How Unusual Were Some Medieval Crimes? (Video)

Medieval crimes ranged from the familiar—like theft and murder—to the distinctly unusual. One particularly notable crime was the violation of forest laws, which were instituted by King William after the Norman Conquest. These laws reserved vast areas for royal hunting and severely restricted activities like hunting, woodcutting, and even gathering food within these territories. The penalties were harsh; for example, killing the king’s deer could result in castration or blinding.

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Another crime was scandalum magnatum, a law aimed at preventing gossip about the nobility. This law, largely used to control political dissent, stood in stark contrast to the lesser offense of being a “scold”—a person, often a woman, who was constantly grumpy or verbally abusive. Punishments for scolding were relatively mild compared to those for scandalum magnatum, but the offense still reflects the period’s focus on social order.