Scimyst
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Discoveries
    • All
    • 1001 Mysteries
    • Aliens & UFOs
    • Animal World
    • Archaeology
    • Biology
    • Doomsday
    • Famous Landmarks
    • History
    • Mars Exploration
    • Military Science
    • Oceanography
    • Science Q&A
    • Scientific Discoveries
    • Space Science
    • Why
    • World Figures
    • World Wonders
    thanh pho trang 650

    The Lost City of 500 Years Containing Flesh-Eating Parasites

    creating the worlds first plasma lamp not using a wire just throw it away 133669

    Creating the world’s most durable plasma lamp that doesn’t “take a break” after a few days of use

    which country suffers the most natural disasters in the world every year 136695

    Which country suffers the most natural disasters in the world, “experiencing” the most super typhoons each year?

    strange spc exoplanet

    10 Most Strange Things of the Universe

    thuan tay trai 650

    Left-Handed People and 16 “Shocking” Facts

    cham do ben khoe mieng 650

    The Secret of the Two Red Dots at the Corner of the Mouth of the Tang Dynasty Concubine

    tinh van con cua 650

    Revealing Unseen Images of the Crab Nebula through the James Webb Space Telescope

    cau hon o phap 650

    Banning Bathing, Forcing Tears, and Strange Wedding Customs Around the World

    isaac Newton1

    10 Famous Inventions of Isaac Newton

  • Events
    • All
    • Science Stories
    • Scientific Projects

    Tonight announces the Ig Nobel Prize winners

    frog

    Frog Wins Ig Nobel Prize 2005

    canhcutIg

    Life is Not Lacking in Quirks

    Nobel Prize in Medicine 2005: A Modern Fairy Tale

    10 Weird Inventions Awarded the Ig Nobel Prize 2005

    nobelKT

    Why Did They Win the Nobel Prize in Economics?

    giaydientu

    “Electronic Paper” Set to Appear on the Market

    Development of Science and Technology in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands Provinces

    a russian scientist loves vietnam 1659

    A Russian Scientist Who Loves Vietnam

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Environment
    • Medicine & Health
    tdnong

    Global warming may be the cause of major storms

    traxanh1

    Green tea has effects against dementia

    Discovery of Cancer-Preventing Genes in the Human Body

    Khachdulich Indonesia

    Avian influenza harms tourism more than terrorism

    nao

    Lying – A Disease of People with Brain Defects

    cafe

    Coffee May Prevent Cancer

    tebaocum

    Recreating the ‘Death’ Flu Virus of 1918

    Indo ban

    The whole world unites to fight avian influenza

    HIV aids

    The Mystery of AIDS Epidemic

  • Technology
    • All
    • AI - Artificial Intelligence
    • Computer Science
    • New Technology
    • Scientific Inventions
    top apps explore space solar system on pc 98000

    Top Applications for Exploring the Universe and Solar System on PC

    vai dien tu 650

    Soon there will be data-transmitting clothing

    sua loi khong vao dc coc coc 650

    Why can’t Cốc Cốc download videos to the computer?

    may tinh cu 1

    17 Things You Can Do with an Old Computer

    play free games super fun on android devices 54708

    Play Extremely Fun Free Games on Android Devices

    top 10 best weather apps on android 98127

    Top 10 Best Astronomy Apps on Android

    how to charge iphone properly 122474

    How to Charge an iPhone the Right Way

    do not scan qr code finger 122198

    Don’t Scan QR Codes Randomly

    sensor technology for measuring oxygen in blood 120461

    Light-Emitting Sensor Technology Can Measure Blood Oxygen

  • Cultural Heritage
    ai cap 650

    The Ruins of Memphis & the Pyramid Complex from Giza to Dahshur – Egypt

    khao co 650

    Prehistoric Archaeological Sites in the Dordogne Valley and Caves in the Vézère Valley – France

    baroque churches philippines 67188

    Baroque Churches – Philippines

    mont saint michel france 67265

    Mont Saint Michel Island – France

    acropolis bracelet in athens greece 67621

    Acropolis Fortress in Athens – Greece

    language mo tan thuy hoang china 67087

    Tomb of Qin Shi Huang – China

    historical city ayutthaya 67804

    Historical City of Ayutthaya

    historical city ayutthaya 67804 2

    Historic City of Ayutthaya

    mesa verde national park 67201

    Mesa Verde National Park – United States of America

  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Photo Library
    • Videos

    Honesty

    Telephone

    Advanced Technology

    Terminal Illness

    Allergy

    Love Like Mars

    Super Definition

    Coi Sách

    Selling Candy

No Result
View All Result
Scimyst
  • Home
  • Discoveries
    • All
    • 1001 Mysteries
    • Aliens & UFOs
    • Animal World
    • Archaeology
    • Biology
    • Doomsday
    • Famous Landmarks
    • History
    • Mars Exploration
    • Military Science
    • Oceanography
    • Science Q&A
    • Scientific Discoveries
    • Space Science
    • Why
    • World Figures
    • World Wonders
    thanh pho trang 650

