Law and order

The judicature in the Middle Ages shows some serious differences to today. Torture was usual and the methods were thumbscrew, tickling, hanging, the pillory and the iron maiden.

As death penalty beheading, staking, breaking on the wheels, quartering and burning were common. Lies, wrong perjury, blasphemy and backbiting were also punished severely. The executers were hangmen, who were not very popular with the rest of the society.

As rich and powerful people often were not punished, vehmic courts, which were held outside and where the judge stayed incognito, were later introduced. In these trials the guilty person was either acquitted or punished to death.