Outlaws

**Outlaws**


Outlaws in the middle ages were not as heroic as people think. They were not brave like legends we heard. An outlaw could be a part time criminal or a hired gun or mercenary paid by local nobles to serve in their private army or militia. Sometimes outlaws were just innocent civilians at the wrong place at the wrong time. The accused person had four chances to show up in court, after that, they were declared an outlaw. Outlaws ran to the woods or a church for a safe haven.

Outlawry started around 900 a.d. The idea of outlawry was brought to England and other countries by vikings. At first an outlaw could be killed, and so could anyone proved of helping the outlaw avoid arrest. Then outlaws could only be killed if they resisted arrest. If an outlaws innocence was proven then they were brought back into society under protection of the government. If not, they were hunted down and arrested.

Outlaws often worked in group. Each member of the group had to follow the outlaw code. These groups often hid in the woods stealing from travelers. Works Cited J.H.
 * Coyle, Danielle. Outlaws of the Middle Ages. Hohonu, 2005. Web. 26 Mar. 2010. .
 * “Outlaws and Outlawry.” The Middle Ages,: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. William Chester Jordan. Vol. 3. New York: Gale Virtual Refrence Library, 1996. N. pag. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Mar. 2010.
 * Wiki Media Commons. wikimedia commons, n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2010. .