Caput lupinum, literally wolf's head, and the related phrase caput gerat lupinum, translated as may he wear a wolfish head, are terms used in the English legal system and its derivatives. The terms were used in medieval England to designate a person pronounced by the authorities to be a dangerous criminal, who could thus be killed without penalty. The wolf's head image treats such a person as a dangerous animal, a reading that follows from the literal meaning of the Latin. The source article is brief and does not describe the procedure for pronouncing someone a wolf's head, nor how long the usage lasted, so those details remain for later depth work.
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Source Caput lupinum (Wikipedia)
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1. Caput lupinum (Wikipedia)
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The terms were used in medieval England to designate a person pronounced by the authorities to be a dangerous criminal, who could thus be killed without penalty.
In Legal System: English Law, Wikipedia lead paragraph
'may he wear a wolfish head') are terms used in the English legal system and its derivatives. The terms were
In Group: Conviction, Sentencing Diversion and Historical Procedure, Introduction, sentence 4
The terms were used in medieval England to designate a person pronounced by the authorities to be a dangerous criminal, who could thus be killed without penalty.
View the Source2. Wikipedia: Caput lupinum
terms used in the English legal system... to designate a person pronounced by the authorities to be a dangerous criminal, who could thus be killed without penaltyView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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