Medieval England d CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
- Created by: Elyse Lewis
- Created on: 15-11-18 16:39
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- Medieval England C1000-C1500
- Crimes
- Main Crimes were: Theft, Arson (setting things on fire) and murder.
- Other crimes:
- ****: Non consensual sex, an assult
- Receiving stolen goods from someone
- Treason: Going against the king
- Counterfeiting= Fraud.
- Forest Laws were introduced by William. You could no longer hunt in the forests converting 30% of England into Royal forest meaning only the monarchy could hunt there.
- Locals could no longer hunt, collect firewood, plant trees or kill deer, the punishment for breaking these laws led to fines or even execution.
- Punishment
- After 1066
- Willian used Fines for lesser crimes. Normans then ended Wergild and ordered fines must be payed to him instead of the victims family.
- Capital Punishment was used on serious offenders and repeated offenders
- Punishment for serious crime became more brutal due to rebellions normans faced. Executions were frequent.
- In 1069 a rebellion was led my Edgar the atheling who had a bloodline to the throne. Once William defeated him all villages in the north-east of England were ordered to be destroyed.
- Punishment for serious crime became more brutal due to rebellions normans faced. Executions were frequent.
- Trial by ordeal
- Trial by ordeal was an ancient practice that decided whether the accused was guilty or innocent.
- Trial by fire: walk over hot ploughshares or holding a hot iron. The speed in which the wound healed decided if they were guilty or innocent.
- Often used on women
- Trial by water: The accused would be thrown into a pool of water and if they drowned they were innocent but if the floated they were guilty and has been rejected by the water. Either way they were conveniently dead.
- Often used on men
- The accused would have to fast 3 days before trials
- Trial by consecrated bread: was used on priests as a bias method as choking on bread was an unlikely occurrence.
- 1215 trial by ordeal was abolished.
- Death penalty aka capitail punishment was used for the most serious crimes, treason and heresy
- Blood feuds meant that the victim could punish the accused as they saw fit.
- After 1066
- Law enforcment
- Anglo saxon
- There was not a police force so local communities regulated themselves, the victim would have to pursue justice.
- -hue and cry victim would shout and call out for justice. Fellow villagers would help chase and hunt down the offender.
- -tithings based on communal respect. At 12 you took an oath to denounce all major crime.
- Groups of ten, if one broke the law the group would have to bring them to court. If they failed they would face a group fine
- This was not the most successful as the groups were often bias and would let petty crimes slip.
- New Hierarchy of courts. Serious= Royal and shire courts Minor= Local courts
- Hundred courts met monthly, they had a judge and 5 local jury members. If they couldnt decide they would use trial by ordeal.
- Wergild: fines linking to victims position in society, murdering peasant= small fine, murdering noble, big fine ect.
- Prisons were uncommon and were used as holding cells for trials
- There was not a police force so local communities regulated themselves, the victim would have to pursue justice.
- Norman 1066-1154
- William the conquer was crowned kind on Christmas 1066, he wanted to keep continuity between himself and Edward the confessor to retain anglo-saxon methods
- Churches could provide sanctuary for the accused for 40 days, they had to follow certain rituals
- Trial by combat: fighting to the death.
- 1215 there were constables and watchers
- Anglo saxon
- Church
- As the church increased power trial by ordeal was abolished in 1215.
- Church established a less harsh court system, using no execution, trials were heard by priests without a jury present.
- Different court systems:
- Royal judges: vistit county twice a year for serious crimes
- secular courts: dealt with non-religious crimes
- church courts: dealt with moral crimes
- Benefit of the clergy= chance to redeem sins, only church workers
- Psalm 51 only illiterate people could read it however illiterate criminals would just recite it
- offering sanctuary: chance to escape the country
- Crimes
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