The Norman conquest

After the death of Edward the confessor, William, duke of Normandy, claimed the throne of England. Harold of Wessex then reaffirmed his own right to the throne, but in 1066, William attacked and defeated him, near Hastings. He was crowned on Christmas day of 1066.

The importance of the Norman conquest was enormous, since it introduced the feudal system into England.

The feudal system: the feudal hierarchy was as follows: the Barons held their lands from the king, and were obliged to follow the king in battle with a fixed number of Knights; the Knights held the lands from the Barons, and had to serve them for forty days a year, or for longer period if necessary. The feudal relation passed from father to son. The Peasants were serfs bound to the land and to the lord of the land. The administrative officers were called Sheriffs

The Domesday book: in order to acquire knowledge of his new dominion, William sent commissioners throughout England, to record every piece of land, every house, and every person or animal of each manor, town and shire in England. This survey was called the Domesday Book.

Court of justice: there was a separate Bishop's Court of justice, which meant to deal only with spiritual affairs, but which also covered many secular matters. This institution constituted a rival power to the King's Court. In order to rule in full independence, William controlled the nomination of Bishops and abbots, who were both spiritual and temporal lords.

The Plantagenets

In 1154 Henry II of Anjou was made king. With Henry, the royal power regained its hold. He changed the feudal system regarding the military service due to the king from the barons through their knights: barons and prelates were allowed to pay the exchequer a sum of money called shield- money instead of the military service of their knights.

Henry wanted above all to form a new and stronger system of justice. Through a body f laws called the constitution of Clarendon, the king stated that these clerks who had committed common crimes should first get tried on King's court and then judged on the Bishop's court.

Thomas à Becket: Thomas à Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, former Chancellor and friend of Henry II, opposed the king. Henry sent him into exile in France for seven years. When Becket returned, four of Henry's knights, thinking they were interpreting the king's will, murdered him in his own cathedral.

The common law: in order to judge all parts of his kingdom, Henry sent his royal judges to all corners of England, were they spread the common law of the land.

Trial by Jury: the king also introduced Trial by Jury. The members of the jury had no power of verdict, but were only witness to the fact. When Henry died in 1189, England lost a great king, who respected the law, trusted in people, and ruled the land with strength and courage.