by Tamera Coble

Created on: February 06, 2010

 Torture was used in Medieval times to punish offenders of the law. It was the most common method used to punish people. The main goal of torture use was to cause intense, agonizing pain to break the will of a person. There were many ways to torture a person during this time period. Often the individual who was being tortured had no idea what they were accused of. The pain was so great and intense they would confess to anything to stop the pain. The torture of an individual was often carried out in the town square to show people that violating the law was a serious matter. It would also show the townspeople what would happen if they disobeyed the law. 

Torture was legal and documented during this time. Government officials didn't have to ask if torture produced results, they knew it did.  Between 1540 and 1604, historians have recorded eighty one cases of torture in England.  

 The Church was careful to put down any threats or competing religious movements. The Pope authorized torture to suppress any threats. Even though the Church allowed torture, it forbade the mutilation of the tortured individual's body. The secular courts frequently used torture and their methods were more extreme than those of the Church. If Church torturers could not get a confession out of someone, the victim was handed to the secular authorities. 

Thumbscrew

The victim's hands were placed in the device and the torturer would crush the victim's fingers slowly.

Exposure

This was used mostly in early medieval times. Heretics and witches were condemned to be fixed to the ground with iron nails. While spreading their arms and legs while being naked under the sun, the victim would suffer strong sunburns all over their body. Many were left to die.In the winter, the naked victim was forced to stand outside in full view of everyone. Slowly, the torturer poured water on his head which eventually became frozen making the victim die slowly and painfully. 

Iron Maiden

A person would be placed inside and the big door would be shut slowly, The sharp tips would crush the person causing agonizing pain. There was a tube in the bottom so the victim would see their own blood dripping out. 

The Stocks

The victim was to place their hands and feet in the open device  then it would be closed. It was usually placed in a town and the victim was subject to the public.

Stoning

Stones were placed on a person to increase their suffering. This usually resulted in death

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