Black Book of the Admiralty facts for kids
The Black Book of the Admiralty is a very old collection of English laws about ships and the sea. It was put together over many years by different English kings and queens. It also includes important decisions from a special court called the High Court of Admiralty, which dealt with cases related to the sea.
What is the Black Book of the Admiralty?
This special book is a collection of rules and decisions that helped manage everything to do with ships, sailors, and trade on the sea in England. Think of it as a rulebook for the navy and merchant ships of its time.
How Old is This Book?
The ideas for the Black Book started a long time ago. Its earliest roots come from a set of rules called the Rolls of Oléron. These rules were created around 1160 by Eleanor of Aquitaine, a powerful queen. While the Black Book itself was written later, it built upon these older sea laws.
The book mentions that the High Court of Admiralty, the special court for sea cases, was set up during the time of King Edward I (1272–1307). However, some experts now believe the court was actually started later, around 1360, during the reign of King Edward III.
Another early document mentioned in the Black Book is the Liber memorandorum, which dates back to 1338. You can find a separate copy of this document in the archives of the City of London.
What Does the Book Look Like?
The Black Book of the Admiralty was written in Old French, which was a common language for official documents in England at that time. If you look at the original manuscripts, you'll notice that different people wrote parts of the book. This means the handwriting and even the writing style change throughout the book.
The oldest surviving copy of the book that we have today was made around 1450. It is kept safe in the National Archives in the United Kingdom.
Over the years, several versions of the Black Book have been printed. One very famous edition was put together by Sir Travers Twiss. He published it in four large books between 1871 and 1876. His edition is special because it includes not only the Black Book but also several other important medieval legal texts.
