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12th November 1272 - Death of King Henry III is in 1270-1299 Welsh and Scottish Wars.
On 16th November 1272 King Henry III of England (age 65) died at Westminster [Map]. His son Edward (age 33) succeeded I King of England. Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England (age 31) by marriage Queen Consort England.
Annals of Oseney by Thomas Wykes. [Tiberius A.9.] In the same year, on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of December, that is, on the feast of Saint Edmund of Canterbury [16th November 1272], died Henry the Fourth [Third], king of England, of good memory, the son of King John, and he was buried in the conventual church of Westminster before the high altar; which church he had built from the foundations. This Henry reigned fifty-six years and twenty days, and he accomplished many wondrous works both among the clergy and among the people. Above all kings who were before him he loved the beauty of the house of God and divine service. Beyond all Englishmen he loved foreigners, and enriched them with countless gifts and possessions. He was succeeded by his first-born son Edward, who at the time was in the Holy Land.
Eodem anno xvi. kalendas Decembris, scilicet in die Sancti Edmundi Cantuariensis, obiit bonæ memoriæ Henricus quartus rex Angliæ filius regis Johannis, et sepultus est in ecclesia conventuali Westmonasterii ante altare autenticum; quam quidem ecclesiam construxerat a fundamentis. Iste Henricus regnavit quinquaginta et sex annis viginti diebus, et fecit tam in clero quam in populo multa mirabilia. Iste super omnes reges qui fuerunt ante ipsum dilexit decorem domus Dei et obsequium divinum. Iste super omnes Anglicos dilexit alienigenas, et eos innumerabilibus ditavit donariis et possessionibus. Cui successit Edwardus filius suus primogenitus existens in Terra Sancta.
Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. Henry, king of the English, falling ill in the month of November, on the feast of Saint Edmund the Bishop and Confessor [16th November 1272], fell asleep in the Lord at St Edmund’s, in Dover. And on the feast of blessed Edmund the King and Martyr [20th November], he was laid to rest at Westminster. This king, although in the affairs of the world he was considered less prudent, shone with all the greater devotion before God. For each day he was accustomed to hear three sung Masses, and, wishing to hear still more, he would continually attend upon priests celebrating in private. It once happened that Saint Louis, king of the French, conversing with him on this matter, said that one ought not always devote oneself to hearing Masses, but more frequently to listening to sermons. To whom he replied with witty courtesy: that he preferred to see his friend often, rather than to hear someone speaking about him, even if speaking good things. He was of medium height, of compact/broad build, and the eyelid of one eye was lower, so that it covered part of the black of the pupil. He was powerful in strength, but rash in action; yet because he had fortunate and successful outcomes, many think he was the one indicated by Merlin the prophet as “the lynx,” penetrating all things.
Henricus Anglorum rex mense Novembri infirmitate correptus, in die sancti Eadmuudi, episcopi et confessorisy in Doraino obdormivit. In die vero beati Eadmundi, regis et martyris, apud Westmonasterium traditur sepulturse. Iste rex quantum in sseculi actibus putatur minus prudens, tanto majori devotione apud Deum pollebat. Singrulis namque diebus tres missas cum nota audire solebat; et plures audire cupiens, privatim celebrantibus assistebat assidue. Contigit autem aliquando sanctum Lodovicum, Francorum regem, cum eo super hoc conferentem dicere. Quod non semper missis sed frequentius sermonibus audiendis esset vacandum. Cui faceta urbauitate respondens, ait, Se malle sæpins amicum suum videre, quam de eo loquentem, licet bona dicentcm. audire. Erat autem staturæ mediocris, compacti corporis, alterins oculi palpebra demissiore, ita ut partem nigredinis pupillæ celaret; robustus viribus, sed præceps in factis, in quibus tamen, quia fortunatos et felices exitns habuerit, putant eum multi apud Merlinum fatidicum per lyncem designatum omnia penetrantem.
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Chronicle of William Rishanger. The death of King Henry.
