The
Battle of Lewes was one of two main
battles of the conflict known as the
Second Barons' War. It took place at
Lewes in
Sussex, on 14 May 1264. It marked the high point of the career of
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and made him the "uncrowned King of England".
Henry III left the safety of
Lewes Castle and
St. Pancras Priory to engage the Barons in battle and was initially successful, his son
Prince Edward routing part of the baronial army with a cavalry charge. However Edward pursued his quarry off the battlefield and left Henry's men exposed. Henry was forced to launch an infantry attack up Offham Hill where he was defeated by the barons' men, defending the hilltop. The royalists fled back to the castle and priory and the King was forced to sign the
Mise of Lewes, ceding many of his powers to Montfort.