The Military History of Magna Carta

A lecture by Julian Humphrys

Tuesday 19 March 2013

12:30-14:00

Hosted by

The Fusiliers Museum London

in the Officer's Mess of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

HM Tower of London

Prince Louis of France was invited by the rebel barons to become king of England following King John’s refusal to accept the Magna Carta he had sealed at Runnymede.  Over 200 castles in England were besieged, by the rebel barons or King John’s forces, in what became the First Barons’ War. This aimed to safeguard the rights, privileges and liberties of the clergy and the nobles as enshrined in the Magna Carta, but spilt out into a dynastic war for the English throne. This was only settled with the death of King John, and his succession by King Henry III. Even then, the dispute continued until the end of the century.

In his talk Julian Humphrys will focus on three key episodes in the Magna Carta War: King John's dramatic capture of Rochester in 1215, Hubert de Burgh's stubborn defence of Dover in 1216 and William Marshall's crushing defeat of the French at Lincoln in 1217.

After reading History at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and completing a postgraduate course at the Polytechnic of North London, Julian Humphrys spent 12 years at Chelsea’s National Army Museum. A qualified blue-badge guide, Julian left the Museum to set up and lead both English Heritage’s Battlefield hikes programme and its Tours Through Time programme of study tours and guided visits to castles and historic properties. Since 2009 he has been the Development Officer of the Battlefields Trust.

If you would like to attend this lunchtime talk, please make a donation of £25 for each attendee (£20 for members of the Battlefields Trust) and email your name, contact number and any special requirements (dietary/mobility) to helen@battlefieldstrust.org On receipt, email confirmation will be sent together with directions to the venue. If you have any questions, please ring 0207 387 6620. We look forward to welcoming you.

Our other lectures in 2013 are:

29th Jan The First Blitz http://www.justgiving.com/Neil-Faulkner-Zeppelins-Lecture

19th Feb Alternative location for Battle of Hastingshttp://www.justgiving.com/Battle-of-Hastings-Grehan-Mace

17th April Jacobite rebellions