Top Ten Medieval Torture

Methods/Laws


List25.com
10. Coffin Torture
A very cruel device where a victim was locked in a
steel cage for several hours, days or even left to die.
The victim was usually hung from the roof in a public
area for maximum humiliation and often had things
thrown at them by citizens


9. Heretics Fork
This device consisted of a double ended fork which
was strapped to the victims neck forcing them to look
up, if they were to look down, their chest and lower
chin would be pierced.


8. Rope Torture
Rope can be used in many ways as a simple form
of torture such as being used to hang a victim from
any elevated area, it can be used to constrict limbs
while the victim is beaten or tied to the back of a
horse and also use to bind people together.


7. Guillotine
The guillotine was a wooden frame, which the
victims head was placed into a razor sharp
blade which was suspended by a rope and
would sever the head of the victim when
dropped.


6. The Tub
Also known as sitting in the tub the victim was
constricted and placed in a tub with nothing but the
head showing. The victims face and head was then
covered in honey and resin, this would attract
insects such as flies and mosquitos, which would
eat away at the victims flesh. Whilst they were
sitting in a tub of their own excrement and blood,
they would decay alive.


5. Rat torture.
A cage was placed on a victims stomach
and filled with rats. With no other form of
sustenance, the rats were forced to eat the
victim alive.


4. The Brazen Bull
The brazen bull was a large iron bull with a
hollow center. The victim was bound and
placed inside the bull and which was then
placed over a fire. The victim was left inside to
burn to death.


3. The rack
A victim was to lay on a wooden board and all
their libs were attached to cranks. The cranks
were pulled until the victims limbs were
completely dislocated or in some cases torn off
entirely.


2. Crucifixion
This form of torture was a simple yet painful form of
torture where a victim was placed on a wooden cross.
Their hands and feet were tied or nailed to said cross
and left to die of hunger dehydration and the lungs would
collapse.


1. Cement shoes
A victims feet were placed in a cylinder, which
was filled with cement. Once the victims feet were
stuck in the cement, the victim was thrown into a
body of water to drown.



Laws


medievality.com
Ordeal By fire.
In the medieval court of law, the accused was made to hold a red hot metallic object
for several seconds in their hand. The wound was then covered for three days and
then unwrapped. If the wound was showing signs of healing the accused was helped
by god and therefore innocent.


Ordeal By Bread.
Usually reserved for the nobility, the ordeal by bread consisted in forcing the
accused to eat a full slice of bread without chewing. If the accused choked, he was
guilty. If he didn't, God helped him and therefore he was innocent.


Ordeal By Cold Water.
In the ordeal by cold water, a barrel was filled with cold water. If the accused sank,
he was innocent. The idea was that water being such a pure substance repelled the
guilty and sank the innocent.




Whether by an ordeal or a formal trial, when the
accused was found guilty he could be burned,
hanged or tortured. With the latter depending on
the crime. It was common for executions to take
place in a busy plaza as fear proved to be a fair
weapon against criminals.

Sometimes, the punishment depended entirely on
the crime. Thieves had their hands cut off, spies had
their eyes removed, people who illegally hunted in a
royal park had their ears cut off, etc.