Gale Encyclopedia of American Law Volume 6 P25 fully illuminates today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, important documents and more. Legal issues are fully discussed in easy-to-understand language, including such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, physician-assisted suicide and thousands more. | 228 LANGDELL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS In 1070 William appointed Lanfranc archbishop of Canterbury and chief justiciar. In the latter capacity Lanfranc worked as a viceroy or representative of the king alongside William and when William was away from court. To reinforce William s dominance as ruler of England Lanfranc replaced many English bishops with Normans. He also defeated an effort by the archbishop-elect of York to declare independence from Canterbury. He supported absolute veto power for the king and helped lay the precedent for trying bishops before secular courts. Lanfranc supported papal sovereignty and protected the church from secular influences. He also helped William establish independence for the English church. In 1076 he wrote an important ordinance that separated secular courts from ecclesiastical courts. In addition he reformed guidelines for the marriage of priests established ecclesiastical courts and strengthened monasteries. He died May 24 1089. Lanfranc brought to England an understanding of canon and Roman law which had been more widely embraced in continental Europe. Although he did not replace England s court system with Roman law he introduced components of that system to England s court system. Lanfranc s efforts laid the foundation for important writings on English law in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In the twelfth century the first major text on the common law was written reputedly by ranulf glanvill his authorship is now disputed . In the thirteenth century writings by henry de bracton built further on the common law with principles from both Roman or civil law and canon law. These works were important elements in the establishment of England s eventual commonlaw system. The scholar Frederic w. maitland said that Lanfranc s influence was responsible for the early precipitation of English law in so coherent a form. The United States borrowed concepts from the English court system that began to develop during the years following .
