<p>What happens when a king suspects his own officials have been stealing from the Crown for decades — and decides to find out?</p><p>In this episode of <em>Histories and Castles Deep Dive</em>, we examine the <strong>Hundred Rolls</strong> — the sweeping administrative inquiry commissioned by <strong>Edward I</strong> in 1274–1275 that functioned as a second Domesday Book. Following years of civil unrest under <strong>Henry III</strong>, the Crown had lost control of vast lands, revenues, and rights. Edward's response was to send commissioners across England with orders to document everything.</p><p>Listeners will discover:</p><ul><li>Why Edward I launched the Hundred Rolls and what he was trying to recover</li><li>How the inquests exposed widespread corruption among sheriffs, bailiffs, and local lords</li><li>The legal proceedings that followed, including the <strong>Statute of Gloucester (1278)</strong></li><li>What the records reveal about peasant tenure, population growth, and feudal obligations</li><li>How the Hundred Rolls compare to Domesday Book as a historical source</li><li>Where the original parchment membranes survive today at <strong>The National Archives</strong></li></ul><p>The Hundred Rolls were not simply a fiscal exercise. They were a systematic attempt to reassert royal authority — and the evidence they gathered changed English law. For those searching "Edward I medieval administration," "Rotuli Hundredorum explained," or "13th century England feudal records," this episode offers a detailed look at one of the most revealing documents of the Middle Ages.</p><p>Edward I built castles to control the landscape. He built the Hundred Rolls to control what happened inside it.</p><p>Read more about the Hundred Rolls: </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://historiesandcastles.com/blogs/medieval-laws/the-hundred-rolls-a-landmark-in-medieval-english-administration">The Hundred Rolls: A Landmark in Medieval English Administration</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://historiesandcastles.com/blogs/medieval-laws/the-hundred-rolls-unveiling-corruption-in-medieval-england">The Hundred Rolls: Unveiling Corruption in Medieval England</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://historiesandcastles.com/blogs/medieval-laws/the-significance-of-the-hundred-rolls-and-the-statutes-of-westminster">The Significance of the Hundred Rolls and the Statutes of Westminster</a></p><p></p>