In April 1303, one of the most daring burglaries in English history took place within the walls of Westminster Abbey. Thieves broke into the treasury of King Edward I’s Wardrobe and made off with nearly a year’s worth of tax revenue collected over the entire Kingdom of England. At the time, the King and most of his forces were away waging war in Scotland, leaving the royal coffers seemingly secure but ultimately vulnerable.
The scale of the crime only became apparent when priceless treasures began surfacing in the most unexpected places—pawnshops, brothels, and even tangled in fishermen’s nets along the Thames. What followed was one of the largest trials of the High Middle Ages in England, leading to the arrest of many and the execution of some half a dozen men. At the center of the heist was a man named Richard of Pudlicott, the supposed mastermind, who bore a very personal grudge against the King.
“North West View of Westminster Abbey” by an unknown artist. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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