A digital mapping initiative headed by the Violence Research Centre at Cambridge has displayed crime scene locations from three of England's premier cities during the Middle Ages. As part of the Medieval Murder Maps project, inquest documents from the 14th century are used to create an image of homicides and sudden deaths during this period in these prominent cities. The map also marks the area of sanctuary churches – spots where fugitives were meant to be protected from arrest – and medieval prisons.
During this time, coroners' reports act as a record for abrupt or exceptional fatalities that were decided by a panel of local citizens. Not as interesting and "objective" as modern-day inquests, these documents have information like designations, places, the sort of occurrences, and sometimes even the worth of the murder weapons.
The Historic Towns Trust supplied the data which made it possible for the researchers to construct a street atlas of 354 homicides across the three cities. Astonishingly, Oxford had a per capita homicide rate nearly 4-5 times more than that of London and York. Why was this the case?
The coroner reports identified the backgrounds of the individuals found guilty of the crime. Of these, 75 percent were considered "clericus", which is thought to refer to someone associated with Oxford's community, a percentage that is also true of all the victims in the area.
Professor Manuel Eisner, murder map investigator and Director of Cambridge's Institute of Criminology, mentioned in a statement that a medieval university city, like Oxford, had an exceedingly hazardous mix of conditions.
Students attending Oxford University were predominantly male, generally between the ages of 14 and 21 - an optimal age for recklessness and making dangerous decisions. Away from the strict restrictions of their families, parishes or guilds, they entered a world laden with weapons and readily available alcohol and intimate services.
Medieval Murder Maps provides an innovative platform for users to delve into appallingly violent scenes in influential medieval cities. This includes a interactive map exploring the recovery of cities like York after the departure of the Black Death. Audio inquests of several of these reports are even made available, providing users with a thorough look at various cases.
In Late Medieval England, the summoned coroner would spearhead a jury, formed of locally reputable men, with a mission to disclose the series of events by interrogating witnesses, considering any possible evidence, and then labeling a suspect. The summary of the indictments was then written down by the coroner's scribe.
The investigative standards and procedures utilized in the past differed greatly from those in place today. During that era, the methods employed were a hazy amalgamation of detective work and rumor-mongering. Despite the focus on selecting jurors with "good character," there were numerous opportunities for individuals to manipulate the outcome of trials by constructing fictitious narratives that favored a "self-defense" verdict.
While there is no evidence indicating that juries intentionally lied, it is likely that many inquests involved making educated guesses based on the available information, as stated by Dr Stephanie Brown, a historian and co-researcher at Cambridge University. In some instances, the jury probably correctly identified the perpetrator, while in others their conclusions may have been misguided.
According to their findings, medieval Oxford experienced a rate of around 60-75 homicides per 100,000. This is about 50 times higher than the situation in English cities today. The mix between hot-headed young men and alcohol seems to be the main cause of this propensity toward violence.
In 1298, a particularly gruesome incident erupted when a disagreement between students transpired in a local tavern one Thursday evening. A large street fight began with the involvement of swords and battle-axes resulting in the unfortunate death of one student, John Burel, from a “mortal wound six inches long and reaching his brain.”
At another time in 1299, a student was successfully able to elude justice after slaying a sex worker and rapidly vacating the spot. Clearly, he preferred to murder the woman over repaying what was due her.
The cases documented by the project expose the social discord and duties found in local communities. There is ample evidence of animosity between pupils from various regions, culminating in violence between students from southern and northern England and those from Ireland and Wales.