In medieval England and Scotland, the Chief Justiciar (latterly known simply as the Justiciar) was a rough equivalent to that of the modern Prime Minister: the Monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius ('man of justice', i.e. judge). The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots3 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  -  First Minister Jack McConnell... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the the United Kingdom. ... A minister or a secretary is a politician who heads a government ministry or department (e. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ...

England

In the kingdom of England, the term Justiciar originally referred to any officer of the King's Court (Curia Regis), or, indeed, anyone who possessed a law court of their own or was qualified to act as a judge in the shire-courts.

In each English shire, the Sheriff was the King's representative in all matters. The only appeal from decisions of the Sheriff, or his courts, was to the King. However, the King was often overseas (and, in the early Norman period, did not understand the language of his subjects) so a Justiciar, Regent or Lieutenant was appointed to represent the King in the kingdom, as the Sheriff did in the shire. A shire is an administrative area of Great Britain and Australia. ... Look up Sheriff in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

As early Norman kings were often overseas, and the Justiciar was invariably a great noble or churchman, the office of Justiciar became very powerful and important; indeed, important and powerful enough to be a threat to the King. The last great Justiciar, Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent, was removed from office in 1231, and the Chancellor soon took the position formerly occupied by the Justiciar as second to the King in dignity, as well as in power and influence. Hubert de Burgh (~1165 - May 12, 1243) was Earl of Kent, Justiciar of England and Ireland, and one of the most influential men in England during the reigns of John and Henry III. De Burgh came from a minor gentry family about which little is known. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and prior to the Union the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ...

The office of Chief Justiciar is thought to have existed from the reign of King William II, when Ranulf Flambard was Justiciar, until, under King Edward I, the office of Justiciar was replaced by separate heads for the three branches into which the King's Court was divided: Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, Justices of the Court of King's Bench and Barons of the Court of Exchequer. William II (c. ... Ranulf Flambard, or Ralph (died September 5, 1128) was Bishop of Durham and a government minister of William Rufus. ... Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), popularly known as Longshanks[1], also as Edward the Lawgiver because of his legal reforms, and as Hammer of the Scots,[2] achieved fame as the monarch who conquered Wales and who tried to do the same to Scotland. ... In United States jurisprudence, Court of Common Pleas is a term referring to a court of certain jurisdiction. ... One of the ancient courts of England, the Kings Bench (or Queens Bench when the monarch is female) is now a division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. ... The Exchequer of Pleas or Exchequer was one of the three common-law courts of Medieval and Early Modern England. ...

Scotland

In Scotland, under the earlier kings, two high officials, one having his jurisdiction to the north, the other to the south of the Forth, were the kings lieutenants for judicial and administrative purposes and were established in the 12th century by Alexander I or his successor David I. Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots3 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  -  First Minister Jack McConnell... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...

The title of 'Justiciar' was reserved for two or three high officials, the chief one — the Justiciar of Scotia — having his jurisdiction to the north of the River Forth. The Justiciar of Lothian dealt with the kingdom south of the two Forths. The Justiciar of Scotia (in Norman-Latin, Justiciarus Scotie) was the most senior legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. ... The River Forth meanders over fertile farmlands near Stirling The River Forth, 47 km (29 miles) long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland. ... The Justiciar of Lothian (in Norman-Latin, Justiciarus Laudonie) was an important legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. ...

The role of Justiciar evolved into the current Lord Justice-General, the head of the High Court of Justiciary, head of the judiciary in Scotland and a member of the Royal Household. The Lord Justice General of Scotland is head of the High Court of Justiciary, Lord President of the Court of Session and head of the judiciary in Scotland. ... Seal of the High Court of Justiciary © Crown Copyright The High Court of Justiciary is Scotlands supreme criminal court. ...

The Duke of Argyll still holds the hereditary title of High Justiciar of Argyll, but no responsibilities now attach to it. Arms of the Duke of Argyll since 1406 The title Duke of Argyll was created in the peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. ...

Ireland

Other jurisdictions

The title Justiciar was given by Henry II of England to the Seneschal of Normandy. Henry II of England (5 March 1133-6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland[], eastern Ireland, and western France. ... A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. ... Flag of Normandy Normandy (in French: Normandie, and in Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region in northern France. ...

In the 12th century, a magister justitiarius appeared in the Norman kingdom of Sicily, presiding over the Royal Court (Magna Curia), empowered, with his assistants, to decide, inter alia, all cases reserved to the Crown. It is thought that this title and office were borrowed from England. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...

In medieval Sweden, lagman ("lawreader") was the judge, or learned in law, over a province, over an area of several local district courts. That position corresponds with the general meaning of justiciar, and therefore justiciar is used as lagman's translated title in fluent English texts. Lagmän were generally also members of the realm's senate, an institution somehow corresponding Privy Council. The realm's drots, riksdrots, is similarly same as Lord High Justiciar of Sweden.

Sources and references

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
• W. Stubbs, Consi. History of England
• Du Cange, Glossarium (Niort, f885) s.v. Justitiarius (in Latin).