Legal Definitions - nomina villarum

Nomina villarum refers to a historical administrative document from the reign of King Edward II in England (1307-1327).

It was a comprehensive list compiled by local sheriffs in each county, detailing the names of villages and the individuals who possessed or held significant land within them. This record served as an important tool for the Crown, likely for purposes such as assessing taxes, understanding land ownership, or managing feudal obligations across the kingdom.

Here are some examples illustrating how nomina villarum might have been used:

• Taxation and Revenue Collection: Imagine King Edward II needed to levy a new tax to fund a military campaign. A royal official would instruct the sheriffs to consult their nomina villarum. This list would enable them to identify all the villages within their jurisdiction and the principal landowners or lords responsible for those areas. By having this detailed record, the Crown could accurately calculate potential revenue and know exactly who to approach for payment, ensuring no significant landholder or village was overlooked in the tax collection process.

• Military Service and Feudal Obligations: During a period of potential conflict, King Edward II might have needed to raise an army quickly. The nomina villarum would have been an invaluable resource for sheriffs to identify the major landholders in each village. These individuals, often feudal lords, had obligations to provide a certain number of knights or soldiers based on their landholdings. By consulting the list, the sheriff could efficiently summon these lords and their retinues from specific villages to fulfill their military duties to the Crown.

• Land Ownership and Dispute Resolution: Consider a situation where there was a dispute between two powerful nobles over who had rightful possession of a particular village and its surrounding lands. The nomina villarum could serve as a crucial piece of evidence in such a case. If the official list, compiled by the sheriff during the King's reign, clearly stated that one noble or their predecessor was recorded as the possessor of "Willow Creek Village," it would strongly support their claim in a legal proceeding, helping to resolve the dispute based on established royal records of landholding.