John Hotham

Who was John Hotham?

John Hotham was a medieval Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord High Treasurer, Lord Chancellor and Bishop of Ely.

Hotham was the son of Alan and Matilda Hotham of Hotham and nephew of William Hotham, Archbishop of Dublin.

His early career was in Ireland, where he became Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland until 1310. He was then appointed, on 13 December 1312, Chancellor of the Exchequer in England, a post he held until June 1316.

Hotham was elected to Ely about 20 June 1316 and consecrated on 3 October 1316. Later that year he went to meet the pope in Avignon with the earl of Pembroke, partly to plead the case for the promotion of Alexander Bicknor as Archbishop of Dublin.

After returning from Avignon, he was appointed Lord High Treasurer of England on 27 May 1317 but left that office in June 1318. when he was promoted as Lord Chancellor of England on 11 June 1318, an office he held until 26 January 1320.

Although close to the King Edward II, Hotham switched allegiance to Queen Isabella when she successfully invaded to depose the king in September 1326. He was consequently appointed chancellor for the second time by her on behalf of the young Edward III on 28 January 1327.