An arsonist, or “incendiary,” to use the early modern term, was a criminal who deliberately, without regard for the lives of others, and frequently on behalf of a third party, raised fires or threatened to do so (Arson). The German term for a first-degree arsonist, Mordbrenner (“murderous incendiary”) combines the concepts of “murder” (Mord) and “arson” (Brand[stiftung]). Because the crime was mostly committed in darkness, first-degree arson was sometimes called “nocturnal incendiarism” (Nachtbrand). The punishment for this most serious form of arson, as laid down in mediev…
Arsonist (1,069 words)
Cite this page
Reinholdt, Katharina, “Arsonist”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_024301>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160321
▲ Back to top ▲