In medieval times, torture was used to punish criminals, deter crime, and gather information. There were many different types of tortures, most of which were brutal and painful. At the time, torture was deemed necessary to maintain order. Laws were harsh and torture was severe, but effective form of punishment. Despite its effectiveness, torture was often an unfair and extremely cruel punishment, and should have been eliminated in all forms. It is disturbing to learn how people were humiliated and maltreated, and how exquisitely brutal were the devices invented to subdue and discipline people.
The reason torture was commonly accepted during the Middle Ages was the lack of police or law enforcement. It was believed that to prevent crime,
…show more content…
The variety of torture devices was quite astonishing. One popular method of torture was the Judas Cradle. The Judas Cradle consisted of a pyramid shaped wooden tool where the victim was placed on the top of the pyramid. His or her hands and legs would be tied so that the weight could not be shifted elsewhere. The feet were tied with each other with the purpose of increasing the pain whenever there was a movement of feet. Therefore, it was more painful to people who violated the rules. It was one of the cruelest punishments of all. It was extremely painful and unnecessary for any sort of violation. …show more content…
In the Middle Ages, European courts considered torment to be a true method of pulling out confessions, names of assistants and nature of plot against rulers or aristocrats. That is where one can see such torture devices like thumb screw, choke pear and, among others, dry pulley. (www.ricksteves.com) In southwest France, the post called Maison Forte de Reignac is beautifully tucked into a stone face high over the Vézère River. You wouldn't suspect that its rooms list more than 60 instruments of torment. One of them is an "iron lady," a casket formed box lined with iron spikes as well as the broken crane, chastity belt, and Judas