power of the earls

• control huge amount of land - shires (high power)
• responsible for collecting taxes - got to keep 1/3 of the money - rich (high power)
• in charge of the justice system (high power)
• in charge of huge armies (high power)
• could not make new laws - only the king could do that (low power)
• the king reduced the power of the earls by appointing shire reeves (low power)