ot all loss in other
respects, for out of the "war, wickedness, and waste" of his
misgovernment came a universal desire for peace through law. Thus
indirectly this weak King's inefficiency prepared the way for future
reforms.

GENERAL REFERENCE SUMMARY OF THE NORMAN PERIOD (1066-1154)

I. Government. II. Religion. III. Military Affairs. IV. Literature,
Learning, and Art. V. General Industry and Commerce. VI. Mode of
Life, Manners, and Customs

I. Goverment

143. The King.

We have seen that the Saxons, or Early English rulers, in the case of
Egbert and his successors, styled themselves Kings of the West Saxons
or of some other division of that race, and that finally they assumed
the broader title of "Kings of the English," or leaders of the entire
race or people (S49). The Norman sovereigns made no immediate change
in this title, but as a matter of fact William, toward the close of
his reign, claimed the whole of the country as his own by right of
conquest.

For this reason he and his Norman successors might properly have
called themselves "Kings of England," that is, supreme owners of the
soil and rulers over it; but this title of territorial sovereignty was
not formally assumed until about fifty years later, in John's reign.

144. The Great Council.

Associated with the King in government was the Great or Central
Council, made up of, first, the earls and barons; and secondly, of the
archbishops, bishops, and abbots; that is, of all the great
landholders holding directly from the Crown. The Great Council
usually met three times a year,--at Christmas, Easter, and
Whitsuntide. All laws were held to be made by the King, acting with
the advice and consent of this Council,--which in the next century
first came to be known as Parliament (1246, 1265, 1295),--but
practically the King alone often enacted such laws as he saw fit
(SS213, 217).

When a new sovereign came to the throne, it was with the consent or by
the election of the Great Council, but their choice was generally
limited to some one of the late King's sons, and unless therer was
good reason for making a different selection, the oldest was chosen.
Finally the right of imposing taxes rested, theoretically at least, in
the King and Council, but, in fact, the King himself frequently levied
them. This action of the King was a cause of constant irritation and
of frequent insurrection.

145. The Private or King's Council.

There was also a seco