    The Lost City of 500 Years Containing Flesh-Eating Parasites

    creating the worlds first plasma lamp not using a wire just throw it away 133669

    Creating the world’s most durable plasma lamp that doesn’t “take a break” after a few days of use

    which country suffers the most natural disasters in the world every year 136695

    Which country suffers the most natural disasters in the world, “experiencing” the most super typhoons each year?

    strange spc exoplanet

    10 Most Strange Things of the Universe

    thuan tay trai 650

    Left-Handed People and 16 “Shocking” Facts

    cham do ben khoe mieng 650

    The Secret of the Two Red Dots at the Corner of the Mouth of the Tang Dynasty Concubine

    tinh van con cua 650

    Revealing Unseen Images of the Crab Nebula through the James Webb Space Telescope

    cau hon o phap 650

    Banning Bathing, Forcing Tears, and Strange Wedding Customs Around the World

    isaac Newton1

    10 Famous Inventions of Isaac Newton

  • Events
    • All
    • Science Stories
    • Scientific Projects

    Tonight announces the Ig Nobel Prize winners

    frog

    Frog Wins Ig Nobel Prize 2005

    canhcutIg

    Life is Not Lacking in Quirks

    Nobel Prize in Medicine 2005: A Modern Fairy Tale

    10 Weird Inventions Awarded the Ig Nobel Prize 2005

    nobelKT

    Why Did They Win the Nobel Prize in Economics?

    giaydientu

    “Electronic Paper” Set to Appear on the Market

    Development of Science and Technology in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands Provinces

    a russian scientist loves vietnam 1659

    A Russian Scientist Who Loves Vietnam

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Environment
    • Medicine & Health
    tdnong

    Global warming may be the cause of major storms

    traxanh1

    Green tea has effects against dementia

    Discovery of Cancer-Preventing Genes in the Human Body

    Khachdulich Indonesia

    Avian influenza harms tourism more than terrorism

    nao

    Lying – A Disease of People with Brain Defects

    cafe

    Coffee May Prevent Cancer

    tebaocum

    Recreating the ‘Death’ Flu Virus of 1918

    Indo ban

    The whole world unites to fight avian influenza

    HIV aids

    The Mystery of AIDS Epidemic

  • Technology
    • All
    • AI - Artificial Intelligence
    • Computer Science
    • New Technology
    • Scientific Inventions
    top apps explore space solar system on pc 98000

    Top Applications for Exploring the Universe and Solar System on PC

    vai dien tu 650

    Soon there will be data-transmitting clothing

    sua loi khong vao dc coc coc 650

    Why can’t Cốc Cốc download videos to the computer?

    may tinh cu 1

    17 Things You Can Do with an Old Computer

    play free games super fun on android devices 54708

    Play Extremely Fun Free Games on Android Devices

    top 10 best weather apps on android 98127

    Top 10 Best Astronomy Apps on Android

    how to charge iphone properly 122474

    How to Charge an iPhone the Right Way

    do not scan qr code finger 122198

    Don’t Scan QR Codes Randomly

    sensor technology for measuring oxygen in blood 120461

    Light-Emitting Sensor Technology Can Measure Blood Oxygen

  • Cultural Heritage
    ai cap 650

    The Ruins of Memphis & the Pyramid Complex from Giza to Dahshur – Egypt

    khao co 650

    Prehistoric Archaeological Sites in the Dordogne Valley and Caves in the Vézère Valley – France

    baroque churches philippines 67188

    Baroque Churches – Philippines

    mont saint michel france 67265

    Mont Saint Michel Island – France

    acropolis bracelet in athens greece 67621

    Acropolis Fortress in Athens – Greece

    language mo tan thuy hoang china 67087

    Tomb of Qin Shi Huang – China

    historical city ayutthaya 67804

    Historical City of Ayutthaya

    historical city ayutthaya 67804 2

    Historic City of Ayutthaya

    mesa verde national park 67201

    Mesa Verde National Park – United States of America

  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Photo Library
    • Videos

    Honesty

    Telephone

    Advanced Technology

    Terminal Illness

    Allergy

    Love Like Mars

    Super Definition

    Coi Sách

    Selling Candy

No Result
View All Result
Scimyst
No Result
View All Result
Home Discoveries Scientific Discoveries

Judas Chair – A Horrifying Medieval Torture Device

by Sci
April 4, 2023
in Scientific Discoveries
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Judas Chair Dates Back to the Spanish Inquisition (1542 – 1834). At first glance, the chair may not seem impressive, but it heralds a terrifying fate for anyone unfortunate enough to fall onto its sharp, pointed tip.

