BattlefieldsSecond Barons War — Battle of Lewes Approach at Fletching 1264
Medieval

Second Barons War — Battle of Lewes Approach at Fletching 1264

1264
East Sussex, England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
East Sussex, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
King Henry III
Forces
King Henry III c.6,000
VS
Victor
Simon de Montfort
Forces
Simon de Montfort c.5,000
Outcome
De Montfort successfully assembled and marched; surprised royalist forces at dawn
The Battle

History & Significance

Simon de Montfort assembled his forces at Fletching, six miles north of Lewes, before his surprise attack on Henry III. The overnight march from Fletching across the Weald, beginning before dawn, was the tactical masterstroke that allowed de Montfort to seize the high ground of the Downs before the royalists were properly deployed. The plan and assembly at Fletching were crucial to the victory.

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