COMPURGATORS Meaning and
Definition
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Compurgators were individuals who historically played a role in the legal systems of some cultures, especially during the medieval era. The term refers to a group of people who swore an oath or made a solemn declaration to support the innocence or good character of an accused person in a legal proceeding, typically a trial by ordeal or compurgation.
In such cases, the accused would enlist a specific number of compurgators, usually a set amount of upstanding members of the community, who appeared before the court to give their testimony on behalf of the accused. The main purpose of compurgation was to provide evidence that the accused was trustworthy and had a good reputation. The compurgators, through their collective testimony, vouched for the character and credibility of the accused, attempting to convince the court that the person should be cleared of the charges.
The number of compurgators required to support an accused person varied depending on the specific legal system and the severity of the accusation. In some cases, a minimum of twelve compurgators was necessary for the accused to be acquitted. If enough compurgators were not available or if their testimony was deemed unconvincing, the accused might be subject to a more severe punishment, such as a trial by combat or even execution.
Overall, compurgators played a crucial role in ancient legal systems, acting as character witnesses who would affirm the innocence or good character of an accused person in the absence of definitive evidence.
Common Misspellings for COMPURGATORS
- xompurgators
- vompurgators
- fompurgators
- dompurgators
- cimpurgators
- ckmpurgators
- clmpurgators
- cpmpurgators
- c0mpurgators
- c9mpurgators
- conpurgators
- cokpurgators
- cojpurgators
- comourgators
- comlurgators
- com-urgators
- com0urgators
- compyrgators
- comphrgators
- compjrgators
Etymology of COMPURGATORS
The word "compurgators" is derived from the Latin terms "com-" meaning "together" and "purgo" meaning "to purify" or "to clear oneself". In medieval Europe, compurgators were individuals who vouched for the innocence or credibility of an accused person by taking an oath. This practice was prominent in legal systems based on Germanic and Viking traditions. The concept of compurgation gradually faded away as more formal and evidence-based legal procedures became common.
