This book provides a new account of one of the most famous men of the English middle ages: Simon de Montfort. It traces his career from his origins as the younger son of a French noble family, through his elevation in England as the close friend and counsellor of King Henry III, to his break with the king, his rise to royal power, and his death in battle at Evesham in 1265. Montfort was a creature of contradictions. A superb soldier, an ardent religious idealist, and a forcefully able politician, he won the friendship and loyalty of some of the greatest men of his day; yet he was also ambitious and avaricious, and determined to build a position for himself and his family from the opportunities which came with power. Through the chronicles, the public records and the remains of Montfort's family archives, this biography offers not only a narrative of his life but a more unusual study of character and temperament which can hardly be attempted for any other nobleman of the period.