Dropping knowledge...09:53 Sep 25 2007
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Dropping knowledge... (something on my pc don't remeber the source)
Inquisition
There are many views as to what the inquisition was, and for what reason it occurred, this is but one. It should be noted that this article is not intended to slander any giving religion, but to bring forth certain key facts in regards to what occurred during these times.
The start of the inquisition occurred during the twelfth century, and carried on well into the eighteenth century. Its main goal was to eradicate heresy against the Catholic Church, or so that was the churches position at the time. There can be little doubt that individuals supposedly acting on their Gods will, or the will of there church where in fact slaughtering fellow country men for personal reasons. A good example of this can be seen with the Knights Templar. A well off religious group imprisoned, and tortured in France by King Philip. Even after the Knights Templar recanted there confessions King Philip had them burned at the stake. King Philip was at this time in need of money, and seen it only fair to seize the Knights Templar vast fortune for himself.
During the fourteenth century the so-called practitioners of Witchcraft became the targets of the inquisition. Pope John the XXII seen it fitting to use the inquisition to hunt down, torture, convict, and kill all that where associated with this art. From the time Pope John the XXII pronounced this till 1486 many manuscripts where written as to how a god-fearing man could identify those who practiced this "black Art". The most diabolical of all texts though was introduced to the world in the year 1486 The Mallus Maleicarum (The Witches Hammer) written by Kramer, and Sprenger. This fictitious writing was intended to be a complete guide for both witch hunters, and judges, and its pages where soon being taking as gospel in many parts of Europe.
The Witches
A question that often arises is exactly who where these witches that where being hunted down, tortured into false confessions, then killed. They where anyone, and almost everyone. When the witch-hunting craze was sweeping across parts of Europe people where not looking at the healers, or wise men and woman to point their finger at as being a witch. They where generally accusing there fellow townsfolk for personal reasons. If you had a grudge against someone they where now a witch. If you wanted your neighbor’s land there was another witch. Refused sexual favors . . . Witch. For whatever reason accusing someone of heresy or witchcraft was a sure-fire way to rid yourself of them permanently. It was a crime that was impossible to prove ones innocence in especially while being tortured until a confessing of practicing the craft was obtained.
Torture
In the name of ones god or gods mankind has acted, and to this day is still acting without a shred of intelligence, or decency towards each other the inquisition was no exception to this. Once accused of heresy or witchcraft it was now a confession that was required to convict. The person accused of these crimes against the church would be tortured until they either confessed, or where dead. If they confessed the ordeal would not end there, as more forms of torture would be used till they also implicated others that the inquisitor believed where guilty of these crimes.
The means of procuring a confession would vary depending on the location of the inquisition, but the end result remained the same . . .Guilty. Some of the methods for securing a confession are as follows:
The Wheel:
A person accused of a crime against the church would be secured with there arms, and legs spread apart. At which time a large wooden spoke wheel would be used to completely shatter the bones in their appendages. At this point their bodies are woven into the wheel. The wheel is then hoisted up, and they are left to slowly die.
The Rack:
A rather well known form of torture. The accused has there hands and feet tied while positioned on a table. A handle attached to a wheel that is attached to the rope on their feet is slowly turned daily. The accused body is slowly dislocated.
The Pear:
A pear shaped instrument with a cranking device is inserted into an opening of the accused body. The crank is turned forcing a screw mechanism inside the device to spread the pear apart. Until the accused body is split open. Like the many other forms of torture this was also performed very slowly.
Garrucha:
The accused would have their hands tied behind them. A rope would be attached to their hand and over a beam above them. They would be lifted, and dropped till their arms where above their head. Their feet would not touch the ground during all of this.
Disembowelment:
The accused would be tied to the ground, and their midsection cut open. The intestines would be tied to a rope that was attached to a small drum supported over the accused. A handle attached to the drum would be turned causing the accused intestines to be pulled out and wrapped around the drum while asking for a confession.
Trial by ordeal:
This is one of the most famous forms of torture. It includes the ordeal of floating or sinking in water. If the person accused floats when throw into a body of water they are guilty, if they sink and drown they where innocent. That is only one of many types of trial by ordeal that has taken place to prove innocence, but regardless what method was used the accused didn't stand a chance either way.
General Torture:
Generally before any of the above tortures where used general forms of torture where applied to hopefully get a confession. These included: branding with hot pokers, thumb screws, burning, suspending, using sharp instruments to rip off chunks of muscle, hooks, water submersion, along with many other sick and demented forms of inflecting pain that man could humanly think of.
Fees for services
Ofcourse like today's society during the Middle Ages people required payment for their services. It was not the church that paid for these services, but the accused themselves. When the accused was found guilty for crimes against the church their estate would be confiscated to pay for the services provided them. Needless to say for some strange reason the richer a person was the more likely they where of committing a crime against the church. Unless they where in the churches favor. Being this service was paid by the accused, and there was generally a great deal of money at stake brought forth a new breed of individual "The Witch Hunter". It was these people who sought after the alleged witches, and as they only received payment for convictions they made sure they received one. It could be rather safe to say that these hunters would also receive payment by rich individuals for not accusing them of these crimes.
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