King of a lost realm.
It would spell over half a century of highs and lows in a country crying out for stability; the final measure of Henry\'s achievement displayed in the crown that he left to his son, Edward I..
He was given fifty-six years to mend the damage his father had done.
Henry was handed a monarchy in peril, a crown that was cracked and tarnished.
Imprisoned and stripped of his power, Henry would again have to fight for his kingdom, now relying not on older mentors but on his immensely capable son.
They found a figurehead in Simon de Montfort, a man who would transform himself from Henry\'s favourite to a de facto king.
Failures abroad led to trouble back in England as restless barons became disillusioned.
All would not go according to plan.
With a settled position at home, attention could turn to the recovery of lost territory abroad and the salvaging of Henry\'s family reputation.
As he grew into adulthood, Henry had to manage the transition to a personal rule, wrenching power from men who had held it almost unchecked for years.
With barons inviting a French prince to take the crown, the young Henry was forced to rely on others to maintain his position.
His father, King John, had overseen a disastrous period in English history and the boy king inherited a country embroiled in a bitter, entrenched war with itself.
Henry III became King of England within days of his ninth birthday.
From the ashes of Magna Carta, a new England was to be forged.
Heir to an empire beyond reach.
Wearer of a pawned crown.
King of a lost realm
