10 Richest People Of All Time

7. William The Conqueror ~ $209 - 230 Billion

Richest Men Augustus Caesar
By 12th century [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The arrow which felled King Harold at the Battle of Hastings wasn't the only eye-watering aspect of William the Conqueror's life - so too are the figures pertaining to his staggering wealth.

William's fortune didn't just derive from his eponymous proficiency at an autumnal nut-breaking sport (that's conkers for non-Brits), but was rather plundered from the multiple campaigns as he cut a swathe through England in 1066. Upon assuming the crown, the new king took entire control of the treasury - and every single scrap of land in the country - before redistributing the prize plots to his most loyal retainers, creating the stratified system of the landowning elite which persists to this day.

Despite his royal generosity, big Willy still retained a fortune of at least a cool $209 billion - the approximate figure inherited by his sons Odo and Robert upon his death in 1087.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.