Anglo Saxon & Norman Crime and Punishment Flashcards
When was the Anglo Saxon period?
410-1066
What was the blood feud?
A law that allowed the victim’s family to hunt down the murderer and kill them.
What was wrong with the blood feud?
It often led to further violence and a long conflict between families.
What was introduced as a better alternative to the blood feud?
The Wergild
What was a Wergild?
Compensation paid to the victim, or their family, which differed depending on the body part which was damaged, or if the person was murdered.
What were Treason, arson and betraying your lord punishable by?
Death
Why were Gaols not common?
Because they were expensive and the king only collected taxes for wars or other out of the ordinary events, so they could not afford to be run.
What were gaols used for?
To hold the accused, awaiting trial.
How were crime rates lowered?
Using tithings. This lowered crime, because it meant that all members of the tithing had to join together to pay a fine, people did not want to do this.
What was a thithing?
A group of ten males above the age of 12 who were all responsible for each others actions. If when of them broke the law, then they all had to joing together to pay for it.
What was the main method of catching criminals?
The Hue and Cry
What was the hue and cry?
An ‘alarm’ raised by the victim to warn people of the criminal and to tell them that they were in need of help, to catch the criminal.
Why did people respond to the hue and cry?
People responded, because if the criminal was not caught, then all the people in the area had to join together to pay the Wergild.
what was the saxon method of trial?
Trial by Ordeal
What was the norman method of trial?
Trial by Combat
