justiciar

[juh-stish-ee-er]

noun

1. a high judicial officer in medieval England.

2. the chief political and judicial officer in England from the reign of William I to that of Henry III.

3. justiciary.

justiciar

/ dʒʌˈstɪʃɪˌɑː /

noun

1. Also called: justiciary. English legal history the chief political and legal officer from the time of William I to that of Henry III, who deputized for the king in his absence and presided over the kings' courts

Other Word Forms

• justiciarship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of justiciar¹

1475–85; < Medieval Latin jūsticiārius justiciary

Example Sentences

The steward and chamberlain of England were superseded in their political functions by the justiciar and treasurer of England, and in their domestic functions by the steward and chamberlain of the household.

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In that rough age crimes of violence predominated, and the king’s justiciars regularly perambulated the land in search of offenders, and decimated every village which refused to surrender fugitive criminals.

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The members were called “justices,” and in the king’s absence the chief justiciar presided over the court.

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He was accused of stirring up rebellion among the Welsh, and the justiciar proceeded against him.

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In 1209 he went to Ireland to govern it as justiciar.

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