The Justice System in the Light of The Żywiec Book of Malefactors
Abstract
This article is dedicated to The Żywiec Book of Malefactors, which was kept from 1589 as part of town council records in Polish lands. This book documented verdicts for major crimes such as murder, robbery, and arson. It also included the wills of convicts, providing valuable insights into their crimes and assets. Until 1672, entries were detailed, but later became brief, mentioning only the convict’s name and execution method. From 1754, records became more extensive again. All trials in Żywiec resulted in death sentences, with torture used to obtain confessions. Most convicts came from lower social classes—peasants, tenants, and shepherds—often forming gangs. Their crimes involved robbing wealthy villagers, millers, farms, and travelers. The book also recorded other crimes, including infanticide, spousal murders, and one case of witchcraft. It was first published in 1952 by Stanisław Szczotka but gained full historical recognition through a new edition by Rafał Kosiński, based on a manuscript from the Jagiellonian Library. The Żywiec Book of Malefactors is a valuable source for studying crime and justice in Żywiec from the 16th to the 18th century.
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