The royal forest during the reign of Henry III, 1227-72

This thesis addresses a notable gap in the current historiography by presenting the first study of the royal forest during the personal rule of Henry III (1227-72). While royal abuse of the forest system generated significant political opposition during John’s reign (1199-1216) and resulted in the issue of the Forest Charter in 1217, there has to date been no comprehensive study of the subsequent role of the royal forest in the politics of Henry III’s personal rule. Historians have assumed that the royal forest was an inevitable and ongoing source of conflict between the crown and the political community. This thesis argues that this interpretation is the product of a disproportionate focus on the judicial and revenue-raising functions of the royal forest. Consequently, historians have interpreted Henry III’s actions concerning the royal forest primarily in terms of enforcement. The thesis explores previously under-researched aspects of the operation of the royal forest system that together challenge traditional interpretations. It emphasises the importance of the awards of royal gifts from the forest and of privileges within its boundaries. These reflected the king’s deep piety, operated as sources of patronage and were used to secure political and military support. The thesis also challenges assumptions that revenue-raising was a primary function of the royal forest. It further highlights the largely cautious approach taken by Henry’s governments to reform of the management of the forest. The combined results emphasise the importance of concessionary aspects of the crown’s approach in addition to the traditional focus on themes of enforcement. The thesis argues that the effect of these concessionary actions was to soften hostility to the royal forest across the political community to the extent that, when Henry’s rule was fundamentally challenged in 1258, it was not viewed as a priority for reform as it had been in 1215.