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Revision as of 18:17, 20 July 2004 by Morwen (talk | contribs) (note hundreds are wildly different in size)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)A hundred is an administrative division which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller geographical units. The name is derived from the number hundred.
England
In England a hundred was the division of a shire for administrative, military and judicial purposes under the common law. Originally, when introduced by the Saxons, a hundred was supposed to contain approximately one hundred households headed by a hundred-man; it was further divided into tithings, which likewise contained ten. Compare with township. Above the Hundred was the Shire under the control of a Shire-reeve (or sheriff). Hundreds remained in existence into the late 19th century.
The number of hundreds in each county varied wildly. Leicestershire had six, whereas the similarly sized county Devon, had thirty-five.
Several ancient hundred names give their name to modern local government districts.
Sweden
In Sweden a hundred, or hundare, was an administrative division of a landskap. Initially the hundred referred to a hundred men under arms, that were raised and supported by the inhabitants of the hundred. The use of hundreds was limited to Svealand and the region around lake Mälaren. In the 14th century the hundreds were converted into another division, that of härad, which was used in Götaland and other parts of the country.