Simon de Montfort Summons First Representative English Parliament
In the midst of the Second Barons' War, Simon de Montfort had seized control after defeating King Henry III at the Battle of Lewes in 1264. To consolidate his authority and broaden support beyond the nobility, he issued writs summoning not only barons and bishops but also knights from each county and burgesses from selected towns. The assembly convened at Westminster on January 20, 1265, and sat until mid-March. Participants discussed governance, the release of royalist prisoners, and arrangements for Prince Edward. This gathering represented the first time commoners joined magnates to address national affairs unrelated to taxation alone.