Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: New Series: Series Number 12: Justiceship England 1066-1232

At the height of his power and influence the justiciar was the king's chief political and judicial officer, superintending the administrative machinery and acting as regent in the king's absence abroad. He was also a feudal lord or bishop; and the study of the careers of the chief justiciars, as soldiers and politicians, judges and financiers, throws light on the workings of feudal society and on the technical administrative means by which royal power was effectively exercised. Dr West traces the history of the office from the first need for the delegation of royal power under William 1 until the Anglo-Norman dominion broke up and government became too complicated. As an administrative post it attained its greatest importance in the formative periods of administrative development under Henry 1 and later under Henry 11. Unlike the offices of sheriff and chancellor the justiciarship has never been systematically examined. Dr West's book is a pioneer account of the most important office under the king and an examination of a central theme of English constitutional and administrative history.

List of abbreviations; Introduction; Part 1. The Origins of the Justiciarship: 1. The reign of William I; 2. The reign of William II; 3. The reign of Henry I; 4. The reign of Stephen; 5. Foreign influences; Part II. The Justiciarship under Henry II: 6. Royal regents and ministers; 7. Robert earl of Leicester; 8. Richard de Luci; 9. The development of the justiciarship; 10. Definition of the justiciarship; 11. Ranulf de Glanville; Part III. The Justiciarship under Richard I: 12. Richard's early arrangements for government; 13. William de Longchamps; 14. Walter of Coutances; 15. Hubert Walter; Part IV. The Justiciarship under John: Before the Loss of Normandy: 16. Geoffrey fitz Peter; 17. The justiciar and the exchequer; 18. The justiciar and the law courts; 19. The justiciar as chief executive; Part V. The Justiciarship under John: After the Loss of Normandy: 20. The justiciar as regent; 21. The justiciar and the court coram rege; 22. The justiciar and the bench; 23. The justiciar and the exchequer; Part VI. The Justiciarship in John's Last Years: 24. Peter des Roches; 25. The justiciar as regent; 26. The justiciar and the law courts; 27. The justiciar and the exchequer; 28. The justiciar as chief executive; Part VII. The Justiciarship under Henry III: 29. Hubert de Burgh; 30. The justiciar and the council; 31. The justiciar and Peter des Roches; 32. The justiciar and the chancery; 33. The justiciar and the law courts; 34. The justiciar and the exchequer; 35. Stephen of Seagrave; Bibliography; Index.