Top 10 Types of Medieval Torture By litgoddess  [23 more lists]

The Judas Cradle, a medieval torture where the victim would be placed on top of a pyramid-like seat. The victim's feet were tied to each other in a way that moving one leg would force the other to move as well - increasing pain.

The triangular-shaped end of the Judas cradle was inserted in the victim's anus or vagina. This torture could last anywhere from a few hours to complete days.

While loss of blood really wasn't a risk, victims died of infection, since the device was never cleaned. Bacteria, blood, pus, discharge...

Well, you get the point.

Flaying is a very old torture method that was used thousands of years ago in the Middle East, Africa and even America. During the Middle Ages, it was frequently used to torture and execute criminals, captured soldiers and witches.

In one version of the Flaying Torture, the victim's arms were tied to a pole above his head while his feet were tied below. His body was now completely exposed and the torturer, with the help of a small knife, peeled off the victim's skin slowly.

In most cases, the torturer peeled off his facial skin first, slowly working his way down to the victim's feet. Most victims died before the torturer even reached their waist.

In another version, the victim was submerged into boiling water and was taken out after a few minutes. He was slowly flayed.

"Hey, Bobby Flay, what's on todays menu?"

"We're having a spicy bit of humanus epidermus. Would you like white meat or dark?"

The Pear of Anguish was used during the Middle Ages as a way to torture women who conducted a miscarriage, liars, blasphemers and homosexuals.

A pear-shaped instrument was inserted into one of the victim's orifices: the vagina for women, the anus for homosexuals and the mouth for liars and blasphemers.

The instrument consisted of four leaves that slowly separated from each other as the torturer turned the screw at the top. It was the torturer's decision to simply tear the skin or expand the "pear" to its maximum and mutilate the victim.

The Pear of Anguish was usually very adorned to differentiate between the anal, vaginal and oral pears. They also varied in size accordingly.

Constipation: SOLVED

The Spanish Donkey gave victims an unimaginably horrible ride.

Victims are put astride, naked, the apparatus, which is actually a vertical wood board with a sharp V-shape wedge on top. Varying weights are then attached to their feet.

Eventually, the victim's own weight and the extra baggage cause the wedge to slice through their bodies, splitting them in half.

If you ask me, this one is kind of half-assed.

The victim was fixed inside a tube just big enough for the victim's entrance. The tube, having crocodile teeth-like spikes, was slowly compressed leaving the victim totally immobilized. The torturer could only see his face and feet.

With the help of carbon and fire underneath the tube, the torturer gradually heated the tube until he extracted a confession or killed the victim.

With the face and feet exposed, the torturer was able to inflict painful wounds on the victim. Facial mutilation and toe ripping were preferred choices.

Other methods included forcing the victim to crouch inside the ring, thereby compressing the lungs and causing the intestines to burst.