10 Worst Ways People Have Been Tortured To Death

The Catherine Wheel, also known as the Breaking Wheel, was a method of public execution used throughout Europe during the Middle Ages. It was primarily used for highwaymen and thieves guilty of murder and arson. The last known use of the Wheel as a means of execution was conducted in Prussia in 1841.

Execution by the Wheel was a three-act event designed to prolong the torture for as long as possible. A victim was taken to the public square and laid out on the ground. The Wheel was often a carriage wheel with an iron rim, which would be dropped first onto the victim's shins. This resulted in their breaking. The executioner then worked his way up to the arms and crushed the joints.

The second act involved taking the now broken body and tying it to the wheel, which would be placed upon a mast or suspended via a rope. This somewhat mirrored crucifixion and the victim would remain in this painful position for a period of time before the final act was carried out.

To finish the job, the executioner would then strangle or decapitate the victim. They often left the body suspended as a warning to others, which was common during the Middle Ages.