Anglo-Saxon Punishments

What punishments were there in Anglo-Saxon society?

The Anglo-Saxons used a variety of punishments in response to crime, including capital and corporal punishment, as well as mutilation and humiliation.

What was the punishment for murder in Anglo-Saxon England?

Criminals often had to pay compensation to their victims, called wergild or the 'blood price'. The level of fine was carefully worked out and set through the king's laws. This replaced the old system of blood feuds.

Did the Anglo-Saxons use the death penalty as a punishment?

Serious crimes carried the death penalty, such as treason against the king or betraying a superior or lord.

Did they use corporal punishment in Anglo-Saxon England?

Reoffenders faced corporal punishment, which was the infliction of pain on the body. This included mutilation like cutting off a hand or the nose.

How did Anglo-Saxons punish minor crimes?

Less severe corporal punishments included the stocks or pillory. These were located outdoors and kept a criminal trapped by the arms, neck and ankles, sometimes for several days.

Did Anglo-Saxons have prisons as a form of punishment?

Prisons were rarely used in Anglo-Saxon society because they were expensive. They were only used for holding serious criminals before trial.

Why did the Anglo-Saxons punish criminals?

There were 3 main reasons why Anglo-Saxons punished criminals:

• ❖ They needed to maintain order in the social structure, and respect for the important lords.
• ❖ They needed to protect a society in which survival was already a struggle.
• ❖ The influence of the church meant some of their punishment reflected a belief in redemption.

How did the Anglo-Saxons use retribution in their punishments?

Wergild was a form of retribution, and a sort of fine.

How did the Anglo-Saxons use deterrence in their punishments?

Capital and corporal punishments were intended to deter (stop) others from committing crimes. This was especially true of mutilation, with the disfigured criminal serving as a constant reminder of the consequences of crime.

How did the Anglo-Saxons use reform in their punishments?

The Anglo-Saxon church promoted mutilation as an alternative to the death penalty, as it gave the criminal an opportunity to reform.

How did the Anglo-Saxons use humiliation in their punishments?

The stocks and the pillory were used for public humiliation.