Legal Definitions - depopulatio agrorum

DEPOPULATIO AGRORUM

Depopulatio agrorum is a Latin term that means "depopulating the county." It refers to the crime of destroying or ravaging a country. This crime was so severe that a person could not claim the benefit of clergy for it.

An example of depopulatio agrorum would be if a group of invaders came into a town and burned down all the houses, destroyed the crops, and killed the livestock. Another example would be if a group of rebels went through a country and destroyed all the bridges, roads, and buildings.

These examples illustrate how depopulatio agrorum was a serious crime that caused great harm to a community. It was not just a simple act of vandalism or theft, but a deliberate attempt to destroy the livelihoods of people and disrupt the social order.