Secret Tribunal (Vehmic Court)
The Secret Tribunal (Vehmic Court, Vehmgericht) was a clandestine judicial institution that operated in the Holy Roman Empire, especially in Westphalia, from at least the 13th century until its abolition in 1512 by Emperor Maximilian I. The etymology traces to the Saxon word vehmen, meaning ‘condemner.’ The court’s origins have been associated with Charlemagne, who … Read more