Medieval Torture Essay
Medieval torture was used by people of the Medieval ages like William the Conqueror and his Norman allies when he was crowned king of England in 1066. They used torture to extract gold from Anglo Saxons in the new kings kingdom. Higher class people would practice torture to get gold and silver from peasants. Punishments would vary depending on the social status of the person and the crime they committed. Criminals who were already sentenced to death were sometimes tortured to give up the names of any accomplices. Torture was used a lot for the crime of treason. People very high in social status were not allowed to practice torture but in the church it was different. Torture was practiced by bishops but was formally warranted for the Medieval
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The Romans used this device against Jews and sometimes Christians. The machine was designed by Perillos and was ordered to make it by Phalaris. The bull had tubes and pipes in its head that let out incense and made the victim's screams sound like the bellowing of an enraged bull. The device usually had some sort of heat source under the bull's belly, that was lit to heat the metal to the point of burning the poor soul inside. When Perillos proposed the finished device he said “His screams will come to you through the pipes as the tenderest, most pathetic, most melodious of bellowings.". Phalaris was not impressed with these words as he wanted to test it by putting Perillos in the metal beast but only to lock the hatch behind him and set the fire under the device.
The rack
The rack was a device used to extract names of people who may know the names of assassins who were after the king. The machine was a wooden frame usually above the floor with a lever that controlled a rotating part that held a rope which was attached to the arms and legs of the victim. The executioner then pulled the lever until his or her limbs were completely dislocated or ripped off. There was another use of the device and that was to implant psychological fear into a person who had to watch. The psychological fear came from the sounds made of the tearing muscle tissue and cracking of bones.
The Romans used this device against Jews and sometimes Christians. The machine was designed by Perillos and was ordered to make it by Phalaris. The bull had tubes and pipes in its head that let out incense and made the victim's screams sound like the bellowing of an enraged bull. The device usually had some sort of heat source under the bull's belly, that was lit to heat the metal to the point of burning the poor soul inside. When Perillos proposed the finished device he said “His screams will come to you through the pipes as the tenderest, most pathetic, most melodious of bellowings.". Phalaris was not impressed with these words as he wanted to test it by putting Perillos in the metal beast but only to lock the hatch behind him and set the fire under the device.
The rack
The rack was a device used to extract names of people who may know the names of assassins who were after the king. The machine was a wooden frame usually above the floor with a lever that controlled a rotating part that held a rope which was attached to the arms and legs of the victim. The executioner then pulled the lever until his or her limbs were completely dislocated or ripped off. There was another use of the device and that was to implant psychological fear into a person who had to watch. The psychological fear came from the sounds made of the tearing muscle tissue and cracking of bones.