Monarchical Power In England

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and jurisdiction; the Exchequer and the systems of collecting revenue and taxes; feudal lords and their reaction to increased Kingly power; and also the clergy whose capabilities were restricted. This new era of officialdom whereby 'a regular staff was appointed to execute specific administrative tasks and thus to carry out the rulers political intentions in the daily running of public affairs' (3) must also be compared to the condition of other royal states in order to give a sense of scale to England's monarchical development of power.
Monarchical power in the early part of this millenium depended to a large degree upon the personal effectiveness of the monarch, especially as they simultaneously ruled over large chunks of France. They each utilised the services of justiciars who deputised in their frequent absences and managed to maintain the central authority of government and carry out the demands of their lieges. Without being waylaid by assessing each king in detail and ...

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it relied only upon their word. Henry's use of assizes, namely the Assize of Clarendon 1166, instead of edicts, to reform this practice kept the baronage on side as their assent was needed, but it also allowed him to assert his royal authority - 'no one shall have jurisdiction or judgement or forfeiture except the Lord King in the royal court.'(3) In other words monarchical power usurped 'customary procedures, and also overode franchisal jurisdiction, private privileges and exemptions.' (4). It was the threat of these changes that caused Henry II's renowned clash with his Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Beckett, who was opposed specifically to a clause in the Constitution of Clarendon ...

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