Medieval

Medieval

what are the four parts of the Medieval period

• Anglo Saxons

• Normans

• Later Middle Ages

• Church Case Study

what time period is medieval

1000-1500

what percentage of people lived in the countryside during this period

90%; very few lived in towns and cities

what were people vulnerable to in the countryside

• warfare

• bad weather

• poor harvest

• disease

who made the law

• king and nobility

• village communities and family ties also strong and enforced law at a local level

• church important for ideas

why was it hard for people to get away with crimes

they lived in a close-knit community where everyone knew everyone

what were the tiers of the social structure in medieval times

• king

• nobles

• freemen

• serfs

what did the king do to do with crime and punishment

• decided new laws

• issued code for law

• kept the kings peace

what were the nobles given and by who

land by the king

how were nobles involved in crime and punishment

• some advised/persuaded the king in making new laws

• appoint shire reeves to make sure people follow the kings law

• responsible for keeping peace in local area

what do freemen own and what do they have to do with crime and punishment

• rent/own small piece of land

• no say in lawmaking

what do serfs own and what do they have to do with crime and punishment

• own no land

• work for others for low pay

• no say in lawmaking

why were towns growing c1000

• settled populations

• European trade contracts

• coined money

• making trade easier

why was there more opportunity for crime in larger communities

• close contact

• people didn’t all know each other

• concentration of goods means more valuables to steal

what was a reeve and who had them

each area had one; a local official who was appointed by the community to help enforce the law in this area and carried out local court decisions

what did the church have responsibility to do to do with crime and punishment

responsibility to stop moral crimes and crimes against the church

what crimes would the church punish

those who broke church laws e.g. stealing church property

what was the name for the thing that A-S introduced to do with laws

codes of law

what were all methods of law enforcement in anglo-saxon times

• tithing

• hue and cry

• trial by local jury

• trial by ordeal

• capital punishment

• corporal punishment

what could these codes of law do

• introduce a new law

• alter an existing law

• strengthen currently ignored laws

what was the seriousness of crimes based on

• role of local community in policing and other behaviours

• God the final judge of innocent or guilty

• status and position of different groups should be clear in law

what was the role of the community in enforcing the law

• victims responsibility to seek justice if crime committed and whole community should play a part in delivering justice

• tithings

• hue and cry

what were English shires divided into

• hundreds

• each hundred divided into 10 tithings

minimum age of responsibility in a tithing

men over 12

what does a tithing do

everyone in a tithing responsible for the behaviour of all others; helps ensure no one breaks the law and step out of line as others will be effected

what three people meet together to help stop crime

reeve, member of hundred and member of tithings

how were oaths used in law enforcement

• hearing took place in public and accused could swear innocence under oath

• could also call others in community to support their claims as oath helpers

why were and are oaths extremely important

• still takes place today

what happened in most cases with oaths

accused would walk free

who aren’t given the option to swear oaths

• if caught red-handed

• repeat offender

what would happen at trial by local jury

• made up of local men

• criminal could oath for innocence

what is trial by ordeal

tests done by the church where God decides innocence based on the outcome of the tests

why were the results of trial by ordeal so trusted

it was the word of God

examples of trials that happened for trial by ordeal

• hot water

• hot iron

• cold water

what is the hot water/iron test

heat used to burn on the hands of the accused, which was then bandaged; if burn healed well the God judged the person innocent

what was the cold water test

accused thrown in water with tied arms; if floated judged guilty, if sank then innocent

anglo-saxon crimes against person

• murder

• assault

• public disorder

anglo-saxon crimes against property

• theft

• counterfeiting coins

• arson

anglo-saxon crimes against authority

• treason

• betraying your lord

what was the punishment for murder

wergild

what is wergild

• fines paid to victim’s family

• paid directly to the victim’s family and fines decided by social status; higher up, larger wergild

• set through kings law

what other crime could wergild be used for

injury to different body parts

what was the purpose of wergild as a punishment

to reduce blood feuds

what is capital punishment

the death penalty

what is corporal punishment

range of punishments which cause harm/pain to the body

why was arson such a serious crime

it damaged land and property of the ruling classes

what types of crimes was capital punishment used on

• more serious crimes like

• arson

• treason

• betraying your lord

what crimes was corporal punishment used for

• assault

• some cases of theft

• counterfeiting coins (hands chopped off)

what was the purpose of capital and corporal punishment

deterrent; help stop others committing similar crimes

acted as a reminder for others

humiliation; everyone knows that they have committed a crime as they can see the maining

what are the stocks and pillory and where ewas it kept

• pillory (catchneck) secured the arms and neck

• stocks secured the ankles

• placed outdoors in a town/village in centre view of neighbours

• exposed to bad weather, sometimes for a week; public may also throw rubbish/verbally abuse them

