5. A 1542 law passed in Scotland made it possible to punish a corpse for treason
With all the topsy-turvy events and power changes in 16th century Scotland, someone was always out for revenge or restitution. It’s no surprise, therefore, that post-mortem punishment for treason got introduced in 1542. During the reigns of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her son James VI, corpses regularly appeared in court. Officials exhumed corpses and often embalmed them for the occasion. The only prohibition stated that prosecution had to take place within 5 years of the traitor’s death. A corpse on trial is one thing, but a skeleton charged with treason is just plain silly.
