Through out the history executioners have played a pivotal role in shaping the history and world today. They are said to be an important part of the law and order enforcement system in the society and the state. Their contribution serve as a reminder of some gruesome punishments and murders through which many wrongdoers or criminal suspects meet their fate by atrocious acts.
Many executioners are popularly known for their unique execution methods, while many are remembered for their inhumane acts and methods. These inhumane methods have sparked controversies around the world about human rights and agonising consequences.
We’ll delve into ten notorious executioners from history:
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William Calcraft:
William Calcraft was England’s primary executioner from 1829 to 1879. During his tenure of 50 years, his countable atrocities on many victims and families remain an eye-opening reminder of the history of the world. Before becoming an executioner, Calcraft worked as a cobbler and then sailor.
His notable examples in executions include beheadings with a blunt axe and deaths by smoking inhalation. During his tenure more than 400 people were executed mercilessly and met with cruel fate. The methods of Calcraft sparked controversy and criticism which led to the abolition of public executions in England in 1868.
He died in 1879 leaving behind a legacy of barbarism and controversies. His reign is still remembered as darkest chapter in British history.
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Giovanni Battista Bugatti:
Popularly known as Maestro Titta, Giovanni Battista Bugatti was born in 1779 in Senigallia. He was an official Papal States executioner from 1796 till 1864 remarkably executing over 500 individuals during his tenure.
His profession as an executioner began at the age of 17. He is also known for his title “Mastro di Giustizia” which means master of justice. Despite this gruesome profession, Bugatti was respected for his intricate professionalism.
His methods of execution usually included hanging, beheading with an axe and breaking on the wheel. Moreover, he is also remarkably known for his literature works and artistic style works.
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Sanson Family:
The Sanson Family is famously known for the six-generation dynasty of executioners. It was founded by Charles Sanson in 1684. He was well-reputed for his brutality and cruelty.
The Sanson family usually used the method of beheading for execution as compared to other methods like hanging, burning at the stake and breaking on the wheel. The Sanson Family represents an impactful legacy that runs in their lineage as they operated throughout some remarkable historical events like the French Revolution and Napoleon’s rise to power.
Moreover, the Sanson’s have contributed to the field of literature and art.
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Franz Schmidt:
Franz Schmidt was a renowned Austrian executioner who served in Nuremberg for several years. He was born in 1555 belonging to a family of executioners. He was master of various methods of executions like hanging, beheading and breaking on the wheel.
He was also expert in extracting the confessions and evidences from the people through torture and other interrogation techniques.
Moreover, Schmidt’s expertise influenced in emphasising new humane methods for execution and practices to reduce the sufferings of the victims.
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Lady Betty:
Lady Betty is the title given to famous executioner Elizabeth Sugrue around 1740 in Ireland. Her life is full of dark and deep secrets that many people don’t believe. She lost a child at a very young age and another child emigrated to America abandoning her alone. The loneliness killed her from inside that one day when her son came to take refuge at her place, she eventually killed him unknowing of the fact it was her son.
This devastating action caused her arrest and life sentence. Lady Betty was lucky enough that during the execution day, there was no hangman available. Sugrue offered an apology and requested to execute all the other prisoners while her own life was spared. This is how Sugrue began her career as an executioner and successfully executed more than 20 prisoners.
She later became an official executioner hangwoman. She was very efficient with her task as a hang woman, with her life serving as a strong reminder of the harsh realities of the times.
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Jack Ketch:
Jack Ketch is notoriously known as 17th century’s most brutal executioner whose career as an executioner began in 1663. He served as an official executioner for King Charles II, until his death in 1686.
Jack Ketch’s execution methods usually consisted of hanging, beheading and quartering. Ketch’s methods were very brutal and incompetent as they resulted in agonizing and painful deaths. Ketch’s most famous execution was of William and Lord Russell who implicated and made plot to assassinate King Charles II.
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Pierrepoint Family:
The Pierrepoint family served as official executioners for the British government throughout the 20th century. Their legacy sings of their proficiency and professionalism in carrying out the capital punishment.
The first known patriarch from Pierrepoint family was Henry Albert Pierrepoint who first initiated the involvement of family in executions as he served as an official British hangman from 1901 to 1910. The family carried out some high profile executions like Ruth Ellis, William Joyce and John Amery.
The Pierrepoint family is known to have operated during the World War era.
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Bertrand Barere de Vieuzac:
Bertrand Barere de Vieuzac has served as executioner during the era of French Revolution. He was a revolutionist and member of the Revolutionary National Assembly and Convention. He also voted for the execution of King Louis XVI.
During his tenure as an executioner, Barere authorized many forms of executions which also included the use of the guillotine. He was a significant figure during the French Revolution.
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Johann Reichhart:
Johann Reichhart was one of the remarkable executioners from Bavaria. He belonged to the family of executioners and followed the family tradition by serving as an official executioner from 1924 to 1946. Reichhart carried out many executions and preferred the beheadings rather than the guillotine.
He minimised human suffering by choosing the most appropriate humane methods for the punishment and execution. Reichhart is famously known to have executed Nazi war criminals after the World War II. He retired in 1946 and died in 1972.
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Vlad the Impaler:
Vlad the III known as Vlad the Impaler was one of the ruthless military governors of a principality of Romania. He has left an edible mark of terror and brutality from 1448 to 1476. Vlad’s early life events reveal the dark truth of the assassination of his father, Vlad II who is said to be a Wallachian prince assassinated by his rivals.
This trauma shaped him into a person who became evil and grew hatred towards the rivals and enemies of his father. Due to this, his execution methods were exceptionally cruel which including mass executions, gruesome impaled bodies and impaling death which included the involvement of a sharp pointed stake through the victim’s body which caused an agonising death.
Moreover, he also ordered many impairments for hundreds of German merchants and citizens. Vlad’s brutality has become symbol of ruthlessness and terror. This ruthless story and evil executions with inhumane acts have been accounted in many books of literature and many movies have countlessly adapted and interpreted these acts of brutality.