• public punishment

what were the aims of the stocks and pillory as a punishment

• deterrent

• humiliation

when was William the Conqueror crowned

1066

what were key changes from the anglo-saxon period to the Norman period

• power of king and church increased

• influence of king over law increased

• increased use of harsh punishments including execution

• role of king changed

• feudal system put in place

how did William enforce his power and authority over the anglo-saxons

• used brutal means to force people to submit to his control as there were rebellions in York and East Anglia

• ordered extreme punishments for rebels, punished larger groups of people not involved to show his power

how many people died due to starvation due to food shortages caused by William’s punishments

100k

why was there an increased use of harsh punishments when William took control

he wanted to boost his visible power and authority of king over conquered land

as he was a foreign king who took power by force he wasn’t accepted, so to make the population accept him he had to use harsh methods

what was the castle program set up by William

built castles, in which Norman lords would live and control the local population under Norman law

what was the purpose of the castle-building program

• to keep watch on communities

• look intimidating; remind outsiders of their place in society and that William is the rightful ruler

• representation of increasingly strong royal authority over law and order

what were the levels of the feudal system

• king

• nobles

• knights

• serfs

what was the role of the king in the feudal system

• owns all the land in the country

• makes laws

• gives some land to nobles

what did the nobles do; who do they receive land from and who do they give it to and what do they give to the king

• given land by king

• wealthy and powerful

• some have castles to help them keep control

• in return supply king with soldiers and horses for army and gives some land to knights

where do the knights live and what do they do

• live on smaller area of land

• fight for nobles and king

where do the serfs live, what do they own and what say do they have

• no land

• work for nobles/knights for low pay

• no say in lawmaking

three main crimes and punishments of Norman period (and which two are new)

• murder (murdrum)

• forest laws

• becoming an outlaw

what type of crime is murder

crime against person

what is murdrum

a special penalty if a Norman murdered by an Anglo-Saxon- a large sum of money paid by the hundred where the body was found

how is murdrum a changed

a new law; happened as Normans new rulers and wanted to assert control and power over their new subjects

maintain control

stop revenge murders

how is murdrum continuity

same as the anglo-saxon system of shared responsibility in a tithing

why type of crime do forest laws prevent

poaching (crime against property)

what did William declare about forests

declared large stretches of English countryside ‘royal forests’ which he used for hunting

what did the forest laws prohibit

• illegal for peasants to carry hunting weapons or even take a fallen branch

• meant what was common land for hunting and grazing now controlled by the king and only those able to pay for hunting rights allowed to hunt

how are forest laws a change

• new law

• made the new crime of poaching

what is the factor for the change of forest laws

role of king- new king wanted this land and wanted to assert control

who did William hire to enforce the forest laws

men called foresters

what were social attitudes towards poaching

that the forest laws were unfair; social crime

what was the punishment for poaching

hanging and corporal punishment

who was seen as an outlaw

any man 14+ who tried to avoid trial and punishment by running away

what were women who ran away called

waived

what would outlawed men and waived women lose

lose the protection of the law and could be killed without any legal consequences

how is becoming an outlaw a change

a new law

what was the factor for the change of becoming an outlaw

change of king; wanted his people to be loyal to him and follow his laws so made punishments for people to leave

what did outlaws sometimes do and an example of one and what they did

form gangs e.g. Folville gang, who carried out many serious crimes including kidnap, robbery, rape and attacks

changes in punishment and law enforcement in norman times

• wergild ended

• introduced trial by combat

how was wergild changed in Norman period and what does this show about change

fines now paid to kings officials; shows centralisation of punishment and authority of the king

what is trial by combat

accused fought the accuser until one was killed/unable to fight on and the loser would be hanged as God judged him guilty

how did wealthy people view trial by combat

more dignified; better method of law enforcement and trial

how have punishments and law enforcement continuity from A-S to Norman

• communities already good at policing themselves so hue and cry, tithings and trial by ordeal remained

• kept fines as punishment for stealing but now paid to the king rather than victim

how did corporal punishment change from A-S to Norman

increased; used as alternative to capital punishment

what was the law enforcement and punishment system of Normans based off of

idea that all men should be safe from crime and live peacefully under kigns authority

what is the idea of peace under the king called

the kings mund

how is the kings mund continuity

same as the kings peace from Anglo-Saxons

crimes against person in Norman period

murder

crimes against property in Norman period

theft

crimes against authority in Norman period

• slander

• poaching

• rebelling

• outlawing

whats the punishment for slander

tongue cut out

what was the punishment for repeat offenses

• beating maiming or hanging

all Norman changes

• poaching and forest laws

• outlawing illegal

• removal of wergild

• murdrum fine

• trial by combat

• death penalty for poaching

all Norman continuity

• crimes like theft and murder

• hue and cry

• tithings

• kings mund

• trial by ordeal

who became king at beginning of the later middle ages

Henry II

when did Henry II become king

1154