John de Benstede facts for kids
Sir John de Benstede (born around 1275, died 1323 or 1324) was an important person who worked for the English kings in the late 1200s and early 1300s. He was a Knight Bachelor, which meant he was a knight who served the king directly. Sir John held many important jobs, including the King's Secretary. He also helped manage the king's official seal and controlled the royal household's money and supplies for King Edward I. Later, he became the Chancellor of the Exchequer, looking after the country's money, and then a royal judge.
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Working for the King
Sir John de Benstede often helped manage important government tasks. For example, when the Chancellor, John de Langton, went to Rome, Sir John was trusted with the Great Seal. This seal was used to make official documents legal. He held it for a short time before passing it to William de Hamilton.
Important Roles and Missions
In 1305, Sir John was part of a special group of English and Scottish leaders. Their job was to discuss how to make Scotland more stable. In the same year, he became the Chancellor of the Exchequer. This role meant he was in charge of the country's finances. He held this job until 1307.
In 1307, he helped the Prince of Wales with a request for the king. The request was about changing some judges to fix problems people were complaining about. The next year, Sir John became the keeper of the wardrobe. This meant he managed the royal household's expenses and supplies. In 1309, he became a justice, or judge, in the common pleas court.
In 1315, Sir John was sent to Northumberland. His mission was to gather knights and soldiers from the northern areas. They needed to plan how to protect the border from attacks by the Scots. The next year, he was sent on a mission to the Pope's court. This trip was to discuss important matters about Scotland and the Pope. However, he was called back before he could leave England. In 1317, he was appointed as a judge for the county of Hertfordshire.
Peace Talks and Special Tasks
In 1318, Sir John was one of the people sent to talk about peace with Robert Bruce, a Scottish leader. The next year, he was on a special team. This team's job was to figure out how much money was lost by people from Flanders in 1307.
Also in 1319, he traveled to Rome with other envoys. They went to ask the Pope to make Thomas de Cantilupe a saint. Thomas had been a bishop in Hereford during the time of King Henry III.
Between 1301 and 1303, Sir John often traveled with the king in Scotland. In 1302, the king gave him permission to hold two markets each week and one fair each year at his manor in Devonshire. He received similar rights for his manor in Hertfordshire the next year. In 1306, he worked as a judge in the northern part of England.
When Edward II became king in 1307, Sir John was appointed a judge again. The king also gave him permission to build strong stone walls around his house called Rosemont near Westminster. The next year, he went with the king to Scotland. He was also sent to France to arrange a meeting between King Edward II and the King of France.
From 1311 to 1321, Sir John was regularly called to attend Parliament as a judge. He was involved in important state affairs in Scotland between 1314 and 1315. He continued to work as a judge until 1320, when he retired. Sir John de Benstede likely passed away in 1323.
Sir John's Family
Sir John de Benstede was married twice. His first wife was named Isabella, and his second was Petronilla. When he died, he owned land in several English counties. His wife Petronilla and his son, Edmund, who was thirteen years old, survived him. Petronilla lived until 1342. The last male in his family line, Sir William de Benstede, died in 1485.
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