The strange world of medieval torture devices

One reason for the frequency of torture during the Middle Ages was the belief that it was an effective means of obtaining the truth. 

The idea of torture as a way to bring out confessions gained strength from the belief that God would guide the process during the medieval inquisitions. 

People saw torture as a way to get a confession from the accused, so they could repent and be forgiven by God. 

In 1252, Pope Innocent IV issued the papal bull Ad extirpanda, which formally allowed the Inquisition to use torture to extract confessions from suspected heretics under strict limits. 

In some cases, torture also was a way to identify others involved or to deter people from committing crimes. 

Another reason for the widespread use of torture in that period was the belief in assumed guilt of the accused. 

Often, those accused of crimes were assumed to be guilty, and torture served to confirm their guilt. 

That led to the use of torture even when there was little evidence against the accused. 

Some common torture devices used at different stages in the Middle Ages appear below.

The rack had a frame with rollers and a handle. 

The victim would be strapped to the rollers, and as the handle turned, the device would stretch the victim’s limbs, which dislocated the joints and caused pain. 

The dungeons of the Tower of London were a well-known place for the use of the rack to interrogate political prisoners.

The Judas cradle, or Judas chair, was a pyramid-shaped device on which the victim was lowered by ropes. 

This forced the tip to gradually tear into the body causing significant pain.  

This was a form of torture where the victim would have their hands tied behind their back and be suspended by their arms from a rope or pulley. 

The weight of the body would dislocate their shoulders and cause extreme pain.

These were devices that were used to crush or break the fingers, hands or thumbs of a prisoner or criminal. 

They consisted of two metal plates with a screw mechanism that would tighten the plates together when turned, crushing the fingers or thumbs placed inside and causing permanent damage.

The pillory had a wooden frame with holes for the head and hands, which left the offender locked in place so they could not move or defend themselves. 

People would put the offender on display in a public place where others could throw rotten food or other objects at them or physically abuse them.

Despite the reasons given for the use of torture, the reality often did not match the claims of those who supported it. 

Torture often served not to get the truth but to extract false confessions or to punish people for wrong actions. 

The use of torture also led to unfair control by those in power who used it as a tool against anyone who challenged their authority.

The use of torture began to decline in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, and many countries passed laws to limit its use. 

The Enlightenment brought a greater focus on reason and logic, which helped to challenge the use of torture as a proper way of doing justice. 

Although many states did not enforce legal abolition until the 18th century, Sweden in 1772 and France in 1780, the idea of rejecting torture grew. 

Even today, there are still cases where torture serves to extract information or punish those seen as threats to the state.