Tag: hue and cry

Digitially reconstructed image of people responding to the hue and cry on a medieval street

To Catch a Medieval Thief: The Hue and Cry

Stop! Thief! Cries pierce the night air and echo down the narrow streets. Doors and shutters fly open, feet pound the cobblestone, and the pursuit begins. A criminal has struck in a European town, and the residents respond in the only way they know...

Digitially reconstructed image of people responding to the hue and cry on a medieval street

Hue and Cry in Europe and America

“Thief!” “Fire!” “Wolf!” All three are examples of an ancient form of alarm called the “hue and cry.” A cry for help and assistance in response to crime or danger was an integral part of historical law enforcement. Statutes or regulations in several...

City gate in Iphofen, Germany

Medieval City Structure and True Crime History

City Gates & the Hue and Cry Trapped! It wasn’t easy for a criminal to escape from a walled city. In my last blog post, we looked at how the hue and cry – the victim’s cry for help – brought townsfolk out onto the streets to start chasing the...

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