Norman legal system

• how did Norman law enforcement work?

  -kept Anglo-Saxon system of local community law enforcement and collective responsibility

  -trials by ordeal run by church
• what stayed the same about the Norman legal system?

  -Saxon legal system effective so no need to change it

  -keeping Saxon laws meant continuity and would help William claim legitimacy

  -removed a reason for Saxons to rebel
• Norman changes to legal system?

  -introduced new laws in order to maintain Norman power

  -introduced new courts which increased power of Norman lords over their lands

  -Normans centralised system and introduced uniformity throughout country

  -language of law became French
• What were the forest laws implemented by the New Normans for?

  To protect lands set aside for hunting grounds
• What was the purpose of the new laws on inheritance introduced by the New Normans?

  To prevent the lords' estates from being broken up
• What was the function of the murdrum fine in relation to the New Normans?


  To protect Norman followers from Saxon attacks
• what was murdrum in the Norman legal system?

  - if a Norman killed people in the local area had five days to produce a murderer

  -if they failed they faced a huge fine
• how did Normans enforce law?

  -Anglo Saxon way of constables and watchmen in towns was kept

  -they kept peace and enforced curfews

  -tithing was kept where groups of men guaranteed each others good behaviour

  -hue and cry remained
• what was the hue and cry?


  -when a crime was committed everyone was expected to help chase and catch criminal or face a fine
• how did trials work in the Norman legal system?

  -people would swear oaths in court on persons guilt or innocence based on their knowledge of person

  -oaths were religious and people were expected to tell truth or face Gods punishment

  -trial by ordeal was also used
• what was trial by ordeal?

  a person is subjected to an "ordeal" based on the assumption that during the process God would show a sign of innocence or guilt
• kings court


  Trials and judicial sessions held and decided by the Monarch
• shire courts


  Courts held in shires, presided over by local lords and clergy. Used to divide up taxes and sort out minor crimes.
• hundreds courts


  -held monthly

  -supervised by bailiff who was appointed by the sheriff

  -dealt with minor disputes that did not need to be heard by sheriffs themselves
• Lord's Court


  -introduced by Normans

  -lords could deal with tenants hearing criminal cases disputes and deal with property transactions
• Manor Courts


  -held at village level

  -each lord of manor would hear cases from day to day life
• Church courts


  these were established by the church to try people accused of violating canon law
• Norman punishments


  Death penalty and mutilations were very common. The king ended the wergild as he wanted the government to control law and order.

  Major crimes: hanging; minor crimes: whipping, public humiliation and fines.
• Trial by Ordeal


  Requiring a person to undergo torture to determine guilt or innocence
• what trials by ordeal did Anglo-Saxons use?

  -trial by hot water

  -trial by hot iron

  -trial by cold water
• Trial by combat


  Determining guilt or innocence by having the parties fight a duel

  -loser was hanged as God had judged them as guilty
• trial by hot water


  Form of trial by ordeal usually taken by men where the accused would have to pick up an object in boiling hot water
• What was the trial by hot iron?

  A test usually taken by women where the accused had to walk a short distance holding a red-hot iron bar.
• What was the outcome of the trial by hot iron for the innocent?

  If the wound was healing well after 3 days, they were considered innocent.
• Trial by cold water


  Form of trial by ordeal where the accused would be lowered into water, if they sank then the person was innocent
• how were trials by ordeal conducted in Anglo-Saxon times?

  -priest had to be present

  -accused would often spend days at holy site praying and fasting before trial
• how did the Normans change inheritance laws?

  -introduced law that eldest son inherited all lands from father to keep estates in tact

  -when a man died without heir lands returned to lord

  -if deceased only had daughter they came under control of lord or king

  -he could arrange their marriage to one of his followers who then gained the land