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Legal history: England & common law tradition: 1066-1216

1066-1216

Contemporary sources

The Selden Society editions are at Legal Hist S464.4a. (For online access to these volumes see link below)

Select Pleas of the Crown 1 Selden Society
Select Civil Pleas 3 Selden Society
Introduction to the Curia Regis Rolls 62 Selden Society
Pleas Before the King or His Justices 67, 68, 83 & 84 Selden Society
English Lawsuits from William I to Richard I 106, 197 Selden Society

Finding commentary

In addition to relevant sections in general works such as Holdsworth's HEL, the links below are examples of some special monographs on the period.

Don't forget articles in journals: use the Index to Legal Periodicals and Bibliography of British and Irish History to find them!

Regnal years

Normans 1066 - 1154

William I 25 Dec 1066 - 9 Sept 1087

William II 26 Sept 1087 - 2 Aug 1100

Henry I 5 Aug 1100 - 1 Dec 1135

Stephen 26 Dec 1135 - 25 Oct 1154

Angevins (aka Plantagenets) 1154-1216 (descendents of Counts of Anjou)

Henry II 19 Dec 1154 - 6 July 1189

Richard I 3 Sep 1189 - 6 Apr 1199

John  27 May 1199 - 19 Oct 1216

English legal memory starts from 3 September 1189. A tradition arising from royal compromise in the Statute of Quo Warranto (1290)

The wider historical context:

Domesday Book