Henry le Walleis facts for kids

Henry le Walleis (sometimes spelled le Waleys) was an important English politician and Mayor of London in the 1200s. We don't know much about where he came from, but he wasn't originally from London and might have been Welsh. He became rich by selling wine. In 1269, he became an alderman (a city official), and in 1270, he became a sheriff (another city official). He served as the Mayor of London five times!

Early Life and Career

Henry le Walleis started his career in London after making a lot of money in the wine business. In 1269, he became an alderman, representing the Cordwainer area of London. The next year, in 1270, he became a sheriff. These were important jobs that helped him understand how the city worked.

Serving the King

Henry was a strong supporter of King Edward I. He even gave advice to the King. In 1273, during his first time as mayor, Henry helped fix problems caused by the previous mayor, Walter Hervey. Henry made sure things were fair and stopped corruption in the city government. After this, his friend, Gregory de Rokesley, became mayor.

King Edward I trusted Henry a lot. In 1275, the King made Henry the mayor of Bordeaux, a city in France. For the next twenty years, Henry also worked as a diplomat. This meant he traveled to places like France and Scotland to talk to their leaders and help keep peace. He also helped plan the city of Winchelsea.

Mayor of London Again

After some years, people in London were unhappy with how things were going. So, Henry came back as mayor for three more years, from 1281 to 1283. During this time, he did many good things for the city:

• In 1282, he created the Stocks Market. This was a place where people could buy fresh fish and meat. The money collected from renting out stalls at the market helped pay for repairs to London Bridge.
• In 1283, he had many shops built along Paternoster Row. This street later became a famous place in London for selling books.

In 1298, Henry was elected mayor for the fifth and final time. This shows how much people trusted him and how important he was to London.

Family and Later Life

Henry le Walleis married a woman named Joan. Her father, Adam de Basing, had also been a mayor of London. Henry's son, Augustine le Waleys, worked for King Edward II and was in charge of making coins for the kingdom.

Henry le Walleis died in 1302. He left money to two religious groups, the Poor Clares and the Franciscans.

Images for kids

• Edward I.jpg

  King Edward I, whom Henry le Walleis advised.