I have just seen a documentary about a French murderer in the 18th century who after being convicted was executed by being 'broken on the wheel'.
What exactly does this mean?
2007-07-14 08:58:48 · 8 answers · asked by pagreen1966 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
It was a form of execution. The victim was tied to a large cartwheel then had the bones in their limbs systematically broken. The wheel was then hoisted and mounted on a post and the victim left to die. If the victim was lucky, they were killed during or just after the initial limb-breaking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_wheel
2007-07-14 09:48:26 · answer #1 · answered by Huh? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A felon sentenced to be broken on the wheel, was tied to a large cart wheel and all the bones in his limbs plus ribs would be broken using an iron rod. The wheel was then brought into an upright position, with the condemned still chained to it and was then wheeled down the street. The purpose of this final act in the 'execution' was to cause maximum pain. The broken prisoner was then left to die.
I can think of a few people who deserve this method of execution. Unfortunately we no longer have the death penalty here in UK. Pity.
2007-07-14 20:14:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The original was just that. It was a form of torture the pain of which would in theory make the prisoner tell the toturer what they wanted to know. So his spirit was broken, he told, and he suffed terrible injuries and was thereore broken.
Now it is metophorical and means beding to the will of another person or hard training in methods
2007-07-14 10:45:00 · answer #3 · answered by Scouse 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The wheel was a popular form of torture 300 years ago. The victim was strapped to a cartwheel which was spun by a couple of men. When the victim "confessed" by this method it was said "that he was broken on the wheel".
2007-07-14 09:11:18 · answer #4 · answered by captbullshot 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think that this is when you are tied to a wheel that is set on a post, then your limbs systematically broken. they then leave you to die.
2007-07-14 09:05:07 · answer #5 · answered by john m 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It is a form of torture, broken meaning he told what he was asked.
2007-07-14 09:03:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
strapped to a water mills wheel, rotated until under water......give it a while.........rotate it so you can get your breath........repeat at longer intervals until confession.
2007-07-14 09:44:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
i dont know
2007-07-14 09:08:46 · answer #8 · answered by GolfMad 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