Crime Medieval - 1000-1500

It would be difficult to enforce law because:

  • no police force

  • 90% of people lived in rural areas

  • travel was slow

  • majority was illiterate

  • no modern technology

  • no printing press

The Impact of the of Norman Conquest

Impact

  • took crops and livestock

  • arson, pillaging - took food and resources

  • ownership of property changes to Normans

  • women were forced into Norman marriages - so went to monerstries

  • homes, land and livestock ruined

  • famine

Challenges William faced

  • Anglo-Saxons didn’t want foreign King

  • No Anglo-Saxon wanted to marry Normans

  • Northern Viking territory - Scandinavia

  • Northern rebellion — burning castles, killed earls, reclaimed Edgar as King

  • No easy way to control North

Strategies William used

  • build castles

  • get crowned quickly

  • intimidate people by pillaging

  • promise safety for surrenders

  • Doomsday book

  • confiscate property

  • Harrowing of the North

  • burnt York Cathedral

Norman Conquest and harsher laws

William I wanted to extend power and authority, bring everything under his control

Social crimes became bigger - forest laws, poaching

forest laws - you had to pay to hunt, and it was illegal to carry hunting weapons

These were enforced by foresters, the punishment was hanging, and corporal punishments - castration and blinding

Mundrum - If a Norman was murdered by a Saxon, the area where the body was found had to pay a large fine, if no murderer was found (money was paid to king)

This was to get revenge for Norman murders, and make it less likely for people to cover it up

Changing Nature of Society on crimes

  • Role of King - High treason — crime against King and God - plotting to kill/ betray the King

punishment = semi-strangling, then intestines removed and limbs sent to different parts of the country

  • Role of Government - the Statute of Labours - asking for higher wages, or looking for somewhere else to work - 1348 (because 1/3 population died of black death)

  • Role of Church - Heresy - challenging religion of the time - 1382, 1401 and 1414

punishment were severe - burnt at stake