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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Doomsday book
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A quick definition of Doomsday book:
Term: Doomsday Book
Definition: Doomsday Book, also known as Domesday Book, was a survey ordered by William the Conqueror in 1086 to count all the land, buildings, people, and animals in England. It was like a big census. The main purpose of the survey was to help the king collect taxes, but it also gives us some information about what life was like in England at that time. It is called Doomsday Book because it was like a final judgment, or "doomsday," for the people and their property.
A more thorough explanation:
Doomsday Book, also spelled as Domesday Book, is a census or survey of England's landholdings, buildings, people, and livestock. It was ordered by William the Conqueror and completed in 1086. The purpose of the survey was mainly fiscal, to determine the taxes owed by each landowner to the king.
The Doomsday Book had several variant names, including Liber de Wintonia, Rotulus Wintoniae, Scriptura Thesauri Regis, Liber Regis, Liber Judiciarius, Censualis Angliae, Angliae Notitia et Lustratio, Rotulus Regis, Liber de Thesauro, and Exchequer Domesday.
For example, the Doomsday Book recorded the number of livestock, such as cows and sheep, owned by each landowner. This information was used to determine the amount of taxes owed to the king. The survey also recorded the number of households and the value of each property, which helped the king to assess the wealth of his subjects.