Archbishop George Neville

George Neville was an English nobleman who made his career and wealth through his family connections and influence, nothing unusual for the time in which he lived in. His father was Richard, Earl of Salisbury, and his brother was Warwick the Kingmaker.

By his family’s influence Neville was made Bishop of Exeter in 1458, and in 1460 he was made Chancellor of England. He became Archbishop of York in 1465. These offices brought enormous revenues and he lived in style at a huge mansion in Rickmansworth. During the second reign of Henry VI (1470-1471) he continued to act as Chancellor, but with the return of Edward IV (2nd r. 1471-1483) he made his peace with Edward by surrendering Henry into his hands. However, in 1472 he was arrested on a charge of treason and secretly conveyed to France, where he remained a prisoner till 1475, when he returned to England; he died in the following year, on the 8th of June 1476.

At his peak Neville was worth £25,000 or more, about 0.71% of net national income of £3.5m. In 2010 he would be worth £7.8bn.