The Middle Ages were a time of extraordinary customs, but few are as bizarre as putting animals on trial. From pigs accused of murder to swarms of pests excommunicated by clergy, these peculiar legal proceedings are a strange indication of law, religion, and folklore of the time. Rooted in a desire for order amidst chaos, medieval societies brought beasts both great and small into the courtroom, treating them as participants in the laws of humanity.
Why were such unusual legal arguments actually valid at the time? And what were the results of these so-called trials? Click through this gallery to find out!