Governing the Realm

Since the Norman Conquest in 1066, the evolution of central government has hinged upon the ability of the monarch to control his realm and magnates. When the crown was weak, anarchy and civil war were the result, as in the reigns of Stephen (1135-54) and Henry VI (1422-60, 1471). A sense of 'partnership' between monarch and magnates originated from the protests against King John's government that culminated in Magna Carta.

The principle that the crown was not above the rule of law quickly became entrenched at all levels of society. Henry III's failure to maintain these standards initiated the Barons' War, which saw him temporarily supplanted by Simon de Montfort and his supporters. Their regime strengthened the development of representative government with the 'Parliament' of 1265.

Magna Carta		Parliament at work		The fate of Simon de Montfort

From Anglo-Saxon times, the main instrument of royal administration in the localities was the sheriff, who effectively governed a county or group of counties in the king's name and protected royal rights and revenues. The latter were paid in to the Exchequer. This was primarily a financial institution, but it also enjoyed vast powers that could be used to force individuals into royal debt as a means of political control. However, certain parts of England were virtually exempt from royal authority, in particular the Palatinates of Chester and Durham and the Duchy of Lancaster.

For more on Magna Carta and the Exchequer, visit our Treasures exhibition.

The development of the common law and a central, codified legal system under Henry II (1154-89) incorporated local custom and tradition into a new 'national' framework for dealing with crime and punishment. The reality for most people was the local manorial court, which dealt with day-to-day matters on the manor. However, from the thirteenth century onwards, first justices in eyre and then of assizes became the most important regional courts for serious offences. Lesser crimes were later increasingly tried by justices of the peace in the quarter sessions.