King's Council

Curia regis is a Latin term meaning "royal council" or "king's court." It was the name given to councils of advisors and administrators who served early French kings as well as to those serving Norman and later kings of England.

The Norman kings, following the conquest of England, used a council called the curia regis to conduct much of the business of state in England. It was similar to, but not the same as the Witenagemot (or Witan) which advised the Anglo-Saxon kings of England, and the Curia Ducis which served the Dukes of Normandy. This council existed in two forms. The first was the great curia regis or Magnum Concilium, composed of the tenants-in-chief, the great officers of the king's court, and those who held lands of the king. This council met on special occasions and were summoned by the king. When not in session it was replaced by a smaller council which itself was in continuous session called the lesser or small curia regis made up of the king's officers of state and those magnates who were at court. The lesser curia regis was in essence the king's royal court and as such was an court that followed the king in all his travels. The king, when traveling throughout his realm and as an integral part of the court, often heard suitors in person.

The curia regis in either of its two forms did the business of state whether legislative, judicial, or diplomatic. These functions were executed seamlessly with no regard to specialized functions. Neither the greater or lesser curia regis was subservient to the other, as it was considered the same entity. Under the Norman kings the business of government was handled the same regardless of which curia was meeting at the time.

In judicial matters, the basis for the law remained the Anglo-Saxon laws of Edward the Confessor which both William the Conqueror and Henry I promised to uphold. The powers of the sheriffs were retained as well as those of the communal courts (Hundred Courts and Shire Courts). The curia regis attempted to maintain continuity with its predecessor as the Norman kings wanted to be seen as the lawful successors of Edward the Confessor.