other · British Isles

Bailiwick of Guernsey

1204 CE – present · capital Saint Peter Port

A self-governing British Crown Dependency of Channel Islands, held by the crown as heir of the Dukes of Normandy since 1204.

Origins

Guernsey belonged to the Duchy of Normandy from the 10th century. When King John lost continental Normandy to Philip II of France in 1204, the islands stayed with the English crown, and a separate bailiwick, under its own bailiff and royal court, developed for Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and the smaller islands.

Rule and society

Guernsey kept Norman customary law, its Royal Court of jurats and, later, the States of Deliberation as its parliament. Its economy rested on fishing, knitting, privateering and later tomatoes, horticulture and finance. Saint Peter Port was a major harbour. During the English Civil War it sided with Parliament, and Victor Hugo lived there in exile from 1855.

To the present

Guernsey was occupied by Germany from 1940 to 1945. Today it is a Crown Dependency, not part of the United Kingdom, with its own government, laws and taxes, while the UK handles defence and international relations.

Lineage

Duchy of Normandy 911 CE – 1204 CEBailiwick of Guernsey

Connections (4)

  • Bailiwick of Guernsey was a protectorate of Kingdom of England1204 CE – 1707 CE
  • Alderney was part of Bailiwick of Guernsey1204 CE – 2030 CE
  • Sark was part of Bailiwick of Guernsey1565 CE – 2030 CE
  • Bailiwick of Guernsey was a protectorate of United Kingdom1922 CE – 2030 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Bailiwick of Guernsey. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bailiwick-of-guernsey
MLA
“Bailiwick of Guernsey.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bailiwick-of-guernsey. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Bailiwick of Guernsey.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bailiwick-of-guernsey.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Bailiwick of Guernsey’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/bailiwick-of-guernsey (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