The Types of Criminal Activity in Medieval England (Edexcel GCSE History) : Revision Note

A Timeline of the Divisions of the Medieval Period

The Types of Criminal Activity in Medieval England - Summary

Crimes in Anglo-Saxon England

• There were three categories of crime in Anglo-Saxon England: 

  • Crimes against the person

    • These generally only made up a small number of cases

    • The type of crimes varied in seriousness from assault, which was considered the least serious, to murder, which was considered the most serious

  • Crimes against property

    • These crimes were by far the most common

    • Like crimes against the person, they also varied in seriousness

    • Petty theft, though it accounted for most crimes against property, was not regarded as very serious

    • Arson was very serious

  • Crimes against authority were all seen as extremely serious

How serious were crimes in Medieval England?

How did the Norman Conquest Change the Definition of Crime?

• In 1066, the Norman Conquest took place

  • William, Duke of Normandy, invaded England

  • William defeated Harold II at the Battle of Hastings

  • William became King William I of England

• The Anglo-Saxon era in England ended

• The Norman era in England began

• Upon becoming king, William I faced opposition from many Anglo-Saxons 

• As rebellions increased, William I set out to assert his royal authority and control over the conquered population

• William I changed the social and legal status of women

  • Anglo-Saxon law treated men and women virtually equally

  • Norman law, by contrast, was much harsher on women

• King William I made certain existing crimes more serious

  • He introduced the murdrum law

    • This law applied when an Anglo-Saxon murdered a Norman

    • In such an event, the people in the hundred where the body was found had five days to capture the murderer

    • If they failed, they had to collectively pay a large fine

  • This law made the murder of a Norman a more serious crime than the murder of an Anglo-Saxon

  • He introduced the Forest Laws

    • These created hunting grounds for William I, the Norman nobility and those who purchased hunting rights

    • Around 30% of England became a ‘royal forest’

Poaching as a ‘Social’ Crime

• Poaching was a crime throughout the medieval period

• The Forest Laws made poaching a much more serious crime in Norman England than it had been in Anglo-Saxon England

• The Forest Laws were deeply unpopular because many people thought they were unfair

  • Village communities and farmers faced evictions

  • Their land was cleared for hunting and recreational purposes

  • It could no longer be used for farming

  • This created resentment among ordinary people

  • In Anglo-Saxon England, it was legal to graze animals, cut down trees and hunt on common land

  • In Norman England, these activities became illegal

  • Hunting rights could be purchased, but they were so expensive that no ordinary peasant could afford them

• Poaching was what historians call a ‘social’ crime

  • Many villagers were willing to commit it themselves

  • Poachers who were caught would often go unpunished, as villagers generally turned a blind eye to it