Henry III (1207–72) was the longest-serving monarch of England until the modern era. His reign began with a minority in perpetual crisis and ended after the constitutional issues of the day had been settled on the battlefield. Nevertheless, most of his fifty-six years on the throne were peaceful and prosperous, and saw extraordinary achievements, from the rise of the parliamentary state to the great cathedrals of the land – including Henry’s own enduring contribution, Westminster Abbey. Here, historian Darren Baker presents a detailed account of this fascinating and much maligned monarch who was able to survive at a time when others didn’t.