Government in Britannia from the Romans to the Model Parliament

Oct 19, 2026

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Covers the evolution of government on the Island of Britannia, tracing Roman rule from the conquest in 43 CE to the Roman withdrawal by 410 CE. Explains how Germanic invaders such as the Anglo-Saxons shaped society, law, settlement patterns, and the shift toward Christianity. Describes Alfred’s response to Viking invasions, including the burghal system and shires. Then outlines later English governance from the Norman Conquest through medieval legal developments under Henry II and the limits on royal authority established by Magna Carta, culminating in the Model Parliament of 1295.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPPTX

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Roman Britain

The Anglo-Saxons

Alfred’s Response to the Viking Invasions

Burghal System under the Anglo-Saxons

Shires

Danelaw and Weregeld

11th-Century Kings of England

England under William I

Henry II and English Legal Development

Circuit courts

Jury system

King John and Foreign/Domestic Issues

Magna Carta (1215)

Model Parliament (1295)

Government in Britannia from the Romans to the Model Parliament © Student Handouts, Inc. www.studenthandouts.com Roman Britain Island of Britannia, and the native Britons who lived there, were ruled by the Roman empire Conquered in 43 CE under Emperor Claudius Roman troops pulled out by 410 CE as Rome declined Established city of Londinium Ruled according to Roman law Germanic tribes began invading Britannia in the early 400s as Rome declined The Anglo-Saxons A collection of Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and more) From Angeln, Lower Saxony, Jutland peninsula, and elsewhere Invaded along the eastern and southern coasts Settled in farming villages rather than in trading cities Pushed the bulk of native Britons to the west (to places like Cornwall and Wales) Spoke Old English Eventually converted to Christianity Helmet found at the Sutton Hoo archaeological dig (a burial site). It probably belonged to Raedwald of East Anglia (died circa 624 CE). King Alfred’s Response to the Viking Invasions Anglo-Saxon kings ruled various kingdoms, like Sussex and Wessex Alfred of Wessex – became first English king, Alfred the Great Helped to repel Viking invasions which started circa 800 CE Set up the burghal system Alfred lived ca. 849-899, reigned 871-899 Burghal System under the Anglo-Saxons Burhs (boroughs) established under Alfred the Great Fortified towns Expensive to man and maintain Shires Administrative districts Shire is synonymous with county Shire was expected to pay for the support and maintenance of its borough Shires were governed by a shire reeve, or sheriff Reeve – Term dating back to Old English that means a representative of the crown Danelaw Danelaw describes the territory ruled by the Danes (Vikings), the treaties between the Danes and the Anglo-Saxons, and the laws of the Danish settlers Weregeld (were = man; geld = money) – payment for the death of a person The higher the person’s rank, the higher the payment But we would not recognize most of the Danish system of law and government 11th-Century Kings of England Norman Conquest, 1066 Edward the Confessor died without a clear heir Plenty of people wanted the throne Harold Godwinson ruled for most of 1066 His sister had been the wife of Edward the Confessor Considered the last Anglo-Saxon king of England William the Conqueror (William I) Illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy and cousin of Edward the Confessor Won English throne from Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings Crowned on Christmas Day, 1066 England under William I Centralized government Kept 1/5 of the land for himself and divided the rest among his loyal followers King of England, but a vassal to the king of France (because of Normandy) William I and the French lords under him spoke French Development of Middle English (combination of Old English and French) Review Questions What group ruled the Britons from 43 to 410 CE? What group(s) invaded Britannia beginning in the early 400s? What group settled in England beginning around 800 CE? What was the burghal system? How and why did the Normans conquer England in 1066? How did William the Conqueror establish civilized government in England? Henry II (Ruled England, 1154-1189) Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine Added Aquitaine to his lands in France Henry II’s development of the English legal system Circuit courts Royal judges visited each part of the realm at least once a year These royal judges heard legal cases and collected taxes Slowly, these judges started creating common law throughout the realm by using common sense and establishing precedent Jury system No more trial by combat, etc. Loyal, respected citizens (men) who knew the parties in a dispute answered the judge’s questions regarding the case Juries became extremely popular and spread Juries were part of the royal court system only King John (Ruled 1199-1216) Henry II was succeeded to the throne by his son, Richard the Lionheart Richard the Lionheart (Richard I) spent most of his t

FAQs

When did Roman rule in Britannia begin and end?

Roman conquest began in 43 CE under Emperor Claudius, and Roman troops pulled out by 410 CE as Rome declined.

Who were the Anglo-Saxons and how did they settle?

The Anglo-Saxons were a collection of Germanic tribes such as Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They invaded along eastern and southern coasts and settled mainly in farming villages.

What was the Model Parliament of 1295 and why was it important?

In November 1295, Edward I summoned bishops and nobles, plus two burgesses and two knights from each county. The mix of commoners and nobility became a model for later parliaments.

Oct 19, 2026

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