Joseph of Chauncy facts for kids

Joseph of Chauncy (born before 1213 – died after 1283) was an important English knight who belonged to a religious group called the Knights Hospitaller. He was the leader of the Knights Hospitaller in England, known as the Grand Prior, from 1273 to 1281. He also served as the Royal Treasurer for the King of England from 1273 to 1280.

Early Life and Joining the Knights

Joseph of Chauncy came from a noble family in England. His family owned land in places like Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. He decided to join the Knights Hospitaller before 1233. This group was a Christian military order that helped pilgrims and defended Christian lands in the Middle East.

After 1233, and by 1238, he moved to Acre in Palestine. This was a major city for the Christian groups known as the Crusader states. Before 1248, Joseph became the Treasurer for the Knights Hospitaller. This meant he managed their money.

During this time, the Christian Crusader states were facing tough times. They were being pushed back by powerful Muslim empires, first the Ayyubids and later the Mamluks.

In 1270, Lord Edward, who would later become King of England, went on a special journey called a Crusade. This was to help the struggling Crusader states. To pay for this journey, known as Lord Edward's Crusade, he needed a lot of money. The Knights Hospitaller helped guarantee some of the loans. This is likely how Edward and Joseph of Chauncy met. Around 1271, Joseph left his role as Treasurer for the Order.

Important Roles in England

While Edward was traveling back from his Crusade, he found out that his father, Henry III of England, had died. This meant Edward was now the King of England. Even before he returned home, in October 1273, King Edward chose Joseph of Chauncy to be his new Royal Treasurer. For this important job, Joseph also became the Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitaller in England.

Joseph returned to England while King Edward first traveled to France. From March to September 1274, Joseph received a special royal letter that allowed him to travel abroad. He likely attended an important meeting called the Second Council of Lyon.

Joseph was very good at managing money. By early 1273, he had already helped King Edward pay off debts to foreign merchants. He settled more debts before 1275.

In April 1275, during a big meeting in Westminster, a new tax was suggested. This tax would be placed on wool that was sent out of England. The idea came from Joseph of Chauncy. He got the idea from an Italian merchant. This tax was collected directly from Italian merchants in the ports. The money from this tax, which was about £10,000 each year until 1279, was used to pay off the King's debts to Italian merchants.

As the Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitaller in England, Joseph also oversaw building projects. He had a chapel built at the Clerkenwell Priory in London. This was the main home for the Knights Hospitaller in England.

New Rules for Jewish Communities

During Joseph of Chauncy's time as Treasurer, new rules and taxes were put in place for Jewish people in England. On December 9, 1273, he ordered all Jewish people in England to go to the main towns in their areas and stay there until Easter 1274. It is believed he was asking for a large tax, called a tallage, from them.

In 1275, a new law called the Statute of the Jewry was created. This law made it illegal for Jewish money lenders to charge very high interest rates.

Joseph of Chauncy was a very skilled administrator and one of the highest-ranking officials in the kingdom. He worked closely with King Edward I. The King's views on these matters were also influenced by his wife, Eleanor of Castile, his mother, Eleanor of Provence, and his chancellor, Robert Burnell. Joseph himself also lent money to Christians on a smaller scale.

Back to the Holy Land

Joseph of Chauncy, like King Edward, was always thinking about how to help the Christian Crusader states in the Holy Land. Around 1280, he left his jobs as Treasurer and Grand Prior in England. He then returned to Acre in the Holy Land.

He sent letters to King Edward I, telling him about the situation there. In 1281, he wrote a detailed report about a big battle. This was the Second Battle of Homs, where the Mamluks won against the Mongols. King Edward's reply to Joseph has also been saved.

Later, in 1283, Joseph wrote another letter to King Edward I. In this letter, he described how difficult things were for the Christians in the Holy Land. The exact year Joseph of Chauncy died is not known.

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