William of Wrotham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William of Wrotham |
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| Archdeacon of Taunton | |
Ruins of Lydford Castle, which was in William's custody
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| Enthroned | 1204 |
| Reign ended | c. 1217 |
| Predecessor | Robert de Geldford |
| Successor | Peter |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | William |
| Died | probably before 2 December 1217 |
| Nationality | English |
| Parents | Godwin |
William of Wrotham (died around 1217) was an important English official and church leader in the Middle Ages. We first know for sure about him in 1197. At that time, he became responsible for the king's tin mines and other important tasks.
William also held a church position, eventually becoming the Archdeacon of Taunton. He worked for King John of England, managing church lands and collecting taxes. His most important work was with the navy. He was in charge of the royal fleet in southern England in 1205. He also helped develop Portsmouth into a major naval base.
William continued to work with naval matters until at least 1214. However, in 1215, he joined a rebellion against King John. After King John died in 1216, William returned to support the new king. He likely died in late 1217. Historians today say William was very important for managing England's ports, customs, and navy.
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William's Early Life and Family
We don't know much about William's family. His father, Godwin, owned land in Shipbourne, near Wrotham in Kent. This land might have been held from the Archbishop of Canterbury. William's brother, Richard, even worked as William's assistant in 1207.
Old documents from the late 1200s say that King Henry II of England gave William the job of steward of Exmoor. A steward was like a manager of royal lands. William also received lands at North Petherton, Somerset.
By 1204, William was a church official called a prebend at Bath Cathedral. He claimed he had held this job since 1194. He even won a legal case about it in 1205. William may have gotten his start in royal service thanks to Geoffrey fitz Peter, a royal judge. In 1197, Geoffrey gave William a large estate at Sutton-at-Hone, Kent.
Working for the King
In 1197, Hubert Walter, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury and a top royal judge, put William in charge of the royal tin mines. These mines were called stannaries. By 1198, William was fully in charge of tin production. This job later became known as the Lord Warden of the Stannaries.
Under William's management, the mines made much more money for the king. In his first year, they brought in about £1100. As part of this job, he became the first warden of Lydford Castle after it was built. He stayed as Lord Warden of the Stannaries until 1215.
William also served as Sheriff of Devon and Sheriff of Cornwall in 1198 and 1199. A sheriff was a royal officer in charge of a county. He also worked as a royal justice, helping to settle legal cases. In 1200, he helped collect a land tax called the carucage.
By 1204, William was the Archdeacon of Taunton, a senior church position. He also helped manage the royal mints in London and Canterbury in 1205. He shared this job with Reginald de Cornhill. They also worked together to collect a tax on merchants. William was also one of the officials who collected a tax of a thirteenth in 1207.
William was also put in charge of church offices that were empty. He would collect the money from these offices for the king. He did this for several important church areas, including the Diocese of Worcester and Glastonbury Abbey. These actions show that William was likely a close member of the king's staff.
William's most important work was managing the navy. In 1204, he helped oversee ships sent to the coasts. This happened after England lost control of Normandy, making the country vulnerable to French attacks. In 1205, he was again one of the main managers of the royal fleet along the south coast.
William was in charge of 17 ships based in several towns, including Romney and Southampton. He also managed naval spending for a planned invasion of France. In June 1205 alone, this spending was over 470 pounds. Later that year, he helped assess the condition of various ports.
From 1206 to 1215, William was effectively the commander of King John's navy. He played a key role in developing Portsmouth into a major royal dockyard. In 1208, William was tasked with making sure no ships sailed without the king's permission. He also oversaw naval preparations by the Cinque Ports, which were important coastal towns.
In 1212, William continued his naval duties. He oversaw ship repairs and the building of a large new royal ship called the Deulabenit. He was also responsible for taking privately owned merchant ships for royal service when needed. These ships were used in the Battle of Damme in 1213. In this battle, an English fleet destroyed a large French naval force.
In 1213, William directed naval efforts in southwestern England. He also set up a supply base for the navy. In 1214, the king ordered him to return a merchant ship if he had taken it unfairly. Also in 1214, William helped start the hospital of Domus Dei in Portsmouth.
King John rewarded William for his hard work. William received churches in Sheppey and East Malling in 1207. He also gained the right to oversee the royal forests in Cornwall and Devon. Other gifts included lands in Dartford and Westminster.
Later Life and Importance
During King John's reign, the Pope placed an interdict on England. This meant that public church services were not allowed. William supported King John and stayed in England. Some old writers criticized William and other royal advisers. However, modern historians believe these accounts were often exaggerated.
In 1215, William joined a rebellion by the barons against King John. Because of this, he lost his naval jobs and control of Lydford Castle. In 1216, King John died. By mid-1217, William rejoined the royal side, supporting the new king, Henry III. This helped him get some of his lands back.
William was last mentioned in official papers in July 1217. He likely died before December 1217, as someone else was named archdeacon by then.
Historians describe William as having "special responsibility for ports, customs, and the navy." He is often called the "keeper of ports" or "keeper of galleys." This role was similar to the later position of First Lord of the Admiralty, which is a very important naval job. William is seen as one of King John's most important and skilled administrators.
