A particularly humiliating and painful method of torture, the Judas Cradle was used primarily by the Spanish Inquisition. The device featured a pyramid-shaped seat, upon which the victim would be suspended—naked—so that the tip of the pyramid penetrated the anus or vagina.

Weights would often be added to the victim’s feet to increase the pressure, causing excruciating internal injuries. The torture could last for hours or even days, with death resulting from infection or severe internal trauma.

 The Heretic’s Fork – Silence and Suffering

A small but terrible instrument, the heretic’s fork consisted of a metal rod with two sharp prongs at either end. One end was placed under the chin and the other against the chest or collarbone. Fastened in place with leather straps, the fork prevented the victim from moving their head without stabbing themselves.

This tool was used to silence victims or prevent them from sleeping, often in conjunction with other forms of torture or imprisonment.

 The Pear of Anguish – A Hidden Horror

The Pear of Anguish was a metal device with petal-like segments that could be inserted into the mouth, rectum, or vagina. Once inside, a screw mechanism would expand the “pear,” tearing tissue and causing unimaginable pain.

Often reserved for those accused of heresy, homosexuality, adultery, or blasphemy, this tool was not only painful but deeply symbolic of the victim’s supposed “perversion.” Like the Iron Maiden, its actual use is debated among historians, but its design exemplifies medieval sadism.

 Burning at the Stake – Fire as Purification

Perhaps the most public and symbolic form of medieval torture and execution was burning at the stake. Commonly used to punish heretics and witches, victims were tied to a post and set ablaze before a crowd. The slow, excruciating death was seen not only as punishment but as a form of purification.

This method gained particular notoriety during the Inquisition and the witch hunts of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Joan of Arc is among the most famous victims of this terrifying form of execution. shutdown123