Crime & Punishment

Today: •Quick look at crimes in medieval times•Law and order•Public punishment•Torture

Types of crimes• Stealing• Nagging one’s husband• Murder• Treason (not being loyal to the monarch)• Witchcraft• Working on Sundays and holy days• Heresy (saying something against the beliefs of

the church)• Breaking curfew (being out after designated time)

Law and Order1. Church courts and laws• heresy, working on holy days

2. Monarch or Lord’s Court• Tithings (groups of 10 men over 12) were

responsible for reporting any law breaker in their group to the court

Punishment in public

Gibbetiron cage to display bodies of executed criminals

Punishment in public

Stocks (held the ankles)

Pillory (held head and wrists)

Guilty or not guilty?There were three types of trial: compurgation (or

oath swearing), combat and ordeal.

Compurgation: how many people had to recite the special oath?

Combat: Who were ‘champions’?

Ordeal: What were the different types of trials by ordeal?

Guilty or not guilty?There were three types of trial: compurgation (or

oath swearing), combat and ordeal.

Compurgation: how many people had to recite the special oath?

Combat: Who were ‘champions’?

Ordeal: What were the different types of trials by ordeal?

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Champions were expert fighters that fought for nobles in their trials by combat.

The three types of ordeal were trial by water and trial by fire.

What is Torture?

• Torture is any act by which severe pain, either physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person.

• Today torture is almost universally considered to be an extreme violation of human rights and most countries abstain from using it.

Why was torture used in medieval times?

• Torture has been used since the ancient times and was seen as a legitimate part of the legal system.

• The purpose of torture was usually to punish or obtain information, especially confessions.

• Torture is usually not to designed to kill the victim but this was often the result.

• Torture was at its peak during the Spanish Inquisition (1231-1542) when the Catholic Church tried to eliminate heretics, or non-believers such as Jews, Muslims and Protestants.

What are these?

Infamy MasksInfamy Masks

Scold’s Bridle

Head Crusher

Boots

Foot board

What are these?

Thumbscrews

Press

Scavenger’s Daughter

Hung by the hair and flogged

Chair

Look again!

Cat’s Paw

or Claw

Fork

The Fork in action

Iron Maiden

The Rack

The Rack

Strappado or Pendulum

Next lesson...

• Closer look at the crimes• The punishments for different types of crimes