William of Ely facts for kids

William of Ely was an important English church leader. He also held a very powerful job in the government. He was the fifth person to be the Lord High Treasurer of England. This meant he was in charge of the country's money.

William was related to other important people who had been Treasurers before him. These included Richard FitzNeal and Nigel, Bishop of Ely.

Who Was William of Ely?

William of Ely was a man of the church. He held several important positions. These roles were both in the church and in the government of England. He lived during the time of kings Richard I and John.

His Important Jobs

William had a few big jobs during his life. He started with a church role before moving into government. Later, he took on more church duties.

Treasurer of England

In 1196, William became the Lord High Treasurer. This was a very important job. As Treasurer, he managed all the money for the King and the country. He worked in this role for nearly 20 years. He stopped being Treasurer in August 1215.

Church Roles

Before becoming Treasurer, William was made a Canon of St. Paul's. A Canon is a type of priest who works at a cathedral. In 1201, he also became the Archdeacon of Cleveland. An Archdeacon helps the bishop manage a part of the church's area. He also became a Prebendary of Leighton Buzzard in 1207. This was another church position.

An Interesting Story

There is a famous story about William of Ely. At one point, the King was not happy with him. William tried to run away from England. He dressed up like a regular person to hide. However, he was stopped because he could not answer a simple question in English.

This story shows something important about that time. Many nobles and church leaders spoke French. This was because of the Norman Conquest of England. It was unusual for them not to know English.

See also

• List of Lord High Treasurers