Long ago, during medieval times, Oxford wasn’t the serene scholarly place we know today, but a hub of mischief and mayhem!
Research reveals that students back then made Oxford the murder capital of late medieval England.
This fascinating insight comes from a project named “Medieval Murder Maps,” aiming to plot the crime scenes of 14th century England.
This unique project uncovers the turbulent past of medieval Oxford, York, and London.
What stands out is Oxford’s startlingly high homicide rate, being 4-5 times higher per person than London or York during the same era.
Most people involved in these crimes, either as perpetrators or victims, were identified as “clericus,” referring probably to students or members of the university.
Professor Manuel Eisner, the lead researcher, explains that students of that time, mostly aged between fourteen and twenty-one, were away from family constraints and immersed in an environment conducive to trouble, with easy access to alehouses and sex workers, plenty of weapons, and regional disputes among themselves.
These circumstances led to numerous internal conflicts, making the city a hotbed for violence and crime.
The research recounts tales of lethal tavern brawls, like one in 1298, which transformed a student argument into a deadly street battle with swords and battle-axes. The myriad conflicts often had tragic consequences, depicting the dangerous and precarious life in medieval Oxford.
To facilitate a deeper exploration of these tales, a new website created by Cambridge’s Violence Research Centre has been launched.
It enables us to explore these medieval cities and understand the patterns of violence through comparative study, providing a remodeled map of London and extending the map to York during its 14th-century “golden age.”
The information for the research is derived from coroners’ rolls—detailed records of sudden or suspicious deaths, documented in Latin, which include details like the names involved and the value of murder weapons.
The tales depict a society where even peacekeepers weren’t safe, and where maintaining order was considered a responsibility of adult men.
These revelations serve as a window to the community lives and societal norms of medieval times, reflecting the dynamics and daily life filled with violent disputes, often over trivial issues, with everyday objects like knives and axes being used as weapons.
Although Oxford is now a prestigious center of learning and knowledge, its tumultuous past provides enlightening insights into human nature and the societal norms of the medieval era.
There existed a sense of community responsibility amidst violent conflicts and crimes, and the societal norms and legal structures of the times aimed to uphold law and order. These glimpses into the past enable us to appreciate the progression and evolution of society.
In conclusion, this exploration into the tempestuous past of medieval Oxford is a riveting reminder of the transformation society has undergone in terms of law and order.
The tales, while reflecting the universal human traits and behaviors of their times, serve as intriguing narratives, offering a fascinating glimpse into the lives of our ancestors and a reflection on societal changes over the centuries.
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