Anglo-Saxon Trials

How did the Anglo-Saxons use trials?

When Anglo-Saxons were accused of a crime, they were taken to court to determine their guilt at trial.

What type of trials were used by the Anglo-Saxons?

Anglo-Saxons used 2 different types of trials to determine guilt.

• ❖ They used juries of local people to decide whether the accused was innocent or guilty.
• ❖ If they could not decide then the accused underwent trial by ordeal.

How were oaths used in Anglo-Saxon trials?

There were 4 ways the practice of taking oaths was used in Anglo-Saxon trials.

• ❖ An oath would take place in public and the accused would swear their innocence before God.
• ❖ The accused could call upon oath helpers from their community to support their claims in court.
• ❖ If a jury felt the victim was more honest than the accused, they would swear an oath the accused was guilty.
• ❖ An accused could take an oath of innocence by asking a required number of people, usually twelve, to swear they believed the defendant. This oath was called compurgation.

What courts did Anglo-Saxons use for trials?

As Anglo-Saxon kings 4 different courts which dealt with different kinds of cases.

• ❖ The Royal Court was also known as the Witan. Here the king decided cases involving his lords and other serious crimes.
• ❖ Shire Courts were held in every shire or county and met twice a year to deal with serious cases such as murder. All landowners and a representative from each village were required to attend, and local noblemen acted as the judges.
• ❖ All freemen had to attend Hundred Courts, which were local and met each month. This was where they joined tithings and swore to keep the peace. It dealt with less serious cases.
• ❖ Private Courts dealt with people who had broken local rules, such as workers who hadn't done enough work on the lord's land or slaves who had tried to run away. The local landowner would be the judge.