Justiceship England 1066–1232

Dr West's book is a pioneer account of the most important office under the king and an examination of a central theme of English constitutional and administrative history.

F. West (Author)

9780521619646, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 12 May 2005

320 pages
21.6 x 14 x 1.8 cm, 0.41 kg

At the height of his power and influence the justiciar was the king's chief political and judicial officer, superintending the administrative machinery and acting as regent in the king's absence abroad. He was also a feudal lord or bishop; and the study of the careers of the chief justiciars, as soldiers and politicians, judges and financiers, throws light on the workings of feudal society and on the technical administrative means by which royal power was effectively exercised. Dr West traces the history of the office from the first need for the delegation of royal power under William 1 until the Anglo-Norman dominion broke up and government became too complicated. As an administrative post it attained its greatest importance in the formative periods of administrative development under Henry 1 and later under Henry 11. Unlike the offices of sheriff and chancellor the justiciarship has never been systematically examined. Dr West's book is a pioneer account of the most important office under the king and an examination of a central theme of English constitutional and administrative history.

List of abbreviations
Introduction
Part 1. The Origins of the Justiciarship: 1. The reign of William I
2. The reign of William II
3. The reign of Henry I
4. The reign of Stephen
5. Foreign influences
Part II. The Justiciarship under Henry II: 6. Royal regents and ministers
7. Robert earl of Leicester
8. Richard de Luci
9. The development of the justiciarship
10. Definition of the justiciarship
11. Ranulf de Glanville
Part III. The Justiciarship under Richard I: 12. Richard's early arrangements for government
13. William de Longchamps
14. Walter of Coutances
15. Hubert Walter
Part IV. The Justiciarship under John: Before the Loss of Normandy: 16. Geoffrey fitz Peter
17. The justiciar and the exchequer
18. The justiciar and the law courts
19. The justiciar as chief executive
Part V. The Justiciarship under John: After the Loss of Normandy: 20. The justiciar as regent
21. The justiciar and the court coram rege
22. The justiciar and the bench
23. The justiciar and the exchequer
Part VI. The Justiciarship in John's Last Years: 24. Peter des Roches
25. The justiciar as regent
26. The justiciar and the law courts
27. The justiciar and the exchequer
28. The justiciar as chief executive
Part VII. The Justiciarship under Henry III: 29. Hubert de Burgh
30. The justiciar and the council
31. The justiciar and Peter des Roches
32. The justiciar and the chancery
33. The justiciar and the law courts
34. The justiciar and the exchequer
35. Stephen of Seagrave
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: History [HB]