Forest laws in England and Normandy in the twelfth century
Judith A. Green
One of the oldest ideas about Norman conquest is that William Conqueror introduced into England from Normandy legal concept ‘foresta’, land where hunting and environment in which it took place were protected by draconian laws. The laws not imposed on a blank canvas, combination different factors, such as earlier extensive royal rights, king's will, application forest law to ‘outside’ organized manors assessed for geld, status escheated temporary demesne, all worked towards great expansion afforested area. In deal non-royal demesne was under law, whereas ducal forests broadly speaking demesne. competing interests sport revenue those political elite combined with population pressure make toxic issue way paralleled Normandy.
Historical Research