EVEN MORE BIZARRE, BRUTAL AND ABSOLUTELY BARMY PUNISHMENTS FROM HISTORY

Recently we let you know about some of history’s most bizarre and brutal punishments, which included everything from being slowly crushed in an iron coffin to cows carrying out executions. Well, it turns out our ancestors were even barmier than we first thought, and we’ve uncovered nine more absolutely outrageous punishments from the past. Please try to enjoy, this is not for the faint of heart!

It's grim up north! – The savage punishment of Alberico da Romano

After making an enemy of the Pope in 1259, nobleman Alberico da Romano of northern Italy soon found himself in the custody of merciless troops loyal to the Papal States. And they were clearly not fans of him.

While clad in heavy chains he was forced to watch all his six sons, some of them very young, hacked to death in front of him. Pieces of their bloodied flesh and limbs were then thrown in his face.

The women and girls of his family were forced to walk naked through the enemy Venetian camp. Their breasts and noses were cut off and they were burnt alive. The condemned aristocrat was even forced to lend a hand in executing some of his family members. Alberico himself had his flesh torn from his body with red-hot pliers, to the applaud of onlookers, before being dragged by a galloping horse through the city of Treviso until he was dead.

Hot foot it out of there – The bishop’s BBQ boots

Typically, the idea of the medieval torture device known as the Spanish Boot was to crush the victim’s legs. One sinister variation involved using the boot as a vessel for boiling.

Perhaps the most famous case is that of Irish martyr Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley, who got on the wrong side of Queen Elizabeth I. He was tortured and executed for treason in 1584.Poor Derm must have really annoyed the powers that be, as they ordered a custom-made metal boot. They then shoved his foot in, filled it with oil and salt, and placed it over a roaring fire. When the boot was removed apparently most of his foot’s flesh decided to stay inside the red-hot shoe. Ouch!