What is the term for England's legal system developed under Henry II?

• A. Canon Law
• B. Feudal Law
• C. Common Law
• D. Civil Law

Answer: (C)

Common Law is the term for England's legal system developed under Henry II. He centralized justice by sending royal judges on circuits, creating uniform procedures and applying past decisions to new cases, which over time built a body of precedents. This approach established law that was common to the realm, rather than being dictated by local lords or by church rules alone. It differed from Canon Law, which is ecclesiastical law; from Civil Law, which is the Roman‑influenced continental code; and from the older, decentralized Feudal Law that rested on localized lordly authority. The result is a nationwide system grounded in court decisions and customary practices that gained binding authority across England.