The Medieval UnderworldIn medieval times there existed an insistence on conformity which bordered on the obsessive. This colourful account explores those times from the viewpoint of the men and women who were seen to be on the margins of society - who either would not, or could not, conform to the conventions of their era. The activities of outlaws, brigands, homosexuals, heretics, witches, Jews, prostitutes, thieves, vagabonds and other 'transgressors' are detailed here, as are the punishments - often barbarously savage - which were meted out to them by State and Church. Full of fascinating and unusual characters and facts which greatly enhance our view of the Middle Ages, The Medieval Underworld will enthral anyone interested in medieval social history or the history of crime and punishment. Book jacket. |
Contents
Acknowledgments | 5 |
The Middle Ages | 11 |
Church State and Sin | 19 |
Copyright | |
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accused Archbishop armed army barbarian Bascot beggars Beghards Beguines Bishop brothel Cathar Catholic Christian Chronicle Church claimed clergy clerics committed confession Council court crime criminals crusaders death demons Devil Divine earlier early ecclesiastical Emperor enemies England English evil feudal flagellants force fourteenth century France Free Spirit G. G. Coulton Gamelyn German Gregory Gregory of Tours guilty hand heresy heretics Holy homosexuality Inquisitors Jacques Dubois Jean de Venette Jewish Jews justice King large numbers later Middle Ages live magic Marguerite Porete Master medieval Middle Ages monks murder night offences official ordeal outlaws Papacy papal pardon Paris penance penitentials person pilgrims poor Pope popular priest prisoners prostitutes punishment robbery Roger of Hoveden Roman law royal Scriptures secular authorities seems sentence sins sodomy sorcery sort soul St Augustine Stedingers Taborites thirteenth century tion torture town trans trial twelfth century Vaulderie Villon Western Europe witches woman women