A Punishment for Each Criminal: Gender and Crime in Swedish Medieval Law (Northern World)

A Punishment for Each Criminal is the first in-depth analysis of how gender influenced Swedish medieval law. Christine Ekholst demonstrates how the law codes gradually and unevenly introduced women as possible perpetrators for all serious crimes. The laws reveal that legislators not only expected men and women to commit different types of crimes; they also punished men and women in different ways if they were convicted. The laws consistently stipulated different methods of executions for men and women; while men were hanged or broken on the wheel, women were buried alive, stoned, or burned at the stake. A Punishment for Each Criminal explores the background to the important legislative changes that took place when women were made personally responsible for their own crimes. The Swedish Medieval Law Codes -- To Have And To Take-property Crimes -- Assault And Lesser Violence -- Lethal Violence: Homicide, Murder, Arson And Witchcraft -- Sexual Crimes : Fornication, Adultery And Bestiality -- Taking A Woman With Force-rape And Abduction -- Conclusions. By Christine Ekholst. Revision Of Author's Thesis (doctoral)--stockholm University, 2009, Issued Under Title: För Varje Brottsling Ett Straff : Föreställningar Om Kön I De Svenska Medeltidslagarna. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 222-235) And Index. Acknowledgments vi Abbreviations and Reference System ...vii Introduction...1 1 The Swedish Medieval Law Codes...5 2 To Have and To Take: Property Crimes 34 3 Assault and Lesser Violence ...76 4 Lethal Violence: Homicide, Murder, Arson and Witchcraft ...108 5 Sexual Crimes: Fornication, Adultery and Bestiality ...151 6 Taking a Woman with Force: Rape and Abduction ...190 7 Conclusions ...209 Sources and Bibliography ...222 Index ...236 In A Punishment for Each Criminal Christine Ekholst provides the first in-depth analysis of how gender influenced Swedish medieval legislation. The book explores the important legislative changes that took place when women were made personally responsible for their own crimes