Thomas Mowbray, 1st duke of Norfolk

Thomas Mowbray was an English nobleman who played one of the central roles of British politics. He inherited his title - Earl of Nottingham - and lands at the age of 16. The estates were concentrated in four main areas: first, in the Isle of Axholme in north Lincolnshire, where his manors were grouped around the traditional caput honoris at Epworth Castle; second, a string of manors in northern and central Yorkshire, stretching from Hovingham through Thirsk and Kirkby Malzeard to Nidderdale Chase; third, a group of Midland manors based in Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire; and fourth, the honour of Bramber in Sussex, including Horsham, St Leonard's Chase, and Shoreham by Sea, as well as Bramber Castle itself.

For the next couple of years Mowbray had good relations with Richard II (r. 1377-1399). The king purchased for him, for about £1,000, the marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of John, Lord Lestrange of Blakemere, and in 1383, made him a Knight of the Garter. Further, in 1385 Mowbray was granted for life the office of Marshal of England when he was just 19.

Over the next couple of years Mowbray and king grew apart and Mowbray joined the group of powerful nobles—known as the lords appellant—who from 1387 to 1389 forced Richard II to submit to their authority. After Richard regained power, Mowbray found a way to reconcile with him and was employed on military and diplomatic missions. He also arrested three lord appellants - Gloucester, Arundel, and Warwick- in the summer of 1397. As a reward, Mowbray was elevated to the dukedom of Norfolk. In the same year Mowbray and Henry of Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford (later King Henry IV, r. 1399–1413), got into dispute for which Mowbray was exiled for life from England. He died while on his way back from the Holy Land to Venice.

At the height of his power, Mowbray's fortune and inheritance should have given him a £25,000 fortune or what would be about £9.2bn in 2010.