History, Events And Facts

The Iron Maiden: This Medieval Torture Device Was Used as Recently as 2003! The iron maiden is a torture device widely believed to have been used in Europe during the Middle Ages. This notorious contraption is known by other names, such as the Virgin (a reference to the Virgin Mary), and Jungfer (German for spinster). The iron maiden is described as being a human-sized box laden with spikes on the inside. A victim would be forced inside the iron maiden and would be impaled by the spikes when the torture device was shut. Was the Iron Maiden Used in the Middle Ages? Although the iron maiden is commonly associated with the Middle Ages, there is no account of it being used during that period, thus calling into question the claim that it was actually used as a torture device back then. Torture devices similar to the iron maiden, however, have been described in texts written prior to this period. As an example, in Saint Augustine of Hippo’s  City of God , there is an account...