The Norman Sheriff

What was a sheriff in Norman England?

The sheriff was the name given to the law enforcement officer who had been known by the Anglo-Saxons as the shire reeve.

What was the job of the sheriff?

William kept the role of the sheriff relatively similar after he took power in England. This role involved:

• ❖ Acting as the king's representative, collecting taxes and looking after the king's personal estates.
• ❖ He administered justice and made sure that the shire met its military obligations.

How did the sheriff's role stay the same?

William kept the sheriff's role more or less the same as it had been in Anglo-Saxon times. However, he replaced the Anglo-Saxons sheriffs with Normans by 1071.

• ❖ Sheriffs were still appointed by the king.
• ❖ The Normans kept the same legal system, with some new punishments for rebellion.
• ❖ Norman sheriffs continued organising the defence of the shire and gathering men for military service.

How did the sheriff's role change under William?

Some aspects of the sheriff's role changed under William.

• ❖ They were entitled to a share of the taxes that they collected, and could keep the money paid in fines in the shire courts.
• ❖ Sheriffs paid a set sum to the king to collect taxes. Anything they collected above that sum counted as profit.
• ❖ Unlike in Anglo-Saxon times, the sheriff had greater power than the earl in his shire, as he answered directly to the king. Some sheriffs were very powerful and important.
• ❖ Norman sheriffs lost some control when the Church set up its own courts for churchmen in 1076.
• ❖ As well as organising the fyrd, sheriffs were also responsible for overseeing knight service.
• ❖ Sheriffs were often responsible for the king's castles in the shire.

Why were sheriffs unpopular in Norman England?

Many sheriffs became very unpopular with the Anglo-Saxons. The new Norman laws made it profitable for them to raise taxes for themselves, and they were often involved in land-grabs.