John Crakehall

John Crakehall (or John of Crakehall or John de Crakehall; died September 1260) was an English clergyman and Treasurer of England from 1258 to 1260. Possibly the younger son of a minor noble family in Yorkshire, Crakehall served two successive bishops of Lincoln from around 1231 to the 1250s. He then became an archdeacon in the diocese of Lincoln before being named as treasurer, where he served until his death in 1260. He owed his appointment to the treasurership to a number of factors, including his reputation for administrative ability and his relationship with the leader of the baronial effort to reform royal government. While in office, he strove to improve the administration of the exchequer as well as collect outstanding debts to the government and improve royal revenues. rdf:langString