Medieval England: 1000 - 1500

Question 1

What was the population in Anglo-Saxon England and where did most of them live?

Answer 1

2 million people of which 90% lived in the countryside.

Question 2

What was the structure of Anglo-Saxon society?

Answer 2

1) King
2) Nobles
3) Freemen
4) Serfs

Question 3

What was the role of the King?

Answer 3

Controlled the land and was responsible for keeping the King’s Peace.

Question 4

What did nobles do?

Answer 4

They received land from the King and supported and advised his decisions.

Question 5

What was the role of freemen?

Answer 5

Owned pieces of land.

Question 6

What was the role of serfs?

Answer 6

Were very poor farmers and expected to look out for each other.

Question 7

King’s Peace definition

Answer 7

The King’s duty to uphold law and order.

Question 8

Give 3 examples of crimes against the person.

Answer 8

1) Assault
2) Murder
3) Public disorder

Question 9

Give 3 examples of crimes against property.

Answer 9

1) Theft
2) Arson
3) Poaching (social crime)

Question 10

Give 2 examples of crimes against the authority.

Answer 10

1) Treason
2) Rebellion

Question 11

What are some examples of moral crimes?

Answer 11

1) Not sticking to Church customs
2) Fornication

Question 12

What were Hundreds and Tithings?

Answer 12

Tithing: consisted of 10 males in the community above the age of 12.

Each shire was divided into a hundred (with 10 tithings).

Question 13

What was a Shire Reeve?

Answer 13

A local man appointed by the community to take criminals to courts. Regularly met with one man from each tithing.

Question 14

Give an example of how collective responsibility was used.

Answer 14

If one member of a tithing broke the law, the other members would have to pay a fine and take the accused to court.

Question 15

What was Hue and Cry?

Law Enforcement

Answer 15

When a crime was committed, the victim was expected to raise a ‘Hue and Cry’ which alerted other villagers to help them catch the criminal. If they didn’t take part - they had to pay a fine.

Question 16

What was ‘taking oaths’ ?

Answer 16

The accused could swear their innocence under oath and could be supported by ‘Oath Helpers.’ This method of law enforcement relied heavily on God.

Question 17

Explain what Trial by Jury is.

Law Enforcement

Answer 17

The jury was made up of men in a tithing who knew the accused and the accuser. They would listen to both accounts and decide who was innocent and guilty.

Question 18

Explain what Trial by Ordeal is.

Law Enforcement

Answer 18

Was used when there was no evidence. It tested the accused innocence or guilt under the eyes of God. It was always supervised by a Priest.

Question 19

a) What was Trial by Hot Iron?

Answer 19

The accused held hot iron in their hand and after it would be bandaged and they would wait 3 days. If they were innocent, their hand would heal but if they were guilty, their hand would blister.

Question 20

b) What was Trial by Hot Water?

Answer 20

The accused would have to pick up an object in boiling water. After 3 days, if their hand was healed, they were deemed innocent by God.

Question 21

c) What was Trial by Cold Water?

Answer 21

The convicted was tied to a rope and lowered into water. If they floated, they were seen as guilty since the water ‘rejected’ them.

Question 22

d) What was Trial by Consecrated Bread?

Priests only

Answer 22

The accused would be given bread to eat. If they choked, they were guilty however if they ate it with ease, they were proved to be innocent.

Question 23

What was the main aim of punishment in Anglo-Saxon England?

Answer 23

Used as a deterrent to put off people from committing crimes.

Question 24

How and why was capital punishment used?

Answer 24

If a person committed treason, they would be hung to deter others from doing this and retribution for the victim.

Question 25

How and why was corporal punishment used?

Answer 25

This often involved mutilation for repeat offenders to act as a deterrent and remind villagers of the consequences they had to live with if they committed a crime.

Question 26

How and why were stocks and pillory used?

Answer 26

Used for public disorder and humiliated the individual.

Question 27

Wergild definition.

Answer 27

A system of fines that was paid as a compensation to a victim or their family.

Question 28

How was Wergild punishment unfair?

Answer 28

The fine the victim received depended on social status. Higher status = a larger fine.

Question 29

Why was wergild used?

Answer 29

It replaced ‘blood feuds’ where victims had the right to kill the accused which led to more violence.

