Home Invasions in 18th Century Vilnius: Nobility Crime in Urban Environment

Abstract

The article sets out to analyze organized home invasions – a rare, yet nearly annually recorded, violent crime in Vilnius. This crime included offences against a person’s health, life and property. The article investigates the content of the legal norms of that time on the crimes of this type; it analyzes the statistics and motives of home invasions and addresses the issue of lawfulness (‘restoration of justice’ by force), objects, the social situation of plaintiffs and defendants, the degree of violence as well as the sentences imposed for the crimes of this type.