When King Henry had inflicted due vengeance upon the sacrilegious men of Norwich, he decided to return to London. And when he had turned aside to the Abbey of Saint Edmund, King and Martyr, he was seized by a grave illness, which did not leave him until the end of his life. While he lay sick, the Earls and Barons of the land came to him with the bishops, so that they might be present at his passing. He humbly confessed his sins, beating his breast, and forgave everyone any ill-will, also promising an amendment of life. Thereupon he was absolved by a prelate; then he devoutly received the body of Christ, and, being anointed with extreme unction, he reverently adored the cross of the Lord, ordering that his debts be paid and the remainder be distributed equally to the needy. When he had duly accomplished these things, he yielded up his spirit to God [16th November 1272]. His body, moreover, was given honorable burial at Westminster.
Mors Henrici Regis.
Cum Rex Henricus condignam ultionem Northwicensibus dedisset sacrilegis, Londonias redire decrevit. Et cum ad Abbathiam Sancti Edmundi, Regis et Martyris, declinasset, gravi languore corripitur, qui eum non deseruit usque ad vitæ finem. Dum ægrotaret autem, venerunt ad eum Comites et Barones terræ, cum Pontificibus, ut ejus transitui interessent. Confessus est autem humiliter peccata sua, tundens pectus suum, et malam remittens omnibus voluntatem, emendationem quoque vitæ promittens. Exhinc absolvitur a Prælato: deinde devote suscepit corpus Christi, et, unctione delibutus extrema, crucem Domini suppliciter adoravit, jubens debita sua solvi, et residuum indigentibus æque partiri. Cum hæc rite peregisset, reddidit spiritum suum & Deo. Corpus autem ejus apud Westmonasterium honorificæ traditur sepulturæ.
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Chronicle of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London by Arnold Fitz Thedmar, 1201-1275. For immediately the King was dead, on the morrow of Saint Edmund the Archbishop [16th November 1272], the Archbishop of York, the Earl of Gloucester, and many other nobles of England, who were then present, came into the City and caused peace to be proclaimed as towards all persons, Jews as well as Christians; after which, they came into the Chamber of the Guildhall, where the Aldermen and the aforesaid Walter, with a countless multitude of people, were assembled; and, upon hearing of the disagreement that existed between the Aldermen and the said Walter, the Earl before-named, seeing such a vast multitude of people adhering to this Walter, in order that the quiet of the City might not be disturbed, requested that he might be admitted to the Mayoralty. But the Aldermen told him that that matter had been referred to the arbitration of ten men, in manner already stated. The Earl however, disregarding this arbitration, commanded that on the morrow, Friday namely, a Folkmote should be called together in the Churchyard, at Saint Paul's Cross, and that he should continue to be Mayor for that year, to whose election the greater part of the citizens should agree.
Chronicle of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London by Arnold Fitz Thedmar, 1201-1275. Afterwards, on the Feast of Saint Edmund the Archbishop [16th November 1272], Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, came to Westminster, and in presence of his lordship the King, who was then at the point of death, made promise upon oath that he would preserve the peace of the kingdom of England, and would, to the utmost of his power, cause the same to be observed; and that he would keep that kingdom in Sir Edward's behalf. Afterwards, at a late hour on the same day the King died, after a reign of fifty-six full years and twenty days; and was buried on the Feast of Saint Edmund the King [20 November], as set forth on the preceding leaf.
Chronicle of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London by Arnold Fitz Thedmar, 1201-1275. On the fourth day after the King's death, namely, on the Feast of Saint Edmund the King, [20th November 1272] which then fell on a Sunday his body, nobly attended, in such manner as befits royalty, was committed to the tomb in the Conventual Church of the Monks at Westminster, before the great altar there. And after he had been buried, the Archbishop of York, who had been celebrating Mass there, the Earl of Gloucester, the Earl of Warenne, the Earl of Hereford, and other Bishops, Barons, and all the nobles there present, made oath that they would keep the peace in the realm, and would with all their strength cause the same to be kept; and that they would keep the kingdom in behalf of Sir Edward, who was then in the Holy Land. The King's Seal also was then broken, in presence of all the people.