Roger Mortimer, 1st earl of March

Roger Mortimer was an English nobleman, descended of Norman knights who had accompanied William the Conqueror. He inherited wealthy family estates and fortunes, principally in Wales and Ireland, and in 1304 became 8th Baron of Wigmore on the death of his father. In 1301 he gained many estates in the Welsh Marches and Ireland following his advantageous marriage to the wealthy heiress Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville. He also increased his wealth from confiscated and pillaged lands while fighting on Edward ll's (r. 1307-1327) behalf in Scotland, Gascony, Wales and Bristol.

Robert got into conflict with Edward II and was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1322 but had escaped in 1323 and fled to France, where in 1325 he was joined by Queen Isabella, wife of Edward II, who became his mistress. They invaded England in September 1326 and Edward was forced to abdicate. For the next three years Roger virtually ruled England. During this time he secured for himself the lordships of Denbigh, Oswestry, and Clun, formerly belonging to the Earl of Arundel; the marcher lordships of the Mortimers of Chirk; and Montgomery, granted to him by the queen.

In 1330 Roger was arrested by Edward III (r. 1327-1377) and was hanged at Tyburn as a traitor. His estates were forfeited to the crown. Roger was worth about £50,000 when net national income was £5.2m and his wealth represented 0.96% of that figure. In 2010 he would be worth about £10.6bn