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Simon de Montfort Biography

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MONTFORT, (MONTFORT L'AMAURI). The name of a noble French house, descended from the early counts of Hainault. It took its name from a castle on a "strong mount" between Paris and Chartres. The first member of importance was Simon III, Count of Montfort l'Amauri and Evreux, who married Amicia, daughter of Robert of Beaumont third Earl of Leicester. His second son was the famous Simon de Montfort, Count of Toulouse. This nobleman, so conspicuous in the crusade against the Albigenses (q.v.), was born about the year 1160. In 1198 he went to Palestine at the head of a troop of French knights, but failed to accomplish anything against the Saracens and was obliged to return. In 1202 he joined the Fourth Crusade, which, however, was soon diverted from its purpose (see CRUSADE), in consequence of which Montfort abandoned it and went to the Holy Land, where he did some fighting against the infidels. In 1209 he engaged in the war against the Albigenses and signalized himself by his relentless ferocity and his brilliant successes. He was invested with the territories of the leader of the Albigenses, Count Raymond VI of Toulouse. He was killed by a stone at the siege of Toulouse, June 25, 1218. His son Amauri continued the struggle, lost nearly his whole patrimony, but was recompensed by Louis VIII, who made him Constable of France. He died about 1241. The brother of Amauri was the Simon de Montfort (q.v.) famous in English history. Consult Celestin Donais, La soumission de la vicomte de Carcasonne par Simon de Montfort (Paris,1884).

The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. XVI (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 202.