Inquisition post mortem facts for kids
An Inquisition post mortem (often called an IPM) was a special record made in England during the Middle Ages and early modern times. It was created after an important person died, especially if they held land directly from the king. The main goal was to figure out what the person owned, who their heir was, and how much money was owed to the king.
These records were made by royal officials called escheators in each county where the dead person owned land. The first IPM was made in 1236, during the time of King Henry III. This practice stopped around 1640, at the start of the English Civil War, and was officially ended in 1660.
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Why the King Needed IPMs
The king's officials, called escheators, were ordered by the king's court to investigate the deaths of people who held land directly from the king. These people were known as tenants-in-chief. The king wanted to know what money was due to him from special payments called feudal incidents.
- Relief: This was a payment made to the king when an heir took over the land. It was like a fee to "lift up" the heir to their new position as a lord of the manor.
- Wardship: If the heir was a child (under 21 for a boy, under 14 for a girl), the king would take control of their land. The king could also sell the right to arrange the child's marriage to someone else. This was a big source of money for the king.
- Escheat: If a tenant-in-chief died without any heirs, their land would "escheat" or go back to the king. The king could then give this valuable land to a favorite friend or sell it for money.
These payments from deaths of important landowners were a huge part of the king's income in medieval times.
How People Tried to Avoid IPMs
Over time, some wealthy landowners tried to avoid these royal payments. They would transfer the legal ownership of their lands to a group of trusted friends, called feoffees to uses. This was like setting up a trust today.
The original landowner could still use the land and its income, but they weren't officially the legal owner. This meant that when they died, an IPM wasn't needed because the land wasn't legally theirs. The group of friends (feoffees) was seen as a continuous "body" that didn't die, even if one or two members passed away.
For a while, the kings allowed this. But when King Henry VII came to power (1485–1509), he was very determined to get all the money owed to him. He made sure these feudal payments were collected strictly.
The IPM Process
For an heir to officially take over their family's lands, a long process had to be completed. It was in their best interest to start this process quickly after the death.
- Starting the Process: The heir, or their family if the heir was a child, would tell the king's court that the landowner had died.
- The King's Order: The court would then send a special order, called a writ diem clausit extremum, to the escheators in the counties where the deceased held land. This writ told the escheator that the king knew the tenant-in-chief had "closed his last day" (meaning died).
- Gathering Information: The escheator would then ask the local sheriff to gather a jury of important local people. These jurors would provide key information:
- Date of death
- Name and age of the heir
- Names of the estates (manors) the person owned
- How big the estates were and their yearly value
- What kind of land agreements (feudal tenures) were in place and what services were owed
- Taking Control of Land: The escheator's first job was to take control of all the lands that the deceased managed directly. Any money made from these lands while under the escheator's control had to be reported to the king's treasury.
The final result of the IPM depended on what the jury found:
- If the heir was an adult, they paid a fee (the relief) to the king to inherit the land.
- If the heir was underage, the heir and their lands were placed under royal wardship.
- If there was no heir, the lands went back to the king (escheated).
Keeping Records of IPMs
Inquisitions post mortem were written on two copies of parchment. One copy was kept by the king's court, and the other by the treasury. This was to make sure the escheator's financial reports were correct.
These documents were not sewn into long rolls like some other records. Instead, they were bound into files. Today, you can find them at The National Archives in Kew, England. Records from the king's court are labeled "C," and those from the treasury are labeled "E." Later, after 1540, a copy was also sent to the Court of Wards, and these are labeled "WARD 7."
Why IPMs are Important Today
Inquisitions post mortem are very valuable for historians and people researching their family history. They give us details about:
- The family connections of many English noble and wealthy families.
- The history of individual estates (manors), including their size and how they were held.
These records are considered "one of the most important sources for the social and economic history of medieval England." They also often summarize important agreements made during the deceased person's life, which helps historians understand how land was passed down.
Finding IPM Records
Many summaries, called "calendars," of IPM records have been published. These make it easier for historians to find information. For example, there are calendars covering the reigns of Henry III to Richard III.
Today, universities are working to put these records online in a searchable format. This will make it even easier for people to learn about medieval England and their ancestors.
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