Legal History

History of legal systems and codified law through the ages

Mark S. Weiner receives Fulbright Fellowship to teach in Iceland

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2009-05-02 12:35
Law professor and legal history scholar Mark S. Weiner, who currently teaches at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, has received a Fulbright Fellowship to teach and undertake research at the University of Akureyri, Iceland. The fellowship will begin in the fall of 2009.

Magna Carta Viewer offers in depth look at England's historic past

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2009-04-24 16:21
Visitors to the British Library's Treasures in Full: Magna Carta website are invited to enjoy an in-depth look at the document through the use of Magna Carta Viewer, a Shockwave plugin, which can be downloaded free from the Adobe website. The site also includes a simple, clickable website that allows viewers to zoom in for a closeup look.

Sherwood "infested" by Robin Hood?

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2009-03-26 18:44
According to a 15th century history book, Robin Hood may not have been as popular with the common people as believed. According to art historian Julian Luxford, Robin and his merry men "infested" Sherwood Forest with their thieving ways.

Thousands of historical documents lost in building collapse

Submitted by Elinor Strangewayes on Thu, 2009-03-12 12:45
The City Archives building in Cologne, Germany collapsed unexpectedly on March 3, 2009. Six stories of archival storage were destroyed, including documents dating from the 10th century and the minutes of Cologne town council meetings recorded in an unbroken line back to 1376.

The last of the Cagot people traces her roots

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-09-13 18:46
No one seems to remember why the French repressed the Cagot people for nearly one thousand years. Now Marie-Pierre Manet-Beauzac, the last of the bloodline, is attempting to uncover the truth about a persecuted people. Sean Thomas of the Independent has the story.

Knights Templar demand redress from the Pope

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-08-23 17:49
700 years after the Knights Templar were eradicated by the Catholic Church, the Association of the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ has launched a court case in Spain demanding that the Church exonerate the Order and return assets worth EU€100bn.

Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707 online

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-08-02 13:40
A fully-searchable database chronicling the proceedings of the Scottish Parliaments from 1235 up to 1707 is now available online.

Scottish Parliament Archive launched

Submitted by margaretc on Sun, 2008-05-18 17:27
An online archive of the proceedings of the original Scottish Parliament from its first surviving act of 1235 to its dissolution in 1707 has been launched.

12th century "Hoodies" terrorized medieval London

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2008-05-01 07:30
According to historian Professor Robert Bartlett, youth gangs are nothing new. They existed in 12th century London and wore hooded garments which hid their identities during rampages.

Mary Queen of Scots warrant will remain in England

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-03-16 17:46
A copy of the warrant calling for the execution of Mary Queen of Scots will remain in England thanks to donations and a law hoping to keep important documents in the country. The warrant had been scheduled to be sold to a private buyer and taken overseas.

Remains of Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger identified at Hulton Abbey

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-03-12 12:02
Archaeologists believe that they have identified mutilated remains found at Hulton Abbey as those of Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger, reputed to have been the lover of Edward II. The remains were first discovered in the 1970s.

700-year-old Magna Carta to be displayed at the National Archives

Submitted by Sabine Berard on Wed, 2008-03-05 09:20
Starting March 12, 2008, a handwritten copy of the Magna Carta will go on display at the West Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building in Washington DC.

Domesday Book online

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-02-25 13:05
For the first time, those wishing to do research on medieval England online will have access to one of the best resources, William the Conqueror's Domesday Book.

"Magna Carta and the World of King John" at Penn State

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-02-19 10:30
The Magna Carta will be the focus of this year's Medieval Conference at Pennsylvania State University March 28-29, 2008. The conference will "examine various groups and institutions of that society, in attempt to fill in the background of the Great Charter: the world of King John, and additional sessions will deal with teaching about Magna Carta and its time period.

Medieval Trivia

Submitted by Shane Blancett on Thu, 2008-01-31 11:35
Medieval Trivia is a list for SCA, other related reenactment groups, and just general folk focusing on but not limited to Medieval Trivia and general "Gee-Whiz" information (not to mention sometimes humor) about both the Middle Ages and Renaissance period.

