Peter Des Rivaux

Peter Des Rivaux was an English noble and administrator who dominated the government of young King Henry III of England (r. 1216-1272) from 1232 to 1234.

His father, or possibly uncle, Peter Des Roches, was Bishop of Winchester from 1205 to 1238 and tutor to Henry upon the King’s accession. Peter des Rivaux served as a king’s clerk from 1218 to 1223, and was appointed treasurer of the household in June 1232. He started drastic overhaul of the financial and administrative system to create an all-powerful central administration, but Henry was forced by the barons to dismiss Peter des Rivaux. He served as baron of the exchequer again in 1253 and keeper of the wardrobe in 1257 to 1258.

At the time of his death Peter was worth about £20,000, around 0.6% of net national income of £3.3m at the time. In 2010 he would be worth about £6.6bn.