Editing Magnum Concilium (section)

== Norman England ==
{{Further|Government in Norman and Angevin England}}
After the [[Norman Conquest]] of 1066, [[William the Conqueror]] ({{reign|1066|1087}}) continued the tradition of summoning assemblies of magnates to consider national affairs, conduct [[state trials]], and make laws; although legislation now took the form of [[writ]]s rather than law codes. These assemblies were called {{lang|la|magnum concilium}}.{{Sfn|Maddicott|2010|pp=57, 61 & 75}} While kings had access to [[Familiaris|familiar counsel]], this private advice could not replace the need for consensus building, and overreliance on familiar counsel could lead to political instability. Great councils were valued because they "carried fewer political risks, allowed responsibility to be more broadly shared, and drew a larger body of prelates and magnates into the making of decisions".{{Sfn|Maddicott|2010|pp=91 & 96}} 

The council's members were the king's [[Tenant-in-chief|tenants-in-chief]]. The greater tenants, such as archbishops, bishops, abbots, [[Earl|earls]], and [[English feudal barony|barons]] were summoned by individual writ, but sometimes lesser tenants{{NoteTag|These were small landholders, perhaps owning no more than one or two [[Manorialism|manors]], and were often described as [[knight]]s in the sources.{{Sfn|Maddicott|2010|p=83}}}} were also summoned by [[Sheriff|sheriffs]].{{Sfn|Maddicott|2010|pp=76–80}} Politics in the period following the Conquest (1066–1154) was dominated by about 200 wealthy [[laymen]], in addition to the king and leading clergy. High-ranking churchmen (such as bishops and abbots) were important magnates in their own right. According to [[Domesday Book]], the [[English Church|English church]] owned between 25% and 33% of all land in 1066.{{Sfn|Huscroft|2016|pp=47 & 76}}