Norman institutions

Description

CHAPTER I. Normandy under William the Conqueror, 1035–1087 Importance of early Norman institutions Fragmentary nature of the evidence Norman feudalism in 1066 The problem of the existence of knights’ fees The military obligations of the Norman monasteries The case of Saint-Évroul Obligations of the bishops: Bayeux and Avranches Other features of feudal tenure The military supremacy of the duke Sicilian parallels Feudal jurisdiction Grants of immunity Ducal and baronial pleas Ecclesiastical jurisdiction The council of Lillebonne, 1080 The bishop’s ‘customs’ The duke’s ecclesiastical supremacy The Truce of God Restrictions upon private war The duke’s revenues Evidence of a system of fiscal administration Relative superiority of Normandy in finance Local government: the vicomte The forests Municipal institutions The ducal household Chapel and chancery The curia as a court of justice Conditions under William’s predecessors Summary CHAPTER II. Normandy under Robert Curthose and William Rufus, 1087–1106 Robert’s lack of governance Losses of the Abbaye aux Dames Evidence of the Consuetudines et iusticie and the council of Rouen Robert’s charters Their character and geographical distribution Their irregularities show the weakness of the administrative system Robert’s chancellors and scribes: Ralph of Arri, Arnulf of Choques, and Hugh of Flavigny Scanty evidence of governmental organization William Rufus in Normandy His charters His surviving writs show a stronger government CHAPTER III. The Administration of Normandy under Henry I, 1106–1135 Interest and difficulty of Henry’s reign The conquest of the duchy and the reestablishment of ducal authority The central court and the duke’s justices Examples of their sessions The justiciar and the seneschal Local justices Ducal administration illustrated by writs from Montebourg Restrictions on baronial and ecclesiastical jurisdiction Fiscal organization The Norman treasury and the treasurers Royal clerks and chaplains How far had Normandy a distinct administration? The Constitutio domus regis and the Norman household Henry’s entourage in his closing years The esnecca, or royal galley CHAPTER IV. Normandy under Stephen of Blois and Geoffrey Plantagenet, 1135–1150 The problem of Angevin influence in Normandy King Stephen as ruler of Normandy The conquest of the duchy by Geoffrey He rules for his son Henry Geoffrey’s Norman charters His chancellors His preservation of Norman forms His itinerary and followers The ducal curia The itinerant justices and the jury Local officers The Norman church Geoffrey’s policy a continuation of that of Henry I CHAPTER V. The Government of Normandy under Henry II, 1150–1189 The position of Normandy in the Plantagenet empire The records of Henry’s rule in Normandy Henry as duke, 1150–1154 First period of his reign as king, 1154–1164 The Norman justices The local courts The recognitions Ecclesiastical jurisdiction Second period of Henry’s reign, 1164–1189 The work of Richard of Ilchester, 1176–1178 Comparison of the Norman and English Exchequers The Norman Exchequer as a court Growth of officialism Henry’s great court days William Fitz Ralph as seneschal The jurisdictions of vicomte and bailli Criminal jurisdiction of the duke Civil procedure Absence of restrictions upon the duke’s authority Normandy and England Normandy under Richard and John Modern character of the Norman state CHAPTER VI. The Early Norman Jury Norman origin of the English jury New evidence for its history Importance of the reigns of Geoffrey and Henry II in its development The Livre noir of Bayeux and its assizes The recovery of the bishop’s lands The sworn inquests under Geoffrey Do they presuppose a ducal ordinance? The Bayeux inquests under Henry II The recognitions for Saint-Étienne of Caen Inquests concerning advowsons The legislation of 1159 Other inquests under Geoffrey and Henry II The sworn inquest in ecclesiastical courts Baronial inquests The procedure in Anjou compared The sworn inquest in the Norman kingdom of Sicily Inquests in England in the early years of Henry II Probable priority of Normandy over England in the matter of recognitions Conclusion APPENDICES A. The Documentary Sources of Early Norman History B. The Early Ducal Charters for Fécamp C. The Materials for the Reign of Robert I D. The Consuetudines et Iusticie of William the Conqueror E. Unpublished Charters of Robert Curthose F. Unpublished Charters of Henry I G. The Norman Itinerary of Henry I H. Documents concerning the Norman Courts, 1139–1191 I. The Early Legislation of Henry II J. Norman Assizes, 1176–1193 K. Documents from the Avranchin INDEX