The law was very unfair in the Middle Ages. The law makers believed that harsh rules and fear of the punishments were the only way to keep order.
If you were accused of a crime you had to go threw an ordeal. An ordeal was an extreme way of testing if some one was guilty or innocent. Each ordeal was difficult and often resulted in death. The ordeals were:
-Ordeal by fire
-Ordeal by water
-Ordeal by combat
-Ordeal by bread
Ordeal by fire
The accused person would be burnt (not serious enough to die), then they would be left by themselves for three days. If the wound healed (which was impossible) the person was innocent as they thought God was their side. If the wound was not healed then the person was guilty and the appropriate punishment was given to the accused person.
Ordeal by water
The accused person was tied and thrown into a lake or a river. If the person floated the person was guilty. If you sank you were innocent. It was believed that the water repelled the guilty and sank the innocent. Sometimes a rope was tied to the person and if you started to sink you were pulled up with the rope.
Ordeal by combat
This was normally used by noblemen who had to go through ordeal. They would fight to death with their accuser. Each man would have a full armor on. Most fights would last at least two hours as it was hard for weapons to penetrate the armor. Therefore, the person who was physically strongest won. If you won you were innocent and if you were guilty you were dead at the end of the fight.
Ordeal by bread
This ordeal was usually for the nobility. This ordeal involved forcing the accused into eating a full slice of bread without chewing. If the accused chocked he was guilty and if the accused didn't ,God had helped him and therefore he was innocent.
If you were accused of a crime you had to go threw an ordeal. An ordeal was an extreme way of testing if some one was guilty or innocent. Each ordeal was difficult and often resulted in death. The ordeals were:
-Ordeal by fire
-Ordeal by water
-Ordeal by combat
-Ordeal by bread
Ordeal by fire
The accused person would be burnt (not serious enough to die), then they would be left by themselves for three days. If the wound healed (which was impossible) the person was innocent as they thought God was their side. If the wound was not healed then the person was guilty and the appropriate punishment was given to the accused person.
Ordeal by water
The accused person was tied and thrown into a lake or a river. If the person floated the person was guilty. If you sank you were innocent. It was believed that the water repelled the guilty and sank the innocent. Sometimes a rope was tied to the person and if you started to sink you were pulled up with the rope.
Ordeal by combat
This was normally used by noblemen who had to go through ordeal. They would fight to death with their accuser. Each man would have a full armor on. Most fights would last at least two hours as it was hard for weapons to penetrate the armor. Therefore, the person who was physically strongest won. If you won you were innocent and if you were guilty you were dead at the end of the fight.
Ordeal by bread
This ordeal was usually for the nobility. This ordeal involved forcing the accused into eating a full slice of bread without chewing. If the accused chocked he was guilty and if the accused didn't ,God had helped him and therefore he was innocent.
Punishments
There were severe punishments and tortures in the Middle Ages. For example thieves had their hands cut off. Tortures were used as well to punish the victim. Most tortures were a slow and painful death. Some were used to humiliate the victim. Tortures used in the Middle Ages:
- Judas Cradle was terrible torture used in Medieval times. The victim would sit on triangular shaped seat and would be slowly impaled. The victims feet were tied up in a way that moving on leg would move the other as well and increasing the pain. The stool was rarely washed so the victim could catch an infection and die.
-Burning at the stake was a common way of executing someone such as witches. If the fire was big enough, the victim would die of asphyxia than the damage inflicted by the flames. The smell was terrible and would usually last for a couple of days. Many important people died this way including Joan of Arc.
-Pillory Torture was often to humiliate the victim to the public. It was a light punishment but sometimes the crowds made it lethal by throwing heavy or sharp objects. The victim would be restrained by the device and would be defenseless. The victim was then at the mercy of the crowds.
There were severe punishments and tortures in the Middle Ages. For example thieves had their hands cut off. Tortures were used as well to punish the victim. Most tortures were a slow and painful death. Some were used to humiliate the victim. Tortures used in the Middle Ages:
- Judas Cradle was terrible torture used in Medieval times. The victim would sit on triangular shaped seat and would be slowly impaled. The victims feet were tied up in a way that moving on leg would move the other as well and increasing the pain. The stool was rarely washed so the victim could catch an infection and die.
-Burning at the stake was a common way of executing someone such as witches. If the fire was big enough, the victim would die of asphyxia than the damage inflicted by the flames. The smell was terrible and would usually last for a couple of days. Many important people died this way including Joan of Arc.
-Pillory Torture was often to humiliate the victim to the public. It was a light punishment but sometimes the crowds made it lethal by throwing heavy or sharp objects. The victim would be restrained by the device and would be defenseless. The victim was then at the mercy of the crowds.