Murders in Medieval London

[@ashenwalls3558]

Such a fascinating episode, thank you!

[@willgibbons1733]

This is fantastic, such a unique subject. Loved it.

[@daniellekennedy8118]

As a career prosecutor, I have a few questions: What is the per capita rate of homicides you studied compared to modern homicide levels in London? Did these reports distinguish between murder, depraved heart murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, etc.? Were domestic homicides reflected at all, or were these overwhelmingly stranger on stranger? Did the "year and a day" rule apply that far back? This rule of common law held that if an assault victim survived for a year and a day after assault, and then died, no murder conviction could be had -- even if the wound was the true cause of death. I would love to work on a "compare and contrast" sampling of coroner's reports from the medieval times versus the present. You do such wonderful work, I am working my way backward through all the podcasts. And a note to Peter: when I was teaching public speaking to college freshmen, we did have an "uh" jar. This required speakers to contribute each time they used verbal tics like uh um like and you know. Other students were more than happy to keep everyone honest, lol, and by the end of the semester we would have enough money to have a pizza party after the final exam. Just a thought! DK

[@HebaruSan]

And suddenly all the crazy downvotes are gone again. It's almost as if certain folks have set up keyword search alerts based on specific authors' names rather than actually engaging with the content. Thanks for keeping on regardless!

[@Medievalists]

Thanks :)

[@jkern64]

Very fascinating. Thank you.

[@willgibbons1733]

Subscribed!!!

[@mr.sunshine1444]

Good stuff!!

[@urchincreature]

These coroners' roles may come from the time of The Great Famine of Europe, and that could help account for the reason that many of these murders were perpetrated. Food was so incredibly scarce during that time that it is not difficult to imagine a person being killed by trusted and long acquaintances for their good clothing. Such stolen clothing might plausibly have disappeared because it had been immediately been sold for food. After the famine, whose effects lasted to 1322, Europe became far more violent and unstable than it had previously been. People had seen such terrible violence during the famine, and it may have therefore become more normalised.

[@Medievalists]

There is one entry during the Great Famine where an attempt to give out free bread caused a stampede, where one person was killed.

[@pavlocash]

Peter keeps saying like

[@Medievalists]

It's becasue I am a terrible public speaker! ~PK

[@tigerfight85]

Did he say TH-ames River?

[@Dudu-ox2rd]

Very interesting but the constant use of the word "like" is sooo annoying!

[@ATHill-uj7ip]

Am I the only one who finds the Medievalist's nervous laugh extremely annoying?