Medieval Punishments

Medieval Torture and Punishment The medieval period saw brutal, violent, bloodthirsty punishments for criminals. From stealing to murder, the law had no fixed rules. Let's look at some of the methods and devices used to inflict agony to torture and punish. The pillory The pillory was a form of public shaming and humiliation. The prisoner would place their neck and wrists through holes in a hinged wooden board, therefore trapping them in place for everyone to see. Passers-by would then mock, spit at, or throw rotten vegetables or animal excrement at the criminal. There was also the danger that the criminal could be killed when the crowd became too violent, whilst throwing stones or bricks. Thumbscrews This device would cause agony for the victim by pressing the thumbs in with a metal screw. As the victim's fingers were slowly crushed, a confession was extracted. The rack The rack was a large rectangular wooden frame constructed with a roller at both ends. The criminal had their ankles fastened on one end and their wrists to the other. The torturer cracked a handle to stretch the victim during interrogation, creating excruciating pain as limbs stretched from the body. The further the torturer went, the higher the chance of dislocation of muscles and ligaments, and loud popping sounds. And if they still failed to extract a confession, a ripping of limbs from the body. Breaking wheel With the breaking wheel, the victim would have their limbs tied to the spokes and revolved while the torturer hit them with an iron hammer, mangling their arms and legs and breaking their bones. They were then left out in the sun to the crows, burning at the stake. A horrific form of execution for blasphemers, thieves and witches would see them burnt at the stake. Usually the condemned would die from suffocation before the flame started to burn their flesh. The suffering of the condemned could be prolonged by the executioner, by making the fire small, causing loss of blood and heatstroke. Iron chair This instrument of torture was covered in spikes on the seat, back and armrests. When the victim was forced to sit on the chair, the spikes pushed into the flesh, causing extreme pain, and blood loss occurred when they sat out of it. Subscribe for more history videos. Click the notification bell to get notified when a new episode is out. If you enjoy it, please consider visiting our Patreon page. There, you can show us your support for the channel by donating and make a huge difference in what we're able to create for you. Plus, you can get early access on upcoming videos. So let's keep it growing, and thank you for being part of this amazing community.