IPMs can give a clue to what went on when somebody died and the lands are apportioned
Inquistions Post Mortem are a primary source of research for this website.
The manor of Wottone is an example where an IPM is quoted.
15 May 2026 - Impressions seen. Need to expand on why IPMs should not be relied on as having any relevance to geneological records. The fact that they are often quoted in geneological analysis gives a false record of events and doesn't help trace blood relations.
The Feudal System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feudalism
Feudalism, also called the feudal system, developed in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries as a way to organize society in the absence of strong centralized governments. It was based on mutual obligations: landowners, or lords, granted land called fiefs to vassals in exchange for military service, labor, or payments. This system created a hierarchical structure where loyalty and service were central to social and political relationships.
Wikipedia
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Social Hierarchy
At the top of the feudal pyramid was the king, who granted large portions of land to nobles and clergy. These nobles, in turn, provided land and protection to vassals, often knights, who pledged loyalty and military service. At the bottom were peasants, including free laborers and serfs, who worked the land to provide food and resources for the upper classes. Serfs were bound to the land and could not leave without permission, forming the basis of the manorial system, which was closely linked to feudalism.
History
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Key Features
Land for Service: Lords provided land to vassals in exchange for military or other services.
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Reciprocal Obligations: Vassals owed loyalty and service, while lords offered protection and governance.
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Decentralized Power: Authority was local rather than centralized, with lords exercising control over their territories.
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Hereditary Fiefs: Land and titles were often passed down through generations, reinforcing social stability and hierarchy.
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4 Sources
Decline of Feudalism
Feudalism gradually declined due to several factors: the rise of towns and trade, the use of money instead of service, population changes from plagues, and the emergence of centralized nation-states. These changes weakened the direct relationships between lords and vassals, making the system less practical and eventually obsolete.
World History Encyclopedia
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Historical Context
Although the term "feudalism" was coined much later, historians use it to describe the distinctive social, economic, and political arrangements of medieval Europe. Variations existed across regions and centuries, so feudalism was never a uniform system, but it provided a framework for understanding medieval society and governance.
Britannica
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In essence, the feudal system was a network of land-based obligations that structured medieval life, ensuring protection, loyalty, and economic productivity in a period of political fragmentation and frequent conflict.
Medieval Chronicles
Inquisitions post mortem
Inquisitions post mortem are documents that were used in medieval times to apportion the disposition of lands and
responsibilities on the death of an individual that had "control" of that area at the time of their death.
While they are very useful historical documents they are often used to determine family lines of descent and provide little context on why such judgements were made. IPMs were often draw-up when there is no clear (male) heir to an estate. Other instances of IPMs reflect a punitive action taken when there was a dispute between either the Crown or an influencial agent of the Crown.
An example of a punitive IPM is that of the Inquisition Post Mortem 587. JOHN BOTETOURT. 30 November, 18 Edward II. [1324]
The Wikipdia page says:
The definition refers to "tenent-in-chief"
An Inquisition post mortem (abbreviated to Inq.p.m. or i.p.m., and formerly known as an escheat)[1] (Latin, meaning "(inquisition) after death") is an English medieval or early modern record of the death, estate and heir of one of the king's tenants-in-chief, made for royal fiscal purposes. The process of making such inquisition was effected by the royal escheators in each county where the deceased held land. The earliest inq.p.m. was made in 1236, in the reign of King Henry III (1216–1272), and the practice ceased c.1640, at the start of the English Civil War, and was finally abolished by the Tenures Abolition Act 1660, which ended the feudal system.
Interpretation of IPMs
Bearing in mind how texts are translated, especially as the originals are hand written, there is a chance that
there is a fair amount of interpretation and possible mis-translation.
The inquisitionspostmortem.ac.uk website says:
Inquisitions post mortem were typically written in Latin, as it was the administrative and legal language of England during the medieval and early modern periods. These documents were formal inquiries into land ownership and inheritance, often involving tenants-in-chief of the crown.
Latin was used for its precision and widespread understanding among educated officials of the time.
In addition, early IPMs, those written in the reigns of Edward I, II and III, also coincide with the belief that they were decendents of King Arthur of Geoffrey of Monmouth's accounts.
Edward I had a round table made in memory of the "Knights of the Round Table".
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Diem clausit extremum (Latin meaning 's/he has closed his/her last day)
The term: Diem clausit extremum is often found in an IPM as a writ of Diem clausit extremum. This probably can be seen in modern terms as a will or last testament.
IPMs often refer to wills of the deceased where the inheritor of a property is specified. In many cases the land of property is "assigned" to other individuals on their death. All estates were historically owned by the crown and the concept of private ownership had yet to develop.
Escheator
"History by IPM"
The use of IPMs and writs to determine events from history in fraught with problems.
I have copies/screenshots from IPMs on many of my pages where I have found the names of the people that I have been researching. While these IPMs give a record of how lands and estates were appropriated on the death of a noble, there is little context of why the decision was made.
The service of a pair of white gloves
In medieval times, the service of a pair of white gloves was a significant ritual and symbol of status. It was a gesture of hospitality and respect, often performed by knights to ladies during courtly etiquette. The act of offering and accepting white gloves established a relationship of dependency between the knight and the lady, signifying their bond and the knight's willingness to protect and serve her. This custom was a long-standing tradition, recorded as early as the 10th century, and was a way to show devotion and service to a lady.