Robert Hales
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Hales, also called Robert de Hales, was born about 1325 in Hales Place, High Halden
, Kent
, the son of Nicholas Hales.
In 1372 Robert Hales became the Lord/Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitallers of England
. Richard II
appointed him Lord High Treasurer, so he was responsible for collecting the hated poll tax
. He was beheaded on 14 June 1381 on Tower Hill during the Peasants Revolt. His estate and assets were inherited by his brother, Sir Nicholas de Hales, the progenitor of many prominent English Hales families. Hales was present at many latter day crusader expeditions and is recorded as leading a contingent of hospitaller knights at the sacking of Alexandria. Hales was known as the "Hero of Alexandria" thereafter due to his distinguished service.
Hales was described by the chronicler Walsingham as a "Magnanimous knight, though the commons loved him not".
High Halden
High Halden is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village is located on the A28 road between Ashford town and Tenterden, 3miles north of the latter.-History:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, the son of Nicholas Hales.
In 1372 Robert Hales became the Lord/Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitallers of England
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
. Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
appointed him Lord High Treasurer, so he was responsible for collecting the hated poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
. He was beheaded on 14 June 1381 on Tower Hill during the Peasants Revolt. His estate and assets were inherited by his brother, Sir Nicholas de Hales, the progenitor of many prominent English Hales families. Hales was present at many latter day crusader expeditions and is recorded as leading a contingent of hospitaller knights at the sacking of Alexandria. Hales was known as the "Hero of Alexandria" thereafter due to his distinguished service.
Hales was described by the chronicler Walsingham as a "Magnanimous knight, though the commons loved him not".