Aaron of Lincoln

Aaron, ca. 1125–1186 Aaron of Lincoln was an extremely successful financier in England under Henry II (r. 1154–1189). He was rumored to have had more money than the king himself. He lent money for the construction of abbeys and monasteries and used corn, armor, and houses as collateral. Aaron also entered into partnerships with other leading Jewish financiers of his time. When he died, outstanding debts owed to him reverted to the crown, allowing the king to benefit from Aaron’s banking activities. The amount of money owed him was so overwhelming that the crown created a new division to handle it, called the “Exchequer of Aaron.”