William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury

William Montagu was an English noble who greatly enriched himself in the service of King Edward III (1327-1377). He was rich by birth, he succeeded his father as 3rd Baron on 6th November 1319, being granted wardship of his own lands, though yet a minor.

William started his military service alongside Edward III in 1327 when he accompanied him to repel the Scottish invasion. He also served Edward in diplomatic capacity. In 1330 Edward took him into his confidence about his plans for the arrest of Roger Mortimer, the de facto ruler of the country. Montagu arrested Mortimer in Nottingham Castle, and after Mortimer’s execution Montagu was rewarded with various grants of land forfeited by Mortimer in Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent and Wales, including Sherborne, Corfe Castle and Purbeck Chase in Dorset, and the lordship of Denbigh in North Wales. He was also created Earl of Salisbury in 1337, and Earl Marshall in 1338. He continued to serve Edward in military and diplomatic capacity until his death from a jousting accident in 1344.

At the time of his death Montagu was worth £25,000, 0.5% of net national income when it stood at £5m. In 2010’s money that would be worth £5.5bn.