Justiciar of North Wales facts for kids
The Justiciar of North Wales was an important job in the government of three counties in northwest Wales a long time ago. A Justiciar was like a chief minister or a top official for the king or queen in both England and Scotland.
After Edward I of England took control of North Wales between 1277 and 1283, he created three new counties: Anglesey, Caernarfonshire, and Merioneth. These counties were formed from the old Kingdom of Gwynedd by a law called the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284. They were then directly controlled by the king.
The Justiciar of North Wales was in charge of running the king's government in these counties. They also handled justice, making sure laws were followed. When it came to crimes, English law was used. But for other matters, Welsh law was still allowed to continue.
Who Were the Justiciars?
These are some of the people who held the important job of Justiciar of North Wales:
- Othon de Grandson, from 1284 to 1294
- John de Havering, from 1295 to 1301
- John Grey, in 1315
- Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel, from 1334 to 1352
- Richard FitzAlan sold this job to Edward the Black Prince in 1352.
- John de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp, from 1385 to 1388
- Henry Percy (Hotspur), possibly from 1399 to 1403
- William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, in 1440
Sometimes, a Justiciar had a helper called a Deputy Justiciar. For example, Othon de Grandson had his brother-in-law John de Bonvillars and his brother Guillaume de Grandson help him at different times.
