Middle Age Torture Devices: The Head Crusher
Extremely inventive with names, the head crusher (much like the breast ripper and knee splitter) did exactly what it was called.
The chin sat on the bottom rung, the head under the cap, and the turning of the screws would result in a very disgusting death – brains seeping out of the popped eye sockets, crushed teeth and bones, and mutilated remains.
The Wheel
Most commonly used in Germany during the Middle Ages, the wheel was a favorite form of execution. The victim was tied to the wheel on the ground and wooden crosspieces were placed under each major joint (wrist, ankles, hips, shoulders, knees).
After the pleasantries were observed, the torturer would start hammering the crosspieces with a heavy, iron-enhanced wheel. Following the severe bashing, the victim’s limbs were braided into the spokes of the wheels and displayed to the general public until the victim died.