The Earliest Norman Sheriffs

Before the Norman Conquest the Latin word used for sheriff is usually praepositus , and after the Conquest it is uicecomes . The article focuses on two Latin diplomas from the beginning of William I's reign in which minister is used for sheriff, a word which was otherwise in transition from signifying thegn before the Conquest to reeve or bailiff after. This crossover in the words used in royal charters reflects Norman thought as to the character of the shrieval office, at first seeing it as a service role but quickly reframing it as an officer substituting for the earl. The men described as minister in these documents are the earliest recorded Norman sheriffs, and the documents provide an insight into the rapid replacement of English sheriffs by Normans

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