Anglo-Saxon and Norman Glossary Terms

Question 1

Anglo-Saxon

Answer 1

The people of England before the Norman times. The Anglo Saxons ruled England until 1066

Question 2

Benefit of the clergy

Answer 2

A rule that said that the clergy (priests) would not be put on trial in the ordinary courts, but in church courts instead, which were often more leniant.

Question 3

Capital punishment

Answer 3

The death penalty, or execution

Question 4

Century

Answer 4

A period of 100 years

Question 5

Chronology

Answer 5

Time or time order, arranging things in the order they happened.

Question 6

Clergy

Answer 6

A name for priests

Question 7

Corporal punishment

Answer 7

Physcial types of punishment, eg whipping

Question 8

Crimes against authority

Answer 8

A crime involving going against the king or the nobles or other forms of authority

Question 9

Crimes against property

Answer 9

A crime involving someone’s property, eg stealing an object or burning down a house

Question 10

Crimes against the person

Answer 10

A crime involving violence against someone, eg assault or murder

Question 11

Deterrent

Answer 11

Something that makes you not want to do something, eg not want to commit a crime

Question 12

Forest laws

Answer 12

Laws introduced by the Normans to reserve large areas for the king to go hunting; ordinary people could not collect wood or hunt animals in the forest

Question 13

Heresy

Answer 13

A religious crime, where you do not believe in the official form or religion

Question 14

Hue and cry

Answer 14

The system were the inhabitants of a village in the Middle Ages would call out for help to catch a criminal

Question 15

Hanged, drawn and quartered

Answer 15

A rare punishment usually given to a traitor, where they were sentenced to death by hanging, then cut down alive and cut into pieces.

Question 16

Law enforcement

Answer 16

Making sure the law is followed, by using police and

Question 17

Maiming

Answer 17

A type of corporal punishment. Causing physical harm. A criminal could be punished by having a hand or ear cur off of their tongue cut out.

Question 18

Murdrum

Answer 18

A new law introduced by the Normans. If a Norman was murdered by an Anglo-Saxon, and the murderer was not captured and executed, there was a special penalty known as the murdrum fine.

Question 19

Norman

Answer 19

Someone from Normandy, the Normans ruled England from 1066

Question 20

Oath

Answer 20

A formal declaration of the facts, calling upon God to witness what is said is true. A typical oath could start I swear before God

Question 21

Petty crime

Answer 21

Smaller, less important or less serious types of crime, like stealing a very small amount

Question 22

Pillory

Answer 22

A form of public punishment where a criminal would put their head and hands through a wooden frame. Usually used for minor crimes like public disorder.

Question 23

Sanctuary

Answer 23

Going to a church and claiming sanctuary meant that you could not be arrested for 40 days

Question 24

Stocks

Answer 24

A form of public punishment where a criminal would have their ankles trapped in a wooden frame. Usually used for minor crimes like public disorder.

Question 25

Sheriff

Answer 25

The person responsible for law and order in a county or shire

Question 26

Tithings

Answer 26

A group of 10 men above the age of 12 who were responsible for policing themselves in the Medieval Period

Question 27

Treason

Answer 27

The crime of going against the king, or betraying your country; seen in the Medieval era as the worst type of crime

Question 28

Trial by combat

Answer 28

A trial where guilt is determined by who wins a fight, such as a sword fight

Question 29

Trial by ordeal

Answer 29

A trial where guilt is determined by going through an ordeal, eg holding a hot iron - if it started to heal after a week, you were not guilty. If it didn’t, you were guilty

Question 30

Wergild

Answer 30

Literally Man Price. This was a fine paid to compensate someone (or their family) for causing injury or death. After 1066, this money was paid to the Norman King, not the victim or their family.

Question 31

Serf

Answer 31

The lowest-status of peasant