I received this figure of Simon de Montfort when I attended a Lion Rampant day at Wargames Illustrated HQ in January of last year. I'm not sure what the history of the sculpt is, I seem to remember it being given away as a freebie in WI around that time. He looks a bit like a Mark Copplestone sculpt, but I may be wrong...not sure about the face. If anybody out there knows more, I'd love to hear.
Anyway, he's finally worked his way up my lead pile and is ready to lead my Lion Rampant army. I shied away from painting the white lion on his tabard out of sheer cowardice. I was rather pleased with how the red turned out and didn't want to spoil it!
This looks a bit like the fellow who "plays" Simon de Montfort at re-enactments. This is the Montfort arms as seen in the rondel window at Chartres. It is Simon's father's arms -- the crusader against the Albigensians. But it's often mistaken for Simon; arms. His was actually a fork-tailed red lion rampant on a white ground -- differenced for Simon the Earl of Leicester who was a younger son. For his actual arms see the page of arms in the Chronica Majora of Matthew Paris or the illustration of Simon dead on the battle-field at Evesham in the Flores Historiarum. Both these sources are by monks who knew Simon de Montfort, the Earl of Leicester well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Katherine, that's very interesting. I had no idea his arms were anything other than what's usually portrayed. I'll have to use this figure as Simon Snr I suppose. At least I'll get to research which battles he took part in!
DeleteI would like have a figure like this. Do you know how I can find it?
ReplyDeleteFor your answer thank you.
I’m sorry Luis, I’ve had a quick search but I can’t find who originally made the model.
DeleteIt was given out free with Wargames Illustrated magazine and then again at a Lion rampant day at their offices. It might be worth keeping an eye on eBay.