Saxon cemetery offers grisly findings

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-01-22 18:45
In-depth examination of a Saxon cemetery in East Yorkshire has given archaeologists some insight into the society's system of justice with the study of a dozen decapitated skeletons.

Magna Carta sale brings more than US$21.3 million

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2007-12-29 18:54
An early copy of the Magna Carta, sold recently at auction, has brought over US$21 million. The documents was purchased by David Rubinstein, a founder of the Carlyle Group.

Britain's top ten stupid laws

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2007-11-26 16:01
A recent survey taken in Great Britain determines the country's ten most obsolete - or downright stupid - laws. Included was the one that prohibits the eating of mince pies on Christmas Day, and several that date from the Middle Ages.

Vatican publishes documents from Knights Templar heresy trials

Submitted by Elinor Strangewayes on Mon, 2007-10-15 13:48
The Vatican is finally publishing Processus Contra Templarios, the report from the heresy trials of the Knights Templar that was lost in the Vatican secret archives for 700 years due to a filing error.

Magna Carta to be auctioned

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2007-10-02 19:18
A rare copy of the Magna Carta could bring as much as US$30 million when it is auctioned in New York by Sotheby's in December 2007. The 1297 copy is one of only 20 reissued by King Edward I.

Genghis Khan enforced ban on gay lifestyle

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2007-09-21 16:30
Chinese experts at the Research Institute of Ancient Mongolian Laws and Sociology in Inner Mongolia have determined that Genghis Khan's code of laws may have contained the earliest recorded ban on homosexuality.

Gay civil unions may have 600-year precedent

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2007-09-04 11:40
In an upcoming article for The Journal of Modern History Allan A. Tulchin cites the study of documents and grave sites as evidence for homosexual civil unions in 15th century France.

Papal dungeons to reopen

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2007-07-19 17:48
The Vatican has announced that the papal dungeons in the Castel Sant'Angelo will re-open after ten years of restoration. The dungeons were used to house criminals during the period of the Papal States.

Hamlet on trial?

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2007-03-25 17:40
Was Hamlet guilty of stabbing Polonius behind the arras? A jury trial being conducted as part of the Shakespeare Festival in Washington D.C. will decide. Listen to the story from the March 16 edition of All Things Considered.

Marriage, divorce and whiskey in Ireland

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2007-02-07 18:29
The February 2007 issue of the Chivalry Sports online newsletter includes two new articles: Marriage and Divorce Laws in Early Medieval Ireland and A recipe for Irish Whiskey Cake.

Four Frightened to Death by Fairies in Lamplugh

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2006-12-13 09:40
Life in 17th century England was dangerous, if the death records from the town of Lamplugh can be believed. Causes of death listed ranged from "Sleep coughing" to "Broke his neck robbing a hen roost" to "Frighted to Death by faries." Sarah Getty of the London Metro has the story.

Political Ads of Ancient Rome

Submitted by Ursula on Wed, 2006-11-08 00:43
"The mid-term campaigns have offered up perhaps the most venomous volleys of political advertising in U.S. history....Yet as Americans ponder how much of it is true and how much pure vindictive blather, we might note that we're rather backward compared to the pointed, frank and refreshingly honest political ads of the Romans more than 1,900 years ago."

Today in the Middle Ages: October 8, 1361

Submitted by Ursula on Sun, 2006-10-08 12:26
Chronicles record that on October 8, 1361, Robert Macaire defended himself on trial by combat against charges of murder. The duel was fought on the Ile de Notre Dame, and Macaire's opponent was the murdered man's dog.

Today in the Middle Ages: October 3, 1470

Submitted by Ursula on Tue, 2006-10-03 14:27
The readeption of previously deposed King Henry VI of England occurred on October 3, 1470. The mentally ill king had to be led by the hand during the celebratory parade.

Today in the Middle Ages: September 30, 1139

Submitted by Ursula on Sat, 2006-09-30 11:58
Matilda, also called Maud, the daughter of Henry I, landed in England to claim its crown on September 30, 1139. She was the first woman ever to rule the kingdom of England.