Norman Sheriff Flashcards
What was a sheriff in Norman England?
The sheriff was the name given to the law enforcement officer who had been known by the Anglo-Saxons as the shire reeve.
What was the job of the sheriff?
❖Acting as the king’s representative, collecting taxes and looking after the king’s personal estates.
❖He administered justice and made sure that the shire met its military obligations
How did the sheriff’s role stay the same?
❖Sheriffs were still appointed by the king.
❖The Normans kept the same legal system, with some new punishments for rebellion.
❖Norman sheriffs continued organising the defence of the shire and gathering men for military service.
When were all sheriffs eventually Norman?
1071
How did the sheriff’s role change under William?
❖They were entitled to a share of the taxes that they collected, and could keep the money paid in fines in the shire courts.
❖Sheriffs paid a set sum to the king to collect taxes. Anything they collected above that sum counted as profit.
❖Unlike in Anglo-Saxon times, the sheriff had greater power than the earl in his shire, as he answered directly to the king. Some sheriffs were very powerful and important.
❖Norman sheriffs lost some control when the Church set up its own courts for churchmen in 1076.
❖As well as organising the fyrd, sheriffs were also responsible for overseeing knight service.
❖Sheriffs were often responsible for the king’s castles in the shire.
