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History Edexcel > Medieval England > Flashcards

Medieval England Flashcards

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1
Q

Define Crime

A

An activity that breaks the law

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2
Q

Who makes laws?

A

People who govern a country

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3
Q

Who made the laws during the Anglo-Saxon period?

A

People with power and wealth

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4
Q

Name 4 types of crime against a person…

A
  1. Murder
  2. Assault
  3. Public Disorder
  4. Rape
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5
Q

Name 3 types of crime against property

A
  1. Arson
  2. Theft - stealing crops
  3. Counterfeiting coins
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6
Q

Name 2 crimes against authority

A
  1. Treason

2. Rebellion

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7
Q

After 1066 did the importance of Kings making laws increase or decrease?

A

It increased as the King’s authority increased.

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8
Q

What did William I do related to crimes?

A

Added new laws that created new crimes - powerful King can lead to change

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9
Q

What happened after Henry II became King in 1154?

A

Standard laws were written down meaning there was a uniform legal system across the whole country

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10
Q

Define poaching

A

Hunting wild animals on other people’s land without paying ‘hunting rights’

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11
Q

Why did poaching increase after the Forest Laws?

A

Peasants used what had previously been common land to catch animals for food

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12
Q

What type of crime is poaching?

A

Social

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13
Q

How did the Church help define criminal activity in the Medieval Period?

A

Created laws that criminalised some actions, influenced the type of punishment given in response and decided between guilt or innocence

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14
Q

Define hundred

A

An area of land

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15
Q

Explain William I Forest Laws (6)

A
  1. 30% of England became ‘Royal Forest which Norman nobility used for hunting
  2. Village communities were evicted from this land causing resentment
  3. Royal Forest protected by new Forest Laws
  4. Only hunt in forest if paid hunting rights
  5. Illegal to graze animals, kill wild animals or take wood without a licence
  6. Forest Laws viewed as unfair by ordinary people so those who broke the law were not seen as criminal by most
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16
Q

What punishment did William I order for rebels?

A

Death Penalty

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17
Q

Regarding rebellions, who else did William I punish?

A

Those not directly involved - 100,000 people starved to death due to destruction of farmland and animals on William’s orders in areas that had seen rebellions.

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18
Q

Define murdrum fine

A

If an Anglo-Saxon murdered a Norman and the culprit wasn’t caught, a large sum of money was paid by the hundred where the body was found

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19
Q

Why was the Murdrum fine used?

A

Help establish control over the conquered population

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20
Q

During the Anglo-Saxon period who was responsible for preventing and catching criminals?

A

The community

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21
Q

Where did most people live in the year 1000?

A

Small hamlets, farms or in villages or small towns

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22
Q

Define tithing

A

Each hundred was divided into 10 tithings and all men were responsible for each other. If one was accused of crime they would make sure he went to court and pay a fine for him

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23
Q

What happened after tithings?

Study These Flashcards
A

A shire reeve (later sheriff) was a appointed by the community to take criminals to court and ensured a punishment was carried out

24
Q

Define hue and cry

Study These Flashcards
A

Victim or witness would raise a hue and cry by shouting alert to others and anyone who heard would have to help chase the suspected criminal

25
Define courts
If suspect didn't admit to crime, guilt or innocence was decided by the court. Court hearings took place in public
26
Define royal court
National courts that dealt with serious crimes
27
Define shire court
Dealt with lesser crimes
28
Define hundred court
Dealt with petty crimes
29
Define oath
The accused could swear their innocence under oath and others could support them as 'oath helpers'
30
How did the Anglo-Saxon's decide between guilt or innocence?
Victim provided evidence of the suspect's guilt for the court and if the jury couldn't decide the accused was handed over to the Church so god could decide by trial by ordeal
31
Continuity within Norman law enforcement (3)
1. Tithings 2. Hue and cry 3. Court system
32
Change within Norman Law Enforcement (2)
1. Introduced trial by combat | 2. Use of foresters
33
Define trial by combat
Two people involved would fight until one was killed or surrendered
34
Define foresters
They policed the Royal Forests and enforced forest laws. Dealt with suspects very harshly and feared and hated by local communities
35
Define Parish Constable
Local people nominated by community, unpaid, and held their post for a year
36
Continuity from Norman to later medieval regarding role of local communities (3)
1. Hue and cry 2. Tithings 3. If juries couldn't decided it was up to trial by ordeal or trail by combat
37
Change from Norman to later medieval regarding role of local communities
1. From 1250s Parish constables led the chase after hue and cry was given 2. Parish constables arrested people 3. Night watch - volunteers patrolled the streets 4. Trial by ordeal and trial by combat abolished in 1215
38
When was trial by ordeal ad trial by combat abolished?
1215
39
Change from Norman to later Medieval regarding role of government appointed officials
1. Knights were appointed by Richard I as keepers of peace in unruly areas 2. From 1361 Keeper of peace changed to Justice of peace. they had the power to hear minor criminals in small courts 4 times a year 3. Sherriff expected to track down criminals if hue and cry hadn't worked. From 1285 the sheriff could form a posse to help
40
Name 2 aims of medieval punishment
1. Retribution | 2. Deterrence
41
Name 6 types of punishment
1. Fines 2. Stocks (humiliation) 3. Maiming (corporal) 4. Flogging (corporal) 5. Hanging (capital) 6. Beheading (capital)
42
Punishment in Anglo-Saxon Period (3)
1. Fines and compensation 2. Corporal Punishment 3. Capital punishment rarely used
43
Define Saxon Wergild
Compensation for murder
44
Punishment in Norman Period (4)
1. Capital and corporal punishments rose massively 2. Breaking forest laws could lead to blinding or hanging 3. Wergild system ended - fines were paid to King 4. Minor crimes punished by fines, whipping or time in the stocks
45
Punishment in Later Medieval Period (3)
1. Capital punishment gradually decreased 2. Corporal punishment widely used 3. Fines became more common
46
How did social status affect punishment? (3)
1. Commoners treated different to nobles 2. Amount of Wergild payable in Anglo-Saxon times depended on victims social status 3. In later Medieval Period commoners usually hung for murder while nobles usually beheaded
47
Define capital punishment
Killing the criminal
48
Define corporal punishment
Physically hurting the criminal
49
Define retribution
Make the criminal suffer for the crime committed
50
Define deterrence
Trying to prevent others or the criminal from carrying out the crime
51
Explain Sanctuary (5)
1. Offered by only important churches 2. You would go to the church to claim sanctuary 3. Priest would report crime but no one could arrest the accused 4. Accused either go to court or swear an oath agreeing to leave the country 5. If they didn't leave the country in 40 days they would be outlawed
52
Define benefit of clergy
People proved their right by reading a passage from the bible to prove they were members of clergy
53
Why would people want benefit of clergy?
Punishments given by church were generally more lenient as the church wanted reformation
54
What's the significance of benefit of clergy?
Shows how the justice system in medieval society was not equal
55
Who was benefit of clergy available to?
Men, it wasn't to women as women couldn't be priests
56
Define trial by ordeal?
Letting God decide
57
Name 3 versions of trial by ordeal
1. Trial by hot water or iron - if burn healed well the person was innocent 2. Trial by water - if person sank they were innocent 3. Trial by consecrated bread - Priests only, if they chocked they were guilty

History Edexcel (11 decks)

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