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Middle Ages Torture Facts and Information about the methods, devices and instruments of torture used during the Medieval period of the Middle Ages. Facts and information about various forms of tortures and executions can be accessed from the following links: Information about Tortures during the Medieval period of the Middle Ages The Rack Torture.
Scavengers Daughter. The Brank or Scold's Bridle. Ducking Stool. Torture by Dislocation. Iron Balls Torture. Water Torture. The Boot Torture. Burned at the Stake. Branding and Burning Tortures. Execution by Quartering. Execution by the Wheel. Execution by Hanging. Victims were placed inside, while a fire was lit beneath the belly.
A simple cord, the strappado would be tied around the victims wrists behind their back. They would then be dropped, yanking severely on the sockets of the shoulders. The forward leaning of the body and dislocated shoulders restrict breathing, for added discomfort. A small ball on a handle, the sprinkler was one of the particularly nasty torture tools of yore. The most famous of Roman execution methods, the crucifix remained in use for centuries as a torture device.
Individuals can be nailed to it or bound by their hands and feet, then left to be pecked at by birds, abused by locals, and suffer the ravages of exposure for days without perishing. Smashing and mashing seemed to be in vogue during medieval times, and the brodequin is evidence of that.
Definitely more creative than death by sawing, but much less savory. An example of a pillory-type device, this was mostly used for women who men deemed worthy of punishment for whatever arbitrary reason. They would be bound in this hideous contraption, which prevented the woman from feeding herself. It also left her defenseless against whatever cruelty passersby might feel like dishing out. An aptly named tongue torture device, this would be stuffed into the mouth, tightened down until it held the tongue firm.
Another device implement of medieval torture for women exclusively, the spider would be heated up and shoved into the breast tissue, then pulled away, taking along much of the mammaries with it. Most often, the boot would be a pressure device made of wood or metal which could be tightened to mash the meat of the leg to pul.
It was often lined with spikes for extra fun, and was in any case quite capable of breaking bones like a slower Brodequin. Thumb screws torture is the common name for Pilliwinks, which have a deceptively cute title. They all do the same thing: Twist the plates like a vice, and they crush the thing between them. Another piece of neckware that tended to be fancied by the church, these would be placed between the lower jaw and the throat.
The heretics fork was a macabre way of keeping sinners looking up at God. Here, people were suspended on a swinging arm out over a river and then dunked repeatedly in the water. Sometimes they would be bound in a bag, which would add disorientation to the waterboarding type exercise. The medieval torture wheel is something of a misnomer, as it was merely the thing people were strapped to. Here they would be tied in awkward poses, then have their limbs smashed with iron cudgels.
The name is a bit of a mystery, though the inventor was named Skevington, which might have something to do with it. Used to wrap a person into a crouch and then crush them into a tiny ball, the glory days of this were during the reign of Henry VIII.
Which of these medieval torture methods do you find the most unsettling? Do you have any suggestions for others we might feature in a future update? Leave us your thoughts below. A rat was then placed on the stomach covered by a metallic container, which was gradually heated.
The rat began to look for a way out, which inevitably meant through the victim's body. Digging through the body usually took a few hours, resulting in a painful and gruesome death.
This was one of the most dreaded forms of torture during the Medieval Period. The accused were placed inside a caged coffin, rendering them completely immobile. The period of time was determined by the crime, with some infractions, like blasphemy, punishable by death. Victims were often put on public display, where they would be mocked and abused by angry locals. This one's particularly nasty — not that the other items on this list aren't.
Also known as the Iron Spider, it was mainly used on women who were accused of adultery, self-abortion, heresy, blasphemy, or accused of being witches. It was also used for interrogations. The device, which was often heated during torture, contained four "claws" which were used to slowly and painfully rip off the breasts. The instrument would be latched onto a single breast of the woman. Blood sometimes splattered onto her children. If the woman did not die, she would be disfigured for the rest of her life.
Image credit: Flominator. Popular during the Inquisition, this device consisted of two spiked wood blocks which were placed in front of and behind the knee. The breaking wheel is a wagon wheel with teeth or cogs, onto which the victim is tied so that their limbs rest between the cogs. The torturer then takes a hammer and proceeds to smash different parts of limbs over the wheel. Once the victim was dead, the wheel would be raised up on a shaft for all to see.
Or, the victim could be tied to the outside of the wheel with their feet tied to the ground. Basically, the technique involves skinning the victim alive. First, the victim is bound to a table or rack. Next, a rat is placed onto their chest. Over the rat is placed a bucket which is then secured so that rat cannot escape. Finally, a fire is placed on top of the bucket. The rat begins to panic and tries to escape.
Our Half Term Crime and Punishment event is much gentler, with no rats in sight or boots for you to try on.
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