Bishop Walter Langton

Walter Langton was a leading adviser of King Edward I of England (r. 1272-1307); he was treasurer of the exchequer from 1295 to 1307 and bishop of Lichfield from 1296 until his death. He also served Edward I as a diplomat in Flanders and France from June 1296 to November 1297.

After Edward’s death (July 7, 1307), Langton was dismissed by Edward II (r. 1307-1327) and tried for a variety of offences including abuse of power, manipulation of justice, extortion, arbitrary arrest and imprisonment on several counts of which he was convicted, and of homicide, devil worship and simony of which he was acquitted. Langton was imprisoned until January 1312, when he was released and called to serve the king as treasurer. The barons disagreed with this idea and Langton served as a member of the royal council until 1315.

On his death Langton was worth about£50,000, about 1% of net national income at the time of £5m. This would be about £11bn in 2010.