Influence of the MEDIEVAL Church (crime, punishment, law enforcement) Flashcards
What were the powers of the Church?
. Clergy were the most educated members of the community
. Churches+Cathedrals are the largest buildings in most towns
. Impressive architecture reminded people of God’s power and the church had power to judge
When did the Trial by Ordeal end?
1215 by Pope Innocent III
How did it end?
The Pope ordered priests to stop helping to organize the trials so the system came to an end quickly
What was the alternative to Trial by Ordeal?
Trial by Jury - introduced by Henry II (12th century ). A group of 12 men who observed the trial and decided whether the accused was innocent/guilty
What were Church courts?
In the 11th century, William I encouraged the church to set up courts to deal with moral crimes. They worked on the principle that punishments should offer criminals an opportunity to reform and save their souls. They viewed punishments by retribution were wrong
What happened at the Constitutions of Clarendon?
Henry II was concerned that the separate church courts challenged his authority as king.
The king and bishops met as the council of Clarendon to discuss the problem and agreed to a clear statement of the relationship between church laws and king’s laws, called the CONSTITUTIONS OF CLARENDON.
What was the Benefit of clergy?
Senior Church officials successfully argued that members of the clergy should only be tried in church courts. They would recite the ‘neck verse’ to save themselves
What was offering sanctuary?
Some churches offered people accused of crimes protection from the law for 40 days, until they had to leave the country
