When Animals Were Put on Trial in Medieval Europe

Justice is meant to be rational. And yet… for several centuries, medieval Europe decided animals should answer for their crimes. In this Creature Features episode, we explore a very real period of history when pigs were arrested, rats were represented by legal counsel, insects were excommunicated, and a rooster was executed for laying an egg. This isn’t folklore. It isn't satire. It’s documented legal history. ⚖️ What’s inside this episode: 🐖 Pigs put on trial — and publicly executed 🐀 The legal defense that saved an entire population of rats 🐛 Insects formally summoned before the Church 🐓 A rooster convicted of possible satanic behavior 📜 Court records that prove none of this was a joke This video blends real historical sources with dry narration, period imagery, and restrained mockery — because sometimes history is so absurd, the facts do all the work. If you enjoy strange-but-true history, legal absurdities, mockumentary-style storytelling, or learning about moments when humanity confidently prosecuted nature itself… you’re in the right place. Comment below: Which historical insanity should I put on trial next? ------------------------------ Disclosure: This video was edited by Storyy, and the link below is an affiliate link. If you sign up, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Want your videos to look this good? Check out Storyy here: 👉 https://storyy.co/custom-social-video-editing/?am_id=dusty3185