Vendetta

: For the computer game, see Vendetta (game). For the metalcore band, see Vendetta(band). For the movie V for Vendetta, see V_For_Vendetta

History

Originally, a vendetta was a blood feud between two families where kinsmen of the victim intended to avenge his or her death by killing either those responsible for the killing or some of their relatives. The responsibility to maintain the vendetta usually falls on the closest male relative to whoever has been killed or wronged, but other members of the family may take the mantle as well. If the culprit had disappeared or was already dead, the vengeance could extend to other relatives.

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A similar concept exists in Nordic culture with the idea of weregild, which demanded payment of some kind from those responsible for a wrongful death.

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Vendetta originated in societies with no central government (or where the central government did not consider itself responsible for mediating this kind of dispute) where family and kinship ties were the main source of authority. An entire family was considered responsible for whatever one of them had done. Sometimes even two separate branches of the same family could come to blows over some matter. The practice has mostly disappeared with more centralized societies where law enforcement and criminal law take responsibility of punishing the lawbreakers.

Related Topics:
Law enforcement - Criminal law

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