Who is Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester from Falls the Shadow and what is their importance?

Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, was a second son, who under French laws did not inherit his father's lands. He was determined, however, to become landed lord and talked the Earl of Chester into returning to him the Earldom of Leicester that King John took from his father.

Simon is given his earldon as a reward for his bravery and skill in war. He later married Henry III's sister, Nell, under false pretenses...... and act that led to a falling out between Simon and King Henry that lasted several months.

A courageous man, Simon took his household knights to fight in the Holy Land during the crusades, and he was later assigned to be King Henry's seneschal in France. Simon's tactics, however, offended the lords of the area, and Henry placed Simon on trial. Simon was eventually acquitted of the charges, and Henry agreed to pay him off to get him out of Gascony.

Henry's preference for his foreign born, half-siblings irritated Simon to no end. As a result, Simon led an army against him, forcing him to agree to ridding his government of these siblings in a treaty. Unfortunately, Henry refused to abide by the treaty and managed to get both the Pope and the French King on his side. Simon then declared war on his king.

de Montfort was later killed in the Battle of Evesham, where his body was completely mutilated before a portion was finally allowed burial. To Henry III's great dismay, the people of England began visiting the place where Simon died, taking samples of water from the location in the belief that it would heal the sick.