The Mad Parliament

King Henry III had spent lavishly on many things, including trying to fund a war to gain the Kingdom of Sicily for his younger son Edmund. He was confronted by a number of barons who would only agree to raise money for him if he would commit to some reforms.He called Parliament to gather at Westminster Hall (illustration) on 9 April 1258 to raise money. Three days later, Simon de Montfort and others refused the king's request to provide funds. They were given three days to reconsider, and so three days later several earls and barons and knights returned to Westminster, fully armed, to repeat their refusal and told the king he would get his money if he would submit to their policy demands.Henry had little choice but to agree, and so a commission s formed, 12 chosen by Henry and 12 chosen by the opposition, to meet at Oxford in June and produce a set of changes. The result was the Provisions of Oxford.The provisions re-organized government and could be called the first constitution.…