Institute for Medieval Studies

Session	224
Title	'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly': The Judicial, Financial, and Political Roles of the 13th-Century Sheriff
Date/Time	Monday 4 July 2022: 14.15-15.45
Organiser	Adrian Jobson, School of History, University of East Anglia
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) Tony Moore, International Capital Market Association (ICMA) Centre, University of Reading 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) Nick Barratt, Learner & Discovery Services, Open University Index Terms: Administration; Economics - General
Paper 224-c	The Shrievalty of Rutland during the First English Revolution (Language: English) Adrian Jobson, School of History, University of East Anglia 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.