Towards the end of
Richard I's reign, Peter became
Lord Chamberlain and an influential counsellor. He held the ecclesiastical offices of
Archdeacon of
Poitiers, treasurer of Poitiers, and was a
precentor of the
diocese of Lincoln in 1204. In early 1205, through John's influence, Peter was elected to the see of Winchester. His election was disputed but, on appeal, confirmed on 25 September 1205 by
Pope Innocent III. Peter was consecrated on 24 March 1206. This promotion was justified by the fidelity with which Peter supported the king through the
First Barons' War. However, by 1215,
Hubert de Burgh was Chief Justiciar. At the
battle of Lincoln in 1217 Peter led a division of the royal army and earned some distinction by his valour; but he played a secondary part in the government so long as
William Marshal held the regency. After Marshal's death in 1219 Peter led the baronial opposition to
Hubert de Burgh, with varying success. At first the justiciar was successful. Peter was responsible for founding several
monasteries in England and France, including
Titchfield Abbey and
Netley Abbey, In 1225 a plot to ship
Eleanor of Brittany, who as cousin to Henry III always posed a potential threat to the crown and was thus viewed as a state prisoner and then confined at
Bristol Castle, away to France, was reported. The plot might have been false and only fabricated to discredit Peter, and he eventually fell out of royal favor in spring 1234. Peter participated in the
Sixth Crusade alongside
William Briwere, who was
Bishop of Exeter. Both bishops were influential advisors to
Frederick II the
Holy Roman Emperor On the 18th of February 1229, both bishops were witnesses at the
Treaty of Jaffa which restored Jerusalem to the Christians. After the crusade, he spent time in Italy. In July 1232 Hubert de Burgh was overthrown by the action of Peter des Roches who then became the chief minister of Henry III. Peter persuaded him to revoke royal charters in favour of Peter and his associates, provoking a civil war in 1233 and leading to his own downfall in 1234. Peter died on 9 June 1238. ==Legends==