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 because the stones would get heavier and heavier.
Dunk Stool
This was a torture commonly used to make witches confess. There was a chair that was tied to a tree or a stick. the victim would be submerged into a pond or river. At first, they were submerged for less than a minute but if they kept denying, they would be placed under the water even longer. Often resulted in death.
The Wheel
This type of torture killed the victim very slowly. It was a large wooden wheel with many spokes. The victim's limbs were tied to the spokes and the wheel slowly revolved.
The Rack
The torturer turned a handle causing ropes to pull on the victim's arms. Eventually, the victim's bones were dislocated with a loud crack. If the torturer kept turning the handles, limbs were torn apart, especially the arms. This method was mostly used to extract confessions, and not confessing meant that the torturer could stretch more. This is considered one of the most painful tortures used.
The Chair
Spikes cover the back, arm-rests, seat, leg-rests and foot-rests of the chair. To avoid movement, the victim's wrists were tied to the chair.
Burning at the StakeThis was the most common way to execute blasphemers, thieves, and witches. The victim's were usually burned in a small fire so they would suffer until the end.
Rats
This was a cheap and effective way to torture someone into confessing. The most common type of this particular torture was to force a rat through a victim's body as a way to escape. The victim was completely restrained and tied down. Then a rat was then placed on his stomach covered by a metallic container. As the container was gradually heated, the rat began to look for a way out. Digging a hole usually took a few hours of agonizing pain for the victim. This almost immediately resulted in death.
The Breast Ripper
This type of torture was used as a way to punish women. the This type of torture was mostly used for women accused of conducting a miscarriage or those accused of adultery.The claws were used either hot or cold on the victim's exposed breasts. If the victim wasn't killed she would be scarred for life as her breasts were torn apart.
The Head Crusher
The chin was placed over the bottom bar and the head under the upper cap, the torturer slowly turned the screw pressing the bar against the cap.This resulted in the head being slowly compressed. First the teeth are shattered into the jaw; then the victim slowly died with agonizing pain, but not before his eyes were squeezed from his sockets.
The Saw Torture
The tools required for this torture were found in most houses and no complex devices were required. It was a cheap way to torture and kill a victim who was accused of witchcraft, adultery, murder, blasphemy or even theft.The victim was tied to an inverted position It assured sufficient blood diverted to the brain, it slowed down the loss of blood and it humiliated the victim.
The Ax and the Block
Victim’s that were to ace the ax, were first paraded around town to the place where their death would take place. There was a block of oak to cradle their neck. A high block was used for those of nobility and a lower block for those of lower classes.
The Medieval time period might not be a time many wanted to live in. One had to be careful not to be accused of any type of crime, so that they could avoid being tortured and humiliated in front of the public’s eye.
Kellaway, Jean. The History of Torture and Execution. 2003