According to allthatsinteresting, the Spanish Inquisition was a period marked by unprecedented and brutal torture methods.

Illustration of a prisoner being tortured by the Judas chair.
Illustration of a prisoner being tortured by the Judas chair. (Image: allthatsinteresting).

In fact, some of the most infamous torture methods in history were employed by inquisitors of the time to punish those accused of crimes, including devices like racks, wheels, and water torture. However, a lesser-known torture method favored by the Spanish was the Judas chair. Strangely enough, they regarded the Judas chair as one of the more humane forms of torture.

The Judas chair itself is not particularly elaborate. It consists of a wooden pyramid placed atop three or four wooden chair legs. The Judas chair resembles a stool, but it’s safe to say that no one would want to sit on it. The chair is positioned in a corner of the torture room, and the victim is suspended above it, slowly lowered onto the sharp tip of the pyramid, sometimes with additional weights strapped to their body.

The Spanish Inquisition (a court established to try those deemed heretical by the authorities) used this chair for torture, but it was originally conceived by an Italian lawyer named Hippolytus De Marsiliis, also known as Ippolito Marsili. Notably, Marsili was also the one who introduced water torture.

Marsili studied law in Bologna alongside other notable figures such as Andrea Barbazza, Vincenzo Paleotti, and Alberto Cattani, later becoming a favored pupil of Felino Sandeo, who held the position of chair of canon law in Ferrara and Pisa for a time.

Marsili himself earned a doctorate in utroque iure (a doctorate in civil and ecclesiastical law) in 1480. Two years later, he obtained a chair in civil law and subsequently became an advisor to Antonio Burgos and Paolo d’Oria. Throughout his career, Marsili had numerous students and delivered countless lectures, many of which he recorded in books.

However, Marsili is perhaps best known for the various torture methods he devised. Many judges of his era had a tendency to favor torture, and although he regarded it as a last resort rather than entertainment, his intellect gave rise to some of the most brutal torture techniques.

For instance, water torture was conceived after observing how water eroded parts of stone. Additionally, there were measures that forced victims to remain awake while seated on the chair, with some prisoners being kept awake for as long as 40 hours.

Of course, Marsili also invented the Judas chair. The reasons or circumstances that led Marsili to come up with the idea for the Judas chair remain unclear. Perhaps Marsili and his fellow church law scholars spent a great deal of time brainstorming torture techniques, and the Judas chair was merely a result of that process.

Marsili considered many of his torture techniques to be humane. Even the Judas chair was intended to keep a person alert and prevent them from sleeping. However, those who implemented the Judas chair found ways to further torment their victims.

Despite being a method that Marsili deemed humane, the infrequency of cleaning the wooden pyramids by torturers led many prisoners to die from infections caused by dried blood and residual feces.

During the time Marsili developed his “humane” torture techniques, other members of the Spanish Church were employing many torture methods they had learned over the years.

There were few basic rules for the inquisitors, meaning they were free to extract information whenever and however they wished. In fact, the Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada advanced his career through his cruelty and subsequently wielded his power to expel over 160,000 Jews from Spain.

A Judas chair on display in a museum.
A Judas chair on display in a museum. (Image: Twitter).

Additionally, any Jews or Muslims who remained and converted were immediately targeted by Torquemada and his inquisitors. Most believed that those who converted to Christianity did so for insincere reasons. Instead, Torquemada believed many converted merely out of fear of death.

Although Torquemada was one of the most brutal inquisitors, personally overseeing 2,000 executions during his tenure, he was hardly the only one meting out harsh punishments to those deemed heretical.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, until the mid-18th century, the Spanish Inquisition continued to hunt, convict, and execute people using Torquemada’s preferred method: auto-da-fé, which means “act of faith.” Essentially, this was a form of burning someone alive to compel them to confess their sins. It goes without saying that most people did not survive, even if they confessed.

However, alongside this, Spanish inquisitors frequently employed other brutal forms of torture, such as the Spanish donkey, racks, knee splitters, and of course, the Judas chair.

