Torture Techniques of the Middle Ages: From Rats to Flaying

😱Medieval torturers weaponized rats as a method of torture. Victims would be placed in cages with starving rats, causing them immense pain and suffering.

🔥Flaying was a common punishment during the Middle Ages. The skin of victims would be removed, often while they were still alive, resulting in excruciating pain.

💀Boiling alive was a barbaric punishment used in medieval times. Victims would be immersed in boiling water, oil, or tar, leading to agonizing pain and death.

🔒The stocks and pillory were devices used for public humiliation and punishment. Offenders would be trapped in these devices and subjected to ridicule, bodily harm, and even death.

🧙‍♀️The Great Witch Hunt resulted in the torture and death of thousands of people, mainly women. Accused of witchcraft, individuals would be subjected to brutal interrogations, leading to confessions and horrific executions.

What was rat torture?

—Rat torture was a method of inflicting extreme pain on victims during the Middle Ages. They would be placed in cages with starving rats, causing the rats to gnaw into their flesh, resulting in excruciating agony.

How were witches tortured?

—During the Great Witch Hunt, accused witches were subjected to various forms of torture, including branding, drowning, or being burned at the stake. The goal was to extract confessions and punish those accused of practicing witchcraft.

What were the stocks and pillory?

—The stocks and pillory were devices used for public punishment and humiliation. Offenders would be trapped, either standing or sitting, in these devices while the public would throw objects, ridicule, or physically harm them.

What was flaying?

—Flaying involved the removal of the skin from the victim's body. This brutal form of punishment caused immense pain and suffering, often leading to death from infection or shock.

Why were boiling and burning used as punishments?

—Boiling and burning were seen as particularly cruel forms of punishment, causing extreme pain and suffering. These methods were intended to inflict fear and serve as deterrents for others considering criminal acts.

00:00Nuremberg, 1615. The crowd demands a spectacle of extreme violence.

00:27Medieval torturers weaponized rats as a method of torture.

10:26Flaying involved the removal of the victim's skin, causing immense pain.

08:27Boiling alive was a brutal punishment used during the Middle Ages.

11:16The stocks and pillory were devices used for public humiliation and punishment.

14:01The Great Witch Hunt resulted in the torture and death of thousands of people accused of witchcraft.