There are many horrific devices of the distant past that were intended to inflict unbearable
pain or to flat-out kill their target.
Some of these, such as the brazen bull, a brass statue in which a victim would be burned
alive, sound pretty terrifying.
The Breast Ripper or Pear of Anguish are other examples of things that you just know you
wouldn’t want to have happen.
But say you were a captive and those in charge threatened to bring out the wheel.
The Catherine Wheel.
You might think well that doesn’t actually sound so bad.
You’d be in for quite a shock.
We’ll explain why in this episode of the Infographics Show, The Catherine Wheel—Worst
Punishments.
According to legends, the Catherine Wheel is named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria
who is a patron to those academically or philosophically inclined and prevents unexpected death.
Now, there is no mention of this individual before the 9th century although she supposedly
lived in the 4th, so it is suspected that she did not truly exist.
Nevertheless, her story was a well-known one that began in Egypt.
She was believed to be noble if not a princess as well as very studious.
However, some might consider it less than wise that she rose up to protest the wrongs
of the then-Roman emperor of the time, Maxentius, who was relentlessly persecuting Christians.
Maxentius allegedly selected several scholars to engage in a battle of wits with the young
Catherine, but ultimately the wise men lost.
As a further insult, while she was imprisoned for her words, Catherine managed to convert
many of Maxentius’ soldiers and even his wife to the Christian religion.
Needless to say, that didn’t exactly sit well with Maxentius.
After torture, in which she declared Jesus Christ her spouse, she was sentenced to death.
This is when the wheel came into play, which was the intended executionary device.
The story goes that it shattered at her touch and so in desperation the emperor ultimately
had her beheaded.
She was then carried to Mount Sinai.
Interestingly, later on, Saint Joan of Arc identified Catherine’s voice as one of the
several she heard.
So, what is this wheel that Catherine had miraculously escaped but that went on to kill
many of the less fortunate?
Another name it is known by, the breaking wheel, will probably give you some ideas.
It was a wheel made of wood similar if not the same as those used on carriages.
In addition to being made of hefty wood, these wheels were outfitted with a metal rim.
Though sometimes these would be modified so that they could inflict further damage with
protruding iron blades.
These massive wheels would then be dropped on convicts all over their bodies, breaking
bones upon impact.
Another approach was to tie a person to the wheel and hit his or her limbs with iron hammers
or bars while the wheel was rotated.
As long as bones were shattered that was all that mattered.
The exact amount of wheel drops or hammer hits were already determined beforehand.
This would depend on the extent of the convicts’ crimes, such as if they committed acts of
robbery or of murder.
For the worst offenders, efforts were made to better match their punishment to their
crimes.
For example, sharp pieces of wood would sometimes be set underneath the victim to bring yet
further torture.
On the other hand, for those they wanted to spare the worst, they could deliver a fatal
blow during the wheel dropping or iron hitting process or right after it was over.
Unfortunately, most were not so lucky and the bone-breaking was only the beginning,
or step one of two or three.
Following step one, bodies were typically threaded through the spokes of another wheel.
While this would be difficult to do with a normal person, it was much easier once their
limbs were broken.
The wheel was then attached to a pole and displayed for all to see much like those who
had undergone crucifixion.
At this point, some would be cut apart or strangled which would finally, though painfully,
end their suffering.
Others would be placed above a blazing fire, or alternatively, thrown directly in one.
It was even possible for the individual to be hung while on the wheel.
Though this option was generally reserved for those who had been found guilty of either
the very worst crimes or multiple serious offenses.
The executioners in charge had no mercy even upon the souls of those they had killed.
Bodies were simply left where they had been thrown or hung to be eaten away by the beaks,
teeth, and claws of wild animals.
Many believed that this would prevent the souls from ever finding eternal peace.
It would also serve as a gruesome warning to others.
There was but one little hope for those sentenced to death by a Catherine Wheel.
And that was if they somehow became disengaged or if the wheel in some way failed to do its
job.
In these circumstances, it was seen as divine intervention, and the convict’s life would
ultimately be spared.
However, this was highly unlikely.
It happened so rarely, that when it did, it would become the subject of religious paintings
depicting the miracle.
More often than not, those given this sentence never made it into works of art.
Further, their suffering could drag on seemingly endlessly before they died.
There are stories of a murderer in the 14th-century who held on for three days before he expired.
Another time a man by the name of Bona Dies lasted for four full days and nights.
A more questionable account of a German serial killer in the 1500s claimed that he remained
alive with the help of alcohol for as many as nine days.
But, again, more likely than not, this last account is just another legend.
The Catherine or breaking wheel was quite a horrible device.
It was used as a method of public execution in Europe from antiquity to early modern times.
Bavaria utilized it until it was outlawed 1813 and its suspected last use was in Prussia
as late as 1841.
We are all too thankful, as are modern-day criminals, that over time it lost favor with
most societies.
Which leads to the question, in the case of convicted murderers who have taken the lives
of others, what punishment is just and what is going way too far?
Also, be sure to check out our other video called Most Horrifying Punishments in the
History of Mankind!
Thanks for watching, and, as always, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.
See you next time!