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The word sheriff is a corruption of shire-reeve. I figured that out while watching one of the Robin Hood Movies. Robin Hood's father was really a high ranking noble loyal to King Richard the first (Lion Heart). On returning from the crusades Richard was held for ransom by one of the German states. John Richard's younger brother did not pay the ransom but made himself king instead. He fired all the reeves (tax collector, law enforcement, judge) appointed by Richard. Then the new sheriffs where tasked with removing all the lords that told John they would pay the ransom. They did this by Collecting all the property belonging to the loyal lords as a tax for defying the King putting all these items estates etc. Under the control of John. Arrested the loyal lords. Tried them and executed them. Pretty handy when one person could do all that. That is why robin hood was outlawed. I could wright more but it would be better if you just read an account of the time period written in the time of King Richard the First and an account of the events written after the passage of about 300 years. Then look at how the language had changed. An interesting side note a large number of those estates still belong to the English Royal Family as there where no Loyal Lords or families of those lords left alive to return them to. Oh some have been since awarded to other nobles for service to other kings. However Nottingham is not one of them.