive war chest of around £35,000 (roughly equivalent to the Crown's annual cash income). The expedition ended in complete disaster. Henry's army was driven to Bordeaux by Louis IX's forces, and he returned to England in September 1243 bringing only disappointment and debts totaling £15,000.​

Battle of Lewes (1264): During the Second Barons' War, Henry was defeated by Simon de Montfort at Lewes in Sussex on May 14, 1264. Though his son Prince Edward initially charged successfully at one division of the baronial army, he recklessly pursued them away from the main battle. Simon's forces crushed the remainder of Henry's army, and the king was captured along with his chief nobles.​

Battle of Evesham (1265): While Henry remained a prisoner, his son Edward escaped and led royalist forces to victory at Evesham on August 4, 1265. Simon de Montfort was defeated and killed, and Henry was freed. However, this victory was Edward's achievement rather than Henry's.​

Henry's campaigns in Wales were also largely unsuccessful. He was described as a "rex pacificus"—a pacific king—whose settlements with France and Scotland led to long years of peace rather than military glory. His peace with France in the Treaty of Paris (1259) was essentially a capitulation in which he renounced English claims to Normandy, Anjou, Maine, Touraine, and Poitou.​

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Henry III's health in his early and middle years appears to have been generally good. 

His most notable physical condition was the drooping left eyelid (ptosis), an inherited trait that apparently caused him no significant disability. This condition was hereditary and passed to his son Edward I.​

In his final years, Henry's health declined. After his defeat and imprisonment during the Second Barons' War, he emerged "weak and senile". In 1272, he fell seriously ill, and although his son Edward was abroad, Henry worried about rebellion and asked Edward to return, though Edward refused. Henry never fully recovered his strength after this illness. (4)

HOMES Henry III maintained and improved numerous royal residences throughout his reign, spending over £30,000 on building projects—more than any of his predecessors since 1066.​

Westminster Palace: Henry spent over £10,000 embellishing Westminster Palace, particularly the Painted Chamber, a royal bedchamber containing a great curtained bed and fabulous wall paintings. Together with Westminster Abbey, his expenditure at Westminster exceeded £55,000 (over £40 million in modern money). The Palace of Westminster was the primary royal residence and seat of government, housing Parliament from the 13th century onward.​

Windsor Castle: Henry spent £15,000 at Windsor, building new defensive curtain walling, domestic accommodation, and chapels.​

Tower of London: Henry significantly developed the Tower, including constructing the Wakefield Tower as royal lodgings between 1220 and 1240. Originally situated at the river's edge, the Tower allowed Henry to arrive by boat and enter his rooms from private stairs. He also built the Lanthorn Tower as part of the queen's lodgings. The Tower was not only a royal residence but also housed Henry's menagerie of exotic animals.​

Other Residences: Lesser but substantial sums were spent at Clarendon, Woodstock, Havering, and Guildford. Henry's reign was particularly known for the extension of the queen's lodgings in his residences and for the building of eighteen new chapels.​

TRAVEL Henry III traveled extensively throughout England, visiting various royal castles and estates. Medieval kingship was inherently itinerant, with the court moving regularly between residences.​

His most significant travels abroad were related to his military campaigns and diplomatic missions:

France (1230): Henry embarked from Portsmouth with a large force on April 30, 1230, sailing to Guernsey on May 2, then landing at Saint-Malo on May 3. He traveled through Brittany, visiting Dinan and Nantes, then marched through Anjou, taking the castle of Mirebeau in late July, before proceeding to Poitou and Gascony. After several weeks at Nantes, he returned to England, landing at Portsmouth on October 27, 1230.​

Henry travelling to Brittany in 1230, by Matthew Paris.

France and Gascony (1242-1243): Henry's second major expedition took him to Poitou and Gascony, where his forces were defeated by Louis IX.​

France (1253-1254): Henry traveled to Gascony to address problems there, leaving his brother Richard of Cornwall as joint guardian of England.​

France (1254): On his way home from Gascony in November-December 1254, Henry went on a pilgrimage and stayed in France long enough to meet with Louis IX on multiple occasions. This visit included seeing Louis IX's Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, which deeply impressed Henry and influenced his later work at Westminster Abbey.​

DEATH Henry III fell seriously ill in 1272. Although he recovered somewhat, he never regained his full strength. His son Edward was abroad on the Ninth Crusade at the time, and Henry worried about potential rebellion, asked Edward to return to England. Edward refused.​

On November 16, 1272, Henry died at Westminster Palace at the age of 65 years, 1 month, and 16 days. His wife Eleanor was thought to have been at his bedside as he died.​​

Henry had requested to be buried inside Westminster Abbey, specifically in front of the church's high altar, in the former resting place of Edward the Confessor. He was a devoted worshipper at the Shrine of St Edward the Confessor and had reconstructed Westminster Abbey significantly in the saint's honor. While work was being done on his grand tomb, he was laid to rest inside the former grave of Edward the Confessor.​​

Henry III’s heart was buried separately from his body. It was sent to Fontevraud Abbey in France, where some of his Angevin ancestors were buried.

In 1290, during the reign of his son Edward I, Henry was reburied in his new elaborate tomb. The tomb consists of a marble sarcophagus decorated with panels of purple and green porphyry, Cosmati mosaics, glass, and colored marble. On top sits a bronze effigy of the king created by William Torel, with a wooden canopy above. The tomb was based on papal models and executed by Roman craftsmen. It is located at the eastern end of Westminster Abbey on the northern side.​

Some miracles were declared after Henry's death, but he was never canonized as his patron saint Edward the Confessor had been.​

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Henry III has received relatively little attention in film and television compared to other English monarchs, despite his 56-year reign.​

Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets (2014): Dan Jones presented an episode titled "Henry III: Hatred" (Season 1, Episode 2) focusing on Henry's reign and his conflict with Simon de Montfort. The episode explored "a friendship that turned to hatred plunging England into civil war and changing the monarchy forever".​

Monarchy (TV series): Henry III was featured in this British television series about the monarchy.​

Henry III is a recurring character in historical novels  of the 13th century, particularly those focusing on his rivalry with Simon de Montfort. 

The documentary Henry III - English Monarchs Animated History Documentary provides a concise animated overview of his reign.

ACHIEVEMENTS Issued the Charter of Liberties

The complete rebuilding of Westminster Abbey, establishing the current structure and making it the dominant royal church of England.

His 56-year reign brought a degree of stability and prosperity to England, despite the political upheaval toward the end.

Sources: (1) Facebook (2) Historic Royal Palaces (3) Encyclopaedia of Trivia (4) Britroyals