Question 30

What 4 things did King William do to increase the Norman’s power?

Answer 30

1) Murdrum Fine
2) Forest Laws
3) Building Castles
4) Harsher Punishments

Question 31

What was the Murdrum Fine and it’s purpose?

Answer 31

If an Anglo-Saxon killed a Norman and the culprit wasn’t caught, the hundred where the body was found would have to collectively pay a large fine.

This decreased the amount of revenge murders on Normans.

Question 32

What were the Forest Laws?

Answer 32

About 30% of England became Royal Forests and only people who paid for hunting rights were allowed to poach in the area.

This was seen as unfair by the locals (since they were evicted from their homes and could no longer hunt) so it was more of a social crime.

Question 33

How were castles used to increase Norman authority?

Answer 33

Norman castles were placed in every part of the Kingdom and were designed to overlook the land and intimidate the villagers.

Question 34

What did King William do about the increased rebellions?

Answer 34

There was a lot of resistance towards the Normans, especially in York and East Anglia. As a result, King William ordered severe punishments for rebels.

In areas of rebellions, he destroyed livestock and farmland, causing 100,000 people to starve.

Question 35

What was some continuity between Anglo-Saxon and Norman law enforcement?

Answer 35

• The Anglo-Saxon system of hundreds and tithings remained the same
• Hue and Cry were still used so collective responsibility was still a large factor of law enforcement

Question 36

Give an example of a change the Normans made to law enforcement.

Answer 36

Normans introduced the Sheriff (a Shire Reeve) and a Posse (a group of men organised by the Sheriff) to catch criminals.

Question 37

Give another example of a change the Normans made to law enforcement.

Answer 37

They introduced Trial by Combat, where the culprit and the accuser would fight until one was killed or surrendered.

This was seen as more dignified as God granted victory to the righteous.

Question 38

How did the authorities become more involved in law enforcement?

Later Medieval

Answer 38

1) Creation of Royal Courts
2) Coroners
3) Parish Constables
4) Justices of Peace

Question 39

What were Royal Courts used for?

Later Medieval

Answer 39

They were introduced by Henry II in 1163 and were used to try the most serious crimes.

Question 40

Who were Coroners?

Later Medieval

Answer 40

In 1194, Richard I introduced ‘Coroners’ appointed by him to investigate suspicious deaths.

Question 41

What was the role of Parish Constables?

Later Medieval

Answer 41

From 1250, men would take the unpaid role of keeping the peace in their Parish and arresting suspects.

Question 42

Who were Justices of Peace?

Later Medieval

Answer 42

In 1195, Richard I appointed Knights as keepers of the King’s Peace in unruly areas. From 1327, Edward III extended the system to all areas.

Justices of Peace (JPs) met 4 times a year to enforce the law and were still appointed by the monarch.

Question 43

In what year was Parliament created?

Answer 43

1236

Question 44

How did law enforcement change overall in the later medieval period?

Answer 44

As communities grew, communities became less involved in major law enforcement. The justice system became more uniform and centralised.

Question 45

How did punishment change in the Norman England?

Answer 45

• Use of capital and corporal punishment increased and was more public
• Breaking Forest Laws were punished very harshly (including castration and hanging)
• Minor crimes were punished by fines

Question 46

How did Wergild change?

Answer 46

Instead of the fine being paid to the victim, fines were paid to the King and his officials.

Question 47

What did Henry II introduce in the 12th century?

Answer 47

Set up prisons after he reformed the court system. Was known as the ‘Assize of Clarendon’.

Question 48

What was the punishment for high treason?

Later Medieval

Answer 48

Hung, drawn and quartered.

Question 49

When was the Statute of Labourers passed?

Answer 49

1351.

Question 50

What was the Statute of Labourers and why was it introduced?

Answer 50

A law that prevented workers from asking for a higher wage and made it illegal to move to a new area to look for better paid work. This benefited the ruling class. At the time, the Black Death in 1348 killed a lot of workers which meant that peasants could demand a higher wage from their masters by threatening to move elsewhere.

Question 51

What was the crime of heresy? How was this punished?

Answer 51

A crime of having different religious beliefs to the monarch in power. Was punishable by being burnt at the stake (purifying a corrupt soul).

Question 52

When was the crime of heresy imposed?

Answer 52

1382, 1401, 1414.