[MUSIC] We've mentioned that the English legal system is a common law system. The common law system is rooted in English history from around the 11th century and has been formed and developed over the intervening years. To fully understand the common law, we have to understand it's origins and it's development. So the story starts of William the Conqueror who invaded England in the year 1066. Before this time, England didn't have any kind of single national legal system. Each area of the country had its own local court. Which took often arbitrary decisions on the basis of local customs. And it was William, as King of England, who laid the foundations of the common law system. In order to exercise control over the citizens of England, he put into place a central system of justice, by creating the King's Court. This was a court of law, but it was also a royal household, comprised of the King and his advisers. The King and his court traveled around England, and citizens would bring their grievances to be considered by the King and the advisers. After which judgement would be given. And this is the beginning of the common law system. But probably the most important figure in the history of the common law was another English king, King Henry II. He became king in the year 1154, after the country had been through a long period of disruption and civil war. As a result, King Henry wants to regain stability and deal with rampant crime. He focused on creating a single system of justice for the entire country that will be under the control of the king. At this time, there were only 18 judges available to decide legal cases and dispense justice. In 1166, Henry ordered five of these judges to remain in London to decide the cases that the King would otherwise have decided himself. The rest of the judges are sent out to travel to different parts of the country. These are known as the traveling justices. Their responsibility was to decide grievances, complaints, and accusations. Applying the laws that have been developed by the judges in London. And this way the local laws that previously existed throughout England were replaced by new national laws. These were laws that were common to all, in other words, the common law. In time, the decisions of these judges were written down, recorded, and published. And so the practice developed where by the past equal decisions will be argued before the courts, and will be regarded as being authority for the application of pre-existing legal principles. This led to the development of the principle of precedent. Precedent is a central and distinctive principle in the common law. And we'll discuss it in detail later on in this course. But the important thing to bear in mind at this point is that understanding how that all develops through decided cases is of central importance in studying a common law. Another development at this time in English law that you might know about is the creation of the Magna Carta in 1215. This ancient legal document has come to be seen all over the world as a symbol of liberty and human rights. To find out more, watch this short video from the British library, part of exhibition and resources to celebrate Magna-Carta's 800 year legacy. [MUSIC]