Peter Des Roches

Peter Des Roches was a Poitevin diplomat, soldier, and administrator, one of the ablest statesmen of his time, who enjoyed a brilliant career in the service of kings John (r. 1199-1216) and Henry III (r. 1216-1272).

Peter held ecclesiastical appointments in Touraine and Poitou and afterward went to England. In 1205 he was elected to the see of Winchester, and had remained bishop until his death in 1238. He organized and added to the financial resources of his see. Peter became chief justiciar in 1214 but was unpopular and was replaced in June 1215. He was a tutor of Henry III until 1227. He was also a military commander and had accompanied the Emperor Frederick II’s crusade (1228–29) and reached Jerusalem. Peter also had diplomatic skills – in 1230 he helped to reconcile Frederick with the Pope and in 1231 negotiated a truce between Henry III and the French.

At his peak he was worth £15,000, about 0.53% of net national income of £2.8m. That would be worth £5.8bn in 2010.