c.1000-1500 Flashcards
name two community policing methods used in the medieval period
the hue and cry
tithings
name some crimes against the person
murder
assault
public disorder
rape
name some crimes against property
arson
theft such as stealing crops
counterfeiting coins
name some crimes against authority
treason
rebellion
what is poaching?
hunting wild animals on other people’s land without paying is known as poaching
what crime increased dramatically after the forest laws were introduced
Poaching:
this was because peasants used what has previously been common land to catch animals for food
what type of crime was poaching seen as and why?
it was seen as a social crime because it was considered to be acceptable to many people
Catching animals for food on common was allowed and helped people survive
by reducing the amount of common land meant many had to choose between breaking the law and going hungry
by 1000 who was issuing codes of law
anglo saxon kings, the issued certain laws that made certain actions crimes and this illustrates the growing power of the monarch
after 1066 did the importance of law making by the king increase?
yes, William I added new laws that created new that created nee crimes and this also illustrated how a powerful king can lead to change
in the later medieval period did the monarch continue to play a large role in defining crime?
in the later medieval period the monarch continued to play a vital role in defining what crime was
what year did Henry II become king and what changed in the legal system at this time?
after Henry II became king in 1154, standard laws were written down meaning that for the first time there was a uniform legal system across the whole country
what did the church do for the legal system and what type of social role did it play?
the church created laws that criminalised some actions, influenced the type of punishment given in response and played a direct role in deciding guilt or innocence
what new crimes came about after 1066?
. murmdrum fine
. forest laws
. rebellions
what percentage of England became ‘royal land’ due to the forest laws?
30% of England
what was the royal land used for and who was it used by?
it was used by William I and the Norman nobility and it was used for hunting
how did communities feel about the forest laws and what happened to them?
village communities and farms were evicted from this land and this caused deep resentetment
what became illegal to do in royal forests under the new forest laws?
it became illegal to graze animals, kill wild animals and take wood without a licence
how were the forest laws viewed by ordinary people?
the forest laws were seen as unfair so those who broke this law were not seen as criminals by most people in society
what was an exeption to the forest laws that people could gain?
only those people who paid for hunting rights were allowed to hunt in the royal forest
why was the murdrum fine established?
this new law was used to help establish control over the conquered population
in what case would the murdrum fine have to be paid?
if an anglo Saxon murdered a Norman and the culprit was not caught a large sum of money had to be paid by the HUNDRED where the body was found
what is a hundred?
an area of land
Was an anglo Saxon murder or Norman murder seen as more serious? and what is this an example of
murdering a Norman became a more serious crime than murdering an anglo Saxon
this is an example of how ruining classes can make rules and laws to benefit them
why did rebellions occur?
the Norman invasion was not welcomed by the anglo saxons and there was much resistance for many years and this included large rebellions in York and east anglia
what did William I do to those who rebelled and why did he do that?
betraying your lord and inciting rebellion against a king had been crimes in the anglo Saxon times, but William I had punished these crimes far more harshly to try and assert his authority
what happened to the rebels in terms of punishment?
William ordered the death penalty for the rebels
what was different about the way William I punished the rebels?
he also punished those who were not directly involved with the rebellions
what happened to the indirectly involved rebels?
estimates suggest that 100,000 people starved to death due to the destruction of farmland and animals on William’s orders in the area’s that had seen rebellion
name five methods of anglo Saxon law enforcement?
. tithings
. hue and cry
. courts
. oaths
. deciding guilt or innocence
what were tithings?
all people in a tithing were responsible for each other. if one person was accused of a crime the others made sure he went to court or the tithing would have to pay a fine for them.
this was made up of 10 men
what was the Hue and Cry?
the victim or witness to a crime raised a hue and cry by shouting to alert others.
anyone who heard the hue and cry was expected to chase and help catch the criminals.
what were courts?
if the suspect did not admit to the crime or was not caught in the act the accused had to go to court. to decide their innocence or guilt.
there were different courts depending on the crime and who committed it
what were oaths?
swearing oaths ‘before God’ was a major part of the anglo Saxon justice system.
the accused could swear their innocence under oath and others could support them as ‘oath helpers’
what was deciding guilt or innocence?
the victim or their family provided evidence of the suspects guilt for the crime. if the jury couldn’t decide the accused was handed over to the church and so God could decide a person’s innocence or guilt by trail by ordeal
what were royal courts and who could use them?
these were national courts which dealt with the most serious crimes