The main historical events connected with the county were the siege and capture of Leicester by Henry II. in 1173 on the rebellion of the earl of Leicester, and the surrender of Leicester to Prince Edward in 1264. Parliament was held at Leicester in 1414. The battle of Bosworth was fought in the county in 1485. In the Civil War the greater part of the county favoured the parliament, though the mayor and some members of the corpo rationof Leicester sided with the king, and in 1642 the citizens of Leicester on a summons from Prince Rupert lent Charles 15oo. In 1645 Leicester was twice captured by the Royalist forces. Before the Conquest large estates in Leicestershire were held by Earls Ralf, Morcar, Waltheof and Harold, but the Domesday survey of io86 reveals an almost total displacement of English by Norman landholders, only a few estates being retained by Englishmen as under-tenants. The first lay-tenant mentioned in the survey is Robert, count of Meulan, ancestor of the Beaumont family and afterwards earl of Leicester, to whose fief was annexed the holding of Hugh de Grantmesnil. Robert de Toeni, another Domesday tenant, founded Belvoir castle (the seat of the dukes of Rutland) and priory. The fief of Robert de Buci was bestowed on Richard Basset, founder of Laund abbey, in the reign of Henry I. Loughborough was an ancient seat of the Despenser family, and Brookesby was the seat of the Villiers and the birthplace of George Villiers, the famous duke of Buckingham. Melton Mow bray was named from its former lords, the Mowbrays, descend ants of Nigel de Albini, the founder of Axholme priory.
The woollen industry flourished in Leicestershire in Norman times, and in 1343 Leicestershire wool was rated at a high value. Coal was worked at Coleorton in the early 15th century and at Measham in the 17th century. The famous blue slate of Swith land has been quarried from time immemorial, and the lime stone quarry at Barrow-on-Soar is also very old ; the monks of the abbey of St. Mary de Pre formerly enjoyed the tithe of its produce. The staple manufacture of the county, that of hosiery, originated in the 57th century, the chief centres being Leicester, Hinckley and Loughborough, and before the development of steam-driven frames in the 19th century hand framework knit ting of hose and gloves was carried on in about a hundred villages. Wool-carding was an extensive industry before 1840.
In 1290 Leicestershire returned two members to parliament. Under the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned four members in two divisions until the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885, under which it returned four members in four divisions.
The most noteworthy churches are found in the towns, as at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Hinckley, Leicester, Loughborough, Lutter worth, Market Bosworth, Market Harborough and Melton Mow bray. The principal old castle is that of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, while at Kirby Muxloe there is a picturesque fortified mansion of Tudor date. There are several good Elizabethan mansions, as that at Laund, in the east of the county.
Industries.—The soil is loamy and affords rich pasture for cattle and sheep, especially east of the Soar, while the corn crops are grown chiefly on the lighter soil of the west. The propor tion of pasture land is large and is increasing. Dairy farming is extensively carried on, Stilton cheese is manufactured near Melton Mowbray on the Melton ridge and is said to be localized because of the flavour which the soil gives to the milk. Cattle are reared in large numbers, while of sheep the New Leicester breed is well known. It was introduced by Robert Bakewell the agriculturist, who was born near Loughborough in 1725. He also improved the
breed of horses by the importation of mares from Flanders. The county specializes in the fattening of two-year-old cattle in the summer; these are sold in autumn, leaving large areas free for hunting.
The county is specially famed for fox-hunting, Leicester and Melton Mowbray being favourite centres, while the kennels of the Quorn hunt are located at Quorndon near Mount Sorrel. For this reason Leicestershire is rich in good riding horses.
Coal is worked in the Leicester coalfield around Coalville, Cole orton and Moira, which is of a quality suited for household use. Most of it is consumed in other districts owing to lack of large industries in the county. Iron of a low grade is worked around Tilton, Corby and Besborough, and there are iron furnaces at Holwell and Asfordby. Limestone is worked in various parts, and in the Soar valley there are large limeworks manufacturing hydraulic cement. Granites are quarried near Mount Sorrel, Bardon and Groby for road making, and also at Sapscot and Stoney Stanton. Apart from the mining industries, the staple manufacture of Leicestershire is hosiery centred at Leicester, with minor centres at Hinckley, Barwell and East Stilton, for which the long staple wool is obtained from home-bred sheep. Cotton hose are also manufactured. Loughborough also has hosiery fac tories and in addition is an engineering and bell founding centre. Leicester is the centre of the leather industry and the towns of the Soar and the Wreake valleys are also engaged in this indus try. There are large rubber works at Leicester and at Melton Mowbray elastic webbing and iron founding are carried on.
The L.M.S. railway serves Market Harborough, Leicester and Loughborough, having an important junction at Trent (on that river) for Derby and Nottingham. Branches radiate from Leices ter to Melton Mowbray, to Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Moira and Burton-upon-Trent, with others through the mining district of the north-west which is also served by a branch of the L.M.S. railway from Nuneaton to Market Bosworth, Coalville and Loughborough. This company serves Market Harborough from Rugby, and branches of the L.N.E. railway serve Market Har borough, Leicester and Melton Mowbray. The L.N.E. railway passes through Lutterworth, Leicester and Loughborough. The principal canals are the Union and Grand Union, which with various branches are connected with the Grand Junction, and the Ashby-de-la-Zouch canal, which joins the Coventry canal at Nuneaton. The Loughborough canal serves that town, connecting with the river Soar.
Administration.—Area of administrative county with asso ciated county borough, 532,779 acres; pop. (1931) 541,794. The county contains six hundreds. Municipal boroughs : Leicester, county town and county borough (pop. in 1931, 239,111) Lough borough 26,945. The county is in the Midland circuit and has one court of quarter sessions. The county borough of Leicester has a separate court of quarter sessions and a separate commission of the peace. The county is divided into four parliamentary divi sions (Melton, Loughborough, Bosworth, Harborough), each returning one member ; and the parliamentary borough of Leices ter returns three members. A new measure brings the county into the diocese of Leicester. It was formerly in the diocese of Peter borough.