The Study Of The Statute Of Mortmain In Edward I's Reign

Land law was an important part of English law in the Middle Ages.The main wealth of society came directly or indirectly from land.Land has become an important factor in social,political and economic life,owning land means owning economic power,and land ownership is the cornerstone of obtaining political power.In the history of England,the contradiction between teaching and customs has existed for a long time,and the struggle for land ownership between the two sides is a part that cannot be ignored.From the middle and late 13 th century to the beginning of the 14 th century,under the impetus of various social forces,“Statute of Mortmain” of 1279 greatly limited the amount of real estate accumulated by the church,thus consolidating the kingship.This paper is divided into four parts.The main contents of each part are as follows:The first part is the introduction,which mainly introduces the origin and significance of this topic,the discrimination of basic concepts,the current research situation,the applied theories and research methods,and the important and difficult points.The second part mainly expounds the damage to the subordinate rights and interests of the lords,the encroachment of the royal power by the religious power and the formation of the land market,which provides a strong historical condition for the promulgation of “Statute of Mortmain”.Through tracing back the development of“Statute of Mortmain”,we can further understand the reasons for the enactment of the law.The third part: mainly introduces the development of “Statute of Mortmain” in Edward I of England period.during this period,the laws were stricter and clearer.For example,the 1279 decree issued specifically for religious people,1285 Statute ofWestminister and 1299 Ad Quod Damnum.It points out the direction for future development.Secondly,regarding the implementation of “Statute of Mortmain” in England,it is mainly seen from the reaction of all social strata at that time.The fourth part: to explore the influence of “Statute of Mortmain” issued during the Edward I of England period on English land system,the relationship between religion and customs and the lower and middle classes of society.During this period,the development of “Statute of Mortmain” suppressed the amount of real estate occupied by the church,and at the same time promoted the kingship to gain the upper hand in the game with the religious power.Its concern for the strength of the church ensured the integrity of the feudal service to defend the kingdom,and also brought back the rights and interests of the feudal lords,which had been constantly encroached upon.Moreover,it lightens the burden of the middle and lower classes of the society,especially the citizens of cities and towns,enabling them to actively participate in land sales,thus promoting the circulation of land resources and promoting the liberalization and legalization of land sales.Through the research on the development of “Statute of Mortmain” in this period,it is not difficult to see that it stabilized feudal rule and promoted the development of land market.