Torture in the Middle Ages

Unthinkable Horrors

• The Iron Maiden•

Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesDon't you wish this was fictional?

• ­The­Iron­Maiden­is­a­device­so­fiendish­it­was­once­thought­to­be­fictional.­It's­an­upright­sarcophagus­with­spikes­on­the­inner­surfac­es.­Double­doors­open­on­the­front,­allowing­entrance­for­the­victim.­In­one­example,­eight­spikes­protruded­from­one­door,­13­from­the­other.­Once­the­victim­was­inside,­the­doors­were­closed.­There,­the­strategically­placed­spikes­would­pierce­several­vital­organs.­However,­they­were­relatively­short­spikes,­so­the­wounds­wouldn't­be­instantly­fatal.­Instead,­the­victim­would­linger­and­bleed­to­death­over­several­hours­[source:­Kellaway].­To­add­to­the­abject­horror­of­it­all,­two­spikes­were­positioned­specifically­to­penetrate­the­eyes.

• In­the­1800s,­researchers­found­one­in­a­castle­in­Nuremberg,­Germany,­and­documented­proof­of­its­use­later­surfaced­[source:­Innes].­

THE IRON MAIDEN

• The Brazen Bull• Torture on Trial?

Some courts used torture to determine if someone accused of a crime was truly guilty. This torture would take strange forms: Someone's arm would be forced into boiling water, and the verdict would be based on how well the arm healed days later. Other courts simply tortured people to get them to confess to the crime. The courts themselves even recognized, in their twisted way, that a confession given under torture held no legal meaning. Such a confession had to be confirmed by the victims while not being tortured within 24 hours. If they refused, however, they were simply tortured until they confessed again [source: Innes].­The­Brazen­Bull­was­a­hollow­brass­statue­crafted­to­resemble­a­real­bull.­Victims­we­re­placed­inside,­usually­with­their­tongues­cut­out­first.­The­door­was­shut,­sealing­them­in.­Fires­would­then­be­lit­around­the­bull.­As­the­victim­succumbed­to­the­searing­heat­inside,­he­would­thrash­about­and­scream­in­agony.­The­movements­and­sounds,­muted­by­the­bull's­mass,­made­the­apparatus­appear­alive,­the­sounds­inside­like­those­of­a­real­bull.­This­effect­created­additional­amusement­for­the­audience,­and­served­the­added­benefit­of­distancing­them­from­the­brutality­of­the­torture,­since­they­couldn't­directly­see­the­victim.

• Legend­has­it­that­this­device­was­invented­by­a­Greek­named­Perillus­(Perilaus­in­some­sources)­for­a­tyrant­named­Phalaris­of­Agrigentum.­Expecting­a­handsome­reward­for­his­creativity,­Perillus­instead­became­the­first­person­placed­inside­the­Brazen­Bull.

THE BRAZEN BULL

• The Rack•

Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesProtestants were regularly tortured and martyred for their religious beliefs.

• The­rack­was­used­throughout­Eu­rope­for­centuries.­It­came­in­many­forms,­but­here's­the­basic­idea:­The­victim­is­tied­down­while­some­mechanical­device,­usually­a­crank­or­turning­wheel,­tightens­the­ropes,­stretching­the­victim's­body­until­the­joints­are­dislocated.­Continued­pressure­could­cause­the­limbs­to­be­torn­right­off.­Such­torture­was­known­as­being­"broken­on­the­rack,"­"racked,"­or­"stretched­on­the­rack."­It­could­be­combined­with­other­forms­of­torture­to­make­things­even­more­painful.­In­one­story,­a­Christian­youth­was­tied­to­a­wheel­and­his­joints­destroyed­by­the­stretching.­A­fire­was­lit­beneath­the­wheel,­adding­to­the­torture.­Eventually,­the­fire­was­extinguished­by­the­downpour­of­blood­as­the­victim's­limbs­were­torn­free­[source:­Gallonio].

• One­type­of­rack­was­known­as­the­Horse.­It­was­a­wooden­device­that­vaguely­resembled­an­actual­horse­in­shape.­The­victim­was­tied­to­a­beam­on­the­top­(the­horse's­"back"),­facing­up.­Pulleys­below­tightened­ropes­affixed­to­the­victim's­hands­and­feet.­He­or­she­was­stretched­until­his­or­her­joints­dislocated,­then­left­there­or­slackened­and­allowed­to­hang­underneath­the­horse­while­an­inquisitor­or­judge­questioned­the­victim­and­tried­to­get­a­confession­[source:­Gallonio].­Torquemada,­the­infamous­torturer­of­the­Spanish Inquisition,­was­known­to­favor­a­stretching­rack­known­as­a­potoro­[source:­Goldberg & Itzkowitz].

THE RACK

THE WHEELThe Wheel•

Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesAmazingly, the horrific torture depicted here did not stop the monks pictured from waiting for the martyr's confession with quill in hand.

• Wheels­were­adapted­to­many­torturous­u­ses.­They­could­be­part­of­a­stretching­rack,­but­medieval­torturers­were­far­too­creative­to­leave­it­at­that.­Early­torturers­were­fond­of­tying­someone­to­a­large­wooden­wheel,­then­pushing­it­down­a­rocky­hillside.­A­more­elaborate­method­involved­a­wheel­mounted­to­an­A-frame­that­allowed­it­to­swing­freely.­The­victim­would­be­tied­to­the­wheel,­and­then­swung­across­some­undesirable­thing­below­--­fire­was­always­a­good­choice,­but­dragging­the­victim's­flesh­across­metal­spikes­also­worked­well.­The­wheel­itself­could­also­have­spikes­mounted­on­it,­so­the­pain­came­from­all­directions.­Instead­of­swinging,­the­wheel­might­turn­on­an­axle.­The­difference­was­likely­immaterial­to­the­victims.

