POP QUIZ
• 1) What was the basis of all wealth?
• 2) Name 2 differences between a serf and a freeholder
(1 ex.-serf: 2 ex.-serf: 3 ex.-freeholder: 4 ex.-freeholder)
• 3) What is a feudal contract? (be specific/explain)
• 4) Draw the social structure pyramid of medieval life.
• 5) Who created the feudal system?
• 6) When taking an oath of loyalty, what obligations does a noble have
to provide for the king? Name 3
(in return for land what does a noble do for the king?)
Medieval Law
Learning Outcomes
• What is trial by ordeal and trial by battle?
• How did the people know if a person on trial
was guilty or innocent?
• What different types of courts were there?
• What similarities/differences can we see
between the Canadian law system and
Medieval law?
• Have we adapted anything from Medieval
times?
Is a Person Innocent?
Trial By Ordeal
• Several varieties to see if a
person was innocent
• Swallow poison
• Pull an object from burning
hot oil
• Walk over 9 red hot ploughs
• Carry a piece of red hot iron
for a certain distance
• If the burn was infected-the
person is guilty
Trial By Battle
• Two nobles would fight
• Often it was a fight to
the death
• Only noblemen had a
right to trial by battle
• If a noble woman was
prosecuted, she would
choose a nobleman to
fight on her behalf.
A person that lived through or was
not injured in the trial was innocent
because...
GOD PROTECTED THEM!
• God would help innocent people
• Expose people to danger to see if
God will protect them
Manor Courts
Royal courts
Church Courts
-Law disputes
having to deal
with...
-Farming
-Property
-Suing cases
-Assault charges
-Theft
-Drunkenness
-Small crimes
-Village meeting
-Jury
-Murder
-Treason
-Rape
-Burglary
-Poaching
-Common law
-Could order
execution
-Judged bishops,
priests, monks, nuns
-Lighter sentences
-No death penalty
-Literacy test
-Education as a
sentence
Canadian Court System
- Innocent until proven guilty
Medieval Court System
- Manor, Royal and Church
-trial by jury
- Trial by ordeal and battle
-Multiple courts
-Swear oath on
bible
-Protects
society
- Trial by compurgators
- Guilty until proven
innocent
- Proven innocent by God
- Social hierarchy played
key role
- Death penalty
- MAGNA
CARTA
- Supreme, federal and
provincial
- overlapping case subjects
between courts
- Judge
-Representation/Lawyers
- Prison/ community service
sentences