Thomas Craig, Sir Martin Wright and Sir William Blackstone: The English Discovery of Feudalism

John W. Cairns, Grant McLeod

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

F.W. Maitland claimed that Sir Martin Wright propagated among English lawyers the view that English law had a feudal origin and was part of a European family of law and that Wright's opinions were popularized by Blackstone. This article demonstrates that Wright's opinions on feudal law, its history, and its impact on English law owed a considerable amount to the Scottish author Thomas Craig, who, through Wright, Blackstone, and others, as well as independently, had a significant impact on English lawyers’ understanding of their legal history and in overturning theories of the ‘immemorial’ nature of the common law. The infusion of Craig's European learning on feudalism into discussion of English law helped English legal history to develop.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)54-66
JournalThe Journal of Legal History
Volume21
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2000

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Feudal law
  • English legal history
  • Craig
  • Jus feudale
  • Blackstone
  • Martin Wright
  • Pocock

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