History Paper 2 - Topic 2

Define the term central government

The term used to describe how the country as a whole was governed

Define the term centralisation

The process of giving particular areas of gov into the hands of specific gov departments and their ministers

Define the term delegation

the transfer of responsibility for specific tasks from one person to another

Define the term patronage

the right of a person (such as Henry) to appoint someone to a job or role

What 2 areas of government was Henry particularly interested in?

Law and finance

Henry was an itinerant king – what does this mean?

He travelled around his territories, rather than remaining in one place all the time

Approximately for how much of his reign was Henry present in England?

⅓

What were the 3 main central institutions of government?

The decision-making body, the law, and finance

What was the name of the decision-making body?

The king’s court or the curia regis

Which 2 departments were responsible for the law?

Chancery and the bench

Which department was responsible for finance?

The exchequer

What did the curia regis do?

Made important decisions of national importance, such as laws, taxes and going to war

Approximately how many times a year would it meet….and how many people would the king invite?

2-3 times a year; c. 30 people

In what ways did the curia regis change over Henry’s reign?

Less traditional barons were called; more gov ministers were called; experts in law and finance; men who were loyal to Henry; it became more professional, effective and efficient

Who was the most important gov official…and what did he do?

The justiciar; he took care of the day-to-day running of the country in Henry’s absence; he oversaw the curia regis, law and finance; he was the main point of contact between the crown and the barons

Who were the 2 famous justiciars Henry appointed?

Richard de Lucy and Robert Beaumont (earl of Leicester)

What was the chancellor responsible for?

The department of chancery which took care of the king’s written documents

Who was the famous chancellor whom Henry appointed at the start of his reign?

Thomas Becket

Which government minister was responsible for finance…and who were the first 2 appointed?

The treasurer: Nigel bishop of Ely (up to 1160), then Richard fitzNigel

Danegeld also known as the geld

A tax collected on the amount of land owned

Tallage

A tax collected by a lord (such as the king) from his tenant

Scutage

A tax collected for each knight NOT supplied to the king

Reliefs

A tax paid for inheriting land

Wardships

Money paid to Henry for the right to look after the lands of an underage heir

Advowsons

Money paid to Henry for the right to appoint someone to a church job

Dona

Gifts of money to the king for special occasions

The royal demesne

The lands belonging to the king

Purpresture

The practice of barons taking over crown lands

Escheat

Lands where the landowner died without an heir

The farm

What happened to the average farm income of the shires during Henry’s reign?

What happened to the average farm income of the shires during Henry’s reign?

It rose from c. £5,000 to c. £6,500

What did Henry do to the coins in 1158 and 1180?

Had them reminted

What did Henry do to the number of royal mints?

Reduced them from 47 to 10

Where was the exchequer based?

Winchester

How many times a year did the sheriffs come to the exchequer?

2

What were pipe rolls?

Documents which kept details of the monies brought by the sheriffs

How did the 1170 Inquest of the Sheriffs improve the financial system?

More loyal, trustworthy men were appointed; it cut down on bribery and corruption

Name the book which Richard fitzNigel wrote.

The Dialogue of the Exchequer

How much did Henry’s overall income increase?

From c. £10,000 a year to c. £23,000; it more than doubled

Common law

Law which is common throughout the whole kingdom and based

The Assize of Clarendon

The meeting at which Henry introduced fundamental changes to the legal system, bringing in common law

An eyre

Name for the area a judge toured round

Justices-in-eyre/itinerant judges

Name given to the travelling judges

A jury of presentment

A group of 12 men whom the sheriff would ask to find out if there were any serious crimes to investigate

The Assize of Northampton

The meeting at which Henry confirmed the using of common law; plus brought in some extra features

Novel disseisin

A legal action for recovering possession of land that has been wrongfully taken.

Mort d’ancestor

A procedure whereby someone could bring a case to court if they felt someone had taken land they should have inherited

The King’s Bench

Name given to the 5 permanent judges sitting at Westminster

Chief justiciars

The title of these judges

Standardised writs

A short, written document which could be bought by any free person, ordering the sheriff to investigate a possible crime – most often about land

Precedence

The practice of making a judgement in court based on previous similar cases

The Treatise

Book written by Ranulf de Glanvill about how the legal system worked

What extra powers were sheriffs given under the Assize of Clarendon?

Suspects could be arrested anywhere

In what ways was the Assize of Clarendon a turning point in the legal system?

A uniform and common system was now used throughout the whole country; everyone was now treated the same in the eyes of the law; local variation and custom were gone

Why were the procedures of novel disseisin and mort d’ancestor so popular?

Any free person could bring a case to court about land – a new feature

Where was the permanent chief court and chancery now based?

Westminster

Who was Henry’s main legal adviser in the 1170s and 80s?

Ranulf de Glanvill

Central gov became more centralised. Give 2 examples of this in each area: a. decision-making

The curia regis continued to make decisions of national significance, so no real change; however, its membership evolved to include more gov ministers and specialists in law and finance; its decision-making became more informed and effective.

Central gov became more centralised. Give 2 examples of this in each area: b. finance

The exchequer was re-introduced in Winchester and took control of the country’s finances; a logical, transparent and efficient system was introduced; sheriffs from every shire had to appear; new personnel were introduced including the staff at Winchester as well as new sheriffs (thanks to various Inquests); Henry’s yearly income more than doubled from c. £10,000 to c. £23,000

Central gov became more centralised. Give 2 examples of this in each area: c. the law

Common law was introduced thanks to the Assize of Clarendon; justices in eyre and a permanent bench were both introduced + new sheriffs; new common procedures were brought in: standardised writs, novel disseisin and mort d’ancestor

For how much of his reign was Henry absent?

⅔

Henry used his powers of patronage to delegate heavily as he was away from England so much. In each area, state who Henry delegated to run: The curia regis and oversee the day-to-day business of government

The justiciars – most famously Richard de Lucy and Robert Beaumont

Henry used his powers of patronage to delegate heavily as he was away from England so much. In each area, state who Henry delegated to run: The financial system

The treasurer – first Nigel of Ely, then Richard fitzNigel

Henry used his powers of patronage to delegate heavily as he was away from England so much. In each area, state who Henry delegated to run: Chancery and the bench

Chancery – most famously T Becket. The bench – de Lucy and Beaumont

Name 3 ways Henry exercised more political power over the barons.

Developments in the law, such as increase of writs + new procedures (novel disseisin etc); increased power of judges + sheriffs; the Cartae Baronum in 1166; the Inquests into Sheriffs; the Assize of Arms 1181

Name 3 ways Henry exercised more economic power over the barons.

Reassessed taxes eg tallage, reliefs warships etc; seized back royal lands + increased the farm; increased control over the coinage; the exchequer more effectively collected and recorded taxation; new sheriffs