• One­of­the­most­horrible­wheel­tortures­was­akin­to­crucifixion.­The­victim­would­have­the­bones­in­all­four­limbs­broken­in­two­places­by­strikes­from­an­iron­bar.­Then,­the­shattered­limbs­were­threaded­through­the­spokes­of­a­large­wheel.­Finally,­the­wheel­would­be­attached­to­the­top­of­a­tall­wooden­pole­and­left­out­in­the­sun­for­days.­The­victim­might­be­alive­for­hours,­enduring­the­agony­of­his­or­her­mangled­arms­and­legs­and­the­relentless­sun,­not­to­mention­the­attentions­of­crows­[source:­Hunt].

THE WHEEL

THE STAKE• The Stake•

Time & Life Pictures/Getty ImagesThe simplicity of burning heretics at the stake apparently wasn't enough, as torturers sought to add more "fun" elements to the proceedings.

• Bein­g­burned­at­the­stake­was­usually­the­last­stop­for­torture­victims,­because­this­form­of­torture­was­invariably­fatal.­Conceptually,­it's­a­very­simple­process­--­create­a­pile­of­dry­wood­with­a­stake­at­the­center­to­tie­the­victim­to,­and­then­light­it.­The­fire­does­all­the­work.­It­usually­took­about­a­half­an­hour­before­the­victim­lost­consciousness,­but­if­it­was­windy­and­the­fire­was­blowing­away­from­the­victim,­he­or­she­might­have­to­endure­up­to­two­hours­of­being­slowly­burned­to­death­[source:­Bachrach].­Since­the­victims­had­usually­been­previously­tortured­with­the­rack­or­some­other­method,­the­pain­must­have­been­unimaginable.­Despite­the­horror­of­simply­being­burned­at­the­stake,­the­torturers­of­the­Inquisition­in­the­Netherlands­developed­a­particularly­cruel­twist:­Prior­to­being­tied­to­the­stake,­the­victim's­tongue­would­be­sandwiched­between­two­hot­iron­plates.­The­scorched­and­swollen­tongue­would­only­allow­strange,­muffled­screams­of­pain­once­the­burning­began,­which­supposedly­added­a­great­deal­to­the­audience's­entertainment.

• The­cruel­irony­of­the­Inquisition's­practice­of­burning­people­at­the­stake­was­that­it­happened­whether­you­confessed­or­not.­Once­accused­of­heresy,­you­would­almost­certainly­be­consumed­by­fire.­However,­if­you­confessed,­you­would­be­strangled­to­death­before­the­fire­was­lit,­supposedly­sparing­you­the­agony.­This­practice­didn't­die­out­at­the­end­of­the­Middle­Ages,­however.­Both­women­and­men­accused­of­witchcraft­were­burned­at­the­stake­in­England,­France­and­other­locales­well­into­the­17th­century.

THE STAKE

• The Pillory After Eyre Crowe/Bridgeman Art LibraryThe pillory was rarely fatal, but it remained an effective social deterrent.

• The­pillory­remained­in­use­even­later­than­the­stake.­A­pillory­is­a­­set­of­two­parallel­wooden­boards­clasped­together,­with­holes­for­the­neck­and­wrists.­When­opened,­the­victim­places­his­or­her­head­and­arms­through­the­holes.­Then­the­pillory­is­closed,­and­the­victim­can't­possibly­escape.

• The­pillory­itself­does­no­harm­to­the­victim,­though­it's­certainly­not­comfortable.­The­entire­apparatus­was­usually­placed­on­a­stage­in­a­public­place­--­the­entire­point­was­to­humiliate­and­shame­the­victim­for­his­or­her­crimes.­The­crowd­would­throw­objects­at­the­victim,­such­as­rotten­vegetables,­dead­animals­or­feces.­Stones­and­other­blunt­objects­were­thrown­as­well,­which­could­result­in­painful­injuries­or­death.

• While­a­spell­in­the­pillory­often­only­lasted­an­hour­or­two,­usually­during­the­busiest­times­of­day,­its­effect­really­depended­on­the­nature­of­the­crime­and­the­mood­of­the­crowd.­Four­English­men­who­had­falsely­accused­others­of­crimes­to­get­the­reward­(sending­innocents­to­the­hangman's­noose)­were­beaten­to­death­by­the­crowd.­Others­who­won­the­crowd's­favor­by­refusing­to­pay­unjust­taxes­or­mocking­government­officials­were­showered­with­flowers­or­rescued­from­the­pillory­outright­[source:­Kellaway].­For­lesser­crimes,­the­victim­might­instead­be­placed­in­stocks,­leg­irons­that­restrained­the­ankles.­While­the­goal­of­public­humiliation­was­the­same,­the­stocks­allowed­victims­to­protect­themselves­from­thrown­objects.

• Sometimes,­the­vengeful­crowd­was­the­least­of­the­victim's­concerns.­The­pillory­could­be­accompanied­by­other­punishments,­such­as­flogging­or­mutilation.­British­authorities­favored­branding­the­face­with­a­mark­of­shame,­such­cutting­off­one­or­both­ears,­or­slicing­the­nose­lengthwise­[sources:­Farrington­and­Parry].

THE PILLORY

THE PILLORY