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Question: In medieval times, were there courts and law!?
I need more research for a book I'm writing!. What was the court called!? How did it work!? How was the king/queen entailed in all this!? What did they do!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
The court/system was called the feudal system - basically there was the lord, his vassals (or servants), and the manor/fiefs!. The manor was the entire estate!. The fiefs were small farms manned by the vassals!. Often "owned" by the vassals but then sold to the lord for protection against enemies, namely the vikings!.

If a vassal (or guard, knight, anyone under the lord) was accused of something, they were tried by the lord!. Often things such as walking on hot coals, sitting in boiling water, fighting to the death and other such methods were used to determine a persons innocence!. Most people back then were quite superstitious and believed that if a person were truly innocent he/she would survive what ever obstacle they faced!. If they were harmed or killed during the "trial" then they were guilty!. A sad and faulty system but never the less,the system used!.

Only very large matters, usually those concerning nobility, were brought to the king/queens attention!. Since all countries were ruled by monarchs at that time, whatever the king decided should be done was done!.

*As someone mentioned Henry was the first to suggest a 12 man jury and a judge!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Medieval law can be quite complicated, It really depends on what exactly you want information on, ie are you referring to the law binding a whole country or to a village/city, you know !.!. canon law, roman law!?

These will probably be remotely helpful sites to look at, they're fairly straightforward in their information;

http://www!.fordham!.edu/halsall/sbook-law!.!.!.
http://www!.questia!.com/PM!.qst!?a=o&d=9189!.!.!.

Courts in the law sense!? Which were you reffering to!? There are country courts, village courts, manor courts, church courts and so on!. The court in which a person was tried depended on their position in society basically!. Henry II tried to make the whole system simpler so they all kept to the same basic laws though!. He encouraged the trial by a judge and 12 jurors system as opposed to the old methods!.

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The baron or lord of the area was judge jury and executioner of the law, Court was usually held in his hall, and he heard both sides and then decided who was right or wrong!. If the nobility was involved then the King would be the Judge!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Witchip00 is correct, but inadvertently omitted one part: the law!.
The Magna Carta was the basic "law of the land" from its inception to well past medieval times!. The nightmare that is known as the Spanish Inquisition is a perversion!.Www@QuestionHome@Com