IMC 2022: Sessions
Session 224: 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly': The Judicial, Financial, and Political Roles of the 13th-Century Sheriff
Monday 4 July 2022, 14.15-15.45
| Organiser: | Adrian Jobson, School of Humanities, Canterbury Christ Church University |
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| Moderator/Chair: | Paul R. Dryburgh, The National Archives, Kew |
| Paper 224-a | The Sheriff and the Business of the County Courts in the Early 13th Century (Language: English) Index terms: Administration, Law |
| Paper 224-b | At the Sharp End of Exchequer Experimentation: The Shrieval Experience during the Period of Baronial Reform, 1258-1265 (Language: English) Index terms: Administration, Economics - General |
| Paper 224-c | The Shrievalty of Rutland during the First English Revolution (Language: English) Index terms: Local History, Politics and Diplomacy |
| Abstract | The sheriff occupied a pivotal position in English local government in the 13th century. Acting as the king's personal representative in his designated county, he was tasked with protecting the crown's interests and implementing royal policy. Amongst the sheriff's many responsibilities were law enforcement, royal revenue collection, and the execution of the king's writs. The 13th century witnessed important developments in the shrievalty, especially in terms of its personnel and its authority as the sheriff was transformed from a 'regional dictator with true executive' power into a 'tightly regulated bureaucrat'. This session will examine this transformation process through three case studies, highlighting how these changes impacted upon the office itself and emphasising its continuing political significance during times of governmental crisis. |