Criminal Punishment of the Vikings
There is a reason vikings are commonly referred to as barbarians and heathens. They pillaged villages, burned entire cities, and slaughtered their enemies. Yet they weren’t only cruel to their rivals. Many of their own laws and trials were brutal in nature, and undoubtedly many innocent people were punished. From banishment, water, fire, and cake, to prove one's innocence they truly had to have the gods on their sides to even survive after enduring the legal proceedings of the vikings.
The vikings had a jury-like group of men called the “Thing”. The Thing was brought in when serious acquisitions were made or feuds between families were getting out of hand. They also decided which trial one needed to face to prove their innocence, or what that punishment was. One of the worst punishments for a viking was to be labeled an outlaw. These outlaws were outcasted from their village without any weapons, and no longer had any rights. Anyone could kill an outlaw and not face charges, and no one had to sell to or aid outcasts.
Trial by water was usually reserved for those accused of witchcraft, becoming popular after Christianity spread to the Norse world. Those accused (usually women) were tied and thrown into a lake, and seen if they floated or drowned. If they floated they were accused of being a witch and taken to burn. If they sank and drowned, however, they were proven innocent, and the friends and family were given condolences. Not a very effective way of proving one’s innocence, but carried on until the 17th century.
The trial by fire was also brought by the Christians. It included being forced to walk on red-hot iron, or holding an iron bar at the same temperature for an allotted time (usually about a minute). Then the wounds of the accused were treated and bound, and they waited for three to seven days. After that, they would unwrap the injury and see if it was healed or not. If it was, they believed the gods were proving the person was innocent by healing him or her. If they weren’t, the person was found guilty and hanged. A similar punishment reserved for women was to pick a pebble from a boiling cauldron and hold it for some time. If they succeeded they were innocent, if they dropped the stone they were guilty.
Perhaps the most humorous ways of determining innocence was trial by cake. Simply, a special cake was baked for the accused, and they had to eat it all. If they ate it all they were innocent. However, if they choked while eating the cake they were charged guilty and left to die.
The vikings had a jury-like group of men called the “Thing”. The Thing was brought in when serious acquisitions were made or feuds between families were getting out of hand. They also decided which trial one needed to face to prove their innocence, or what that punishment was. One of the worst punishments for a viking was to be labeled an outlaw. These outlaws were outcasted from their village without any weapons, and no longer had any rights. Anyone could kill an outlaw and not face charges, and no one had to sell to or aid outcasts.
Trial by water was usually reserved for those accused of witchcraft, becoming popular after Christianity spread to the Norse world. Those accused (usually women) were tied and thrown into a lake, and seen if they floated or drowned. If they floated they were accused of being a witch and taken to burn. If they sank and drowned, however, they were proven innocent, and the friends and family were given condolences. Not a very effective way of proving one’s innocence, but carried on until the 17th century.
The trial by fire was also brought by the Christians. It included being forced to walk on red-hot iron, or holding an iron bar at the same temperature for an allotted time (usually about a minute). Then the wounds of the accused were treated and bound, and they waited for three to seven days. After that, they would unwrap the injury and see if it was healed or not. If it was, they believed the gods were proving the person was innocent by healing him or her. If they weren’t, the person was found guilty and hanged. A similar punishment reserved for women was to pick a pebble from a boiling cauldron and hold it for some time. If they succeeded they were innocent, if they dropped the stone they were guilty.
Perhaps the most humorous ways of determining innocence was trial by cake. Simply, a special cake was baked for the accused, and they had to eat it all. If they ate it all they were innocent. However, if they choked while eating the cake they were charged guilty and left to die.