Threefold division of England facts for kids
Imagine England long ago, split into three big parts! This was called the threefold division of England. It meant the country had three different areas, each with its own set of laws. These areas were Wessex, Mercia, and the Danelaw. This system was used from the time of Cnut the Great (who was king from 1016 to 1035) until King Stephen ruled (1135-1154). Each part had its own special laws, passed down from older kingdoms or from areas once controlled by the Danish.
History of England's Three Law Zones
The idea of England being split into three law zones is mentioned in old legal papers. These include laws from kings like Cnut the Great, William the Conqueror, Henry I, and Stephen. King Stephen ruled until 1154.
Later, around the 1150s, King Henry II made big changes to England's laws. He wanted to make the legal system simpler for everyone. Because of his changes, the "threefold division" stopped being used in legal documents.
How England Was Divided by Law
Each of these three law areas was made up of several smaller regions called shires. Wessex had nine shires, the Danelaw had fifteen shires, and Mercia had eight shires.
Some parts of Britain were not included in these legal zones. These were Cornwall, Scotland, Strathclyde, Wales, and the Isle of Wight. Cornwall had its own special division into seven shires. These later became known as the hundreds of Cornwall.
In the very north of England, the shire system was quite new. The border with Scotland and Strathclyde was always changing during this time.
The Laws of Henry I: A Closer Look
An important old document, called the Leges Henrici Primi (which means "Laws of Henry I"), talks about this threefold division. It was written around the year 1115.
This document explains that England had 32 shires, not counting Cumberland (Strathclyde) and Cornwall. Cornwall itself had seven smaller shires. Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Wight were also separate.
These 32 shires were divided into three law groups:
- Wessexlaw had nine shires: Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Dorset, and Devonshire.
- Danelaw had fifteen shires: Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, and Buckinghamshire.
- Mercianlaw had eight shires: Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire.
