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GCSE History · key term
An elected county law officer responsible for local law enforcement.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Paper 2
The king’s local representative in a shire, responsible for duties including collecting taxes and maintaining law and order; the office developed from the Anglo-Saxon shire-reeve.
Revise: Feudalism and GovernmentThe shire-reeve, also known as the sheriff, collected taxes and helped administer justice. William retained these divisions and offices rather than replacing the whole local system.
Paper 2
A royal official responsible for carrying out the king’s government in a shire, including collecting revenue and enforcing royal authority.
Revise: Revolt of the EarlsRoger particularly resented William’s introduction and control of sheriffs in his earldom. Sheriffs were royal officials who carried out the king’s government locally. Their presence meant that the king could exercise authority within a region where Roger expected considerable independence.
The king’s representative in a shire, responsible for tasks including collecting royal revenue, enforcing law and organising defence.
A royal official responsible for administration in a county, including collecting revenues for the king.
A local law officer responsible for enforcing the law in a county.
An elected law-enforcement officer responsible for maintaining order within a county.
Paper 1
A county official responsible for keeping order who could organise local men to pursue suspects in serious crimes.
Revise: Enforcing law and orderIf a death was identified as murder, the coroner informed the sheriff, the official responsible for keeping order in the county.
For questions about change, compare stronger royal control with continuity in institutions such as shires, sheriffs, geld and the royal treasury.
Explain the connection between a policy and royal power: smaller earldoms reduced potential rivals, while sheriffs carried out the king’s orders locally.
Explain how government worked, not just who held office: connect justiciars to delegated royal authority and sheriffs to county administration and revenue collection.
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