Like many ancient torture devices, visitors to the Torture Museum in Spain can see what the Judas chair looked like. In fact, the museum features two different models on display: one model that resembles a small pyramid attached to four legs at each corner, and another model with the pyramid sitting atop a sharp point, resembling an arrow on four chair legs.

The Judas chair is undoubtedly one of the most horrifying torture methods in history, but ironically, it was considered relatively humane at the time.

  • Chilling Medieval Torture Devices
  • 23 Disturbing Medieval Torture Methods
  • Rat Torture: A Torture Method from Ancient Rome
Tags: Judas Chairmedieval torture equipmentmethod of torturetorture deviceWhat is the Judas Chair?
Next Post
new weapon conquers the power to destroy terrifying ancients 126726

Witnessing Ancient Siege Weapons of Terrifying Destructive Power

unique fashion from recycled materials 126729

Unique Fashion from Scrap Materials

nasa rocket car sets world record 126731

NASA's Rocket Transport Vehicle Sets World Record

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FEATURED POST

the mystery of the mummified woman misidentified as an egyptian pharaoh 129359

The Mystery of the Mummy of the Woman Mistaken for the Pharaoh of Egypt

space monsters in mythology first appearance 129358

Cosmic Monster ‘in Legend’ Appears for the First Time

the most dangerous coastline in the world haunting the dreams of mangrove forests 108247

The world’s most dangerous strait – The haunting toll measured in sailors’ lives

10 amazing natural phenomena that challenge science 60818

23 Mysterious Natural Phenomena That Challenge Science

TRENDING

nguoi ai cap co dai 650
Scientific Discoveries

What Race Are the Egyptians Ultimately? Why Are They Different from Today’s Africans?

the psychological journey of the sorrowful female official in the mysterious figure of chinese history 82798
Scientific Discoveries

The Catastrophic Process of “Purifying the Body” of the Female Eunuch – An Mysterious Figure in Chinese History

12 causes of throat congestion and hoarseness 101795
Common Illnesses

17 Causes of Throat Tightness and Belching

twelve year old prodigy graduates college proves albert einstein wrong 133208
Science Stories

12-Year-Old Prodigy Graduates from University, Proving Albert Einstein “Wrong”

EDITOR PICK'S

What Race Are the Egyptians Ultimately? Why Are They Different from Today’s Africans?

12-Year-Old Prodigy Graduates from University, Proving Albert Einstein “Wrong”

23 Mysterious Natural Phenomena That Challenge Science

No Tunnels, No Supports: China Stuns the World with a Bridge that Floats like Silk on the River

17 Causes of Throat Tightness and Belching

The shirt that helps users hide from security cameras

Oclantis: The Underwater City Built by Octopuses

Newsletter

THE MOST IMPORTANT WORLD NEWS AND EVENTS OF THE DAY

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

Category

  • 1001 Mysteries
  • AI – Artificial Intelligence
  • Aliens & UFOs
  • Animal World
  • Antibiotic Resistance
  • Archaeology
  • Bacteria & Insects
  • Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Climate & Weather

Site Link

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

About Us

At Scimyst, we uncover the wonders of science, history, and culture. From ancient mysteries to modern innovations, our stories inspire curiosity and connect you to the fascinating world around us. Explore the unknown with us!

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2025 Scimyst - Your gateway to the wonders of science and culture

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Discoveries
    • 1001 Mysteries
    • Aliens & UFOs
    • Animal World
    • Archaeology
    • Biology
      • Bacteria & Insects
      • Biotechnology
      • Plants
    • Doomsday
    • Famous Landmarks
    • History
      • This Day in History
    • Military Science
    • Mars Exploration
    • Oceanography
    • Science Q&A
    • Science Quiz
    • Scientific Discoveries
    • Space Science
    • Why
    • World Figures
    • World Wonders
      • Cultural Heritage
      • Vietnamese Heritage
  • Technology
    • AI – Artificial Intelligence
    • Computer Science
    • New Technology
      • Self-Driving Cars
    • Scientific Inventions
  • Lifestyle
    • Cancer
    • Environment
      • Climate & Weather
      • Disasters
      • Latest Storm Updates
      • Nature
      • Solutions
    • Medicine & Health
      • Antibiotic Resistance
      • Common Illnesses
      • Dengue Fever
      • Family Medicine Cabinet
      • Food Safety
      • Health
      • Influenza Outbreak
    • Scientific Applications
  • Events
    • Science Events
    • Science Stories
    • Scientific Projects
  • Entertainment
    • Photo Library
    • Videos

© 2025 Scimyst - Your gateway to the wonders of science and culture