Why was Henry III Always Short of Money?

 

In June 1239, a baby boy was born to Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. He would ,one day, become king Edward I. Congratulations were sent to the Royal couple from across England. Edward had been born at Westminster and across London the celebrations that took place were particularly joyful. Drums and tambourines were played with and people danced enthusiastically. Lanterns were lit so the celebrations could go on deep into the night. Messengers were sent across the land to spread the word of the birth of this new prince. Presents were sent to the king from nobles from every part of England but this did not completely satisfy the king. Presents that Henry deemed insufficient in either quantity or value, he had sent back and it would be made clear to the well intentioned sender that Henry expected more.

This type of behaviour would certainly have displeased a lot of people but it was far from the only instance where Henry failed to keep his nobles on his side. One of his most notorious failings was allowing the relatives of his Queen to come to England where they prospered a bit too much from an English perspective. And, to make things worse, some of Henry’s own relations, the Lusignans, also came to England to enrich themselves and have. The money wasted on these unwelcome guests would have gone down terribly with the nobility.

And it wasn’t just family members that Henry wasted money on. He made promises to go on crusade but, for one reason or another, such as problems in Gascony, the king failed to keep his promises to take the Cross. As a result, Henry found himself becoming heavily in debt to the Pope. In this instance, there may be a way out for the King. The Pope proposed an idea to Henry that would see Henry’s son, Edmund Crouchback, become king of Sicily. Henry hoped to make it happen but his dire financial situation put paid to what was a wildly fanciful idea. 

Henry was also noted for his building projects. The most notable of these is, of course, his work at Westminster Abbey where he now lies. Grand schemes such as these obviously cost vast sums of money and put further strains on Henry’s, and England’s, finances. If Henry could see the tourists that flock to Westminster Abbey today, he may well have considered his money well spent. But, in the 13th Century, his diabolical laxity when it came to finances almost, though not quite, put his father, King John, to shame.