In this theme, previously posted on my instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/tookstalesofthenorth/), we explore one of the most marginalized and despised proffessions of history – the executioners.
The name of this theme is because this was the choice for many early executioners – they were men who were already sentenced to death, but could postpone their punishment, if they became the town’s executioner. They could literally choose between being killed – or kill.
But let’s take a look at the origin of this gruesome profession in the Nordic countries. It is not known exactly how old the profession is, but the need for it arose around the time when the nation states began to emerge in the early medieval period.
Before the 13th century, the administration of justice was primarily directed towards compensation and reconciliation, rather than punishment. If someone committed a crime, the most common punishment was a fine, which was issued to the victim.
But as kingdoms formed and expanded, the kings needed to be able to control the people and have the means to carry out their decisions. The first mention of someone who would carry out punishments in Sweden is found in the Björköarätten from the 13th century. Then he was called “Stupagreve”, but would later be called “bödel”, from the medieval German word “bodel”, meaning bailiff.
National laws and the introduction of an official who would carry out the sanctioned violence transferred the monopoly of violence from local magnates to the new royal power. Crime and other injustices were no longer seen as a matter between victim and perpetrator, but as a problem that affected the entire kingdom. The executioner therefore had an important role in carrying out the punishment, which would keep the rest of the population in check.
In Medieval Scandinavia, legislation became more and more based on biblical law – and it is a sin to kill. And to kill for payment, as the executioners did, was a double sin. To find someone willing to carry out this sinful and horrible task, the officials had to look among people of low social status.
In most cases during the Middle Ages, executioners were appointed by offering a condemned man his life in exchange for taking on the executioner’s cloak. However, this was a temporary deal. His death sentence was only suspended – when he could no longer carry out his duty, he was in turn executed by his successor.
One such occasion took place in Stockholm in 1507. Olof Fur had again been convicted of theft, and this time the penalty was death. But he could be spared – if he took up the profession of executioner.
First, Olof was “marked”, which meant that he either was burned with a hot iron to the face or had his ears cut off. Then Olof “sentenced the old executioner to the sword”, as it says in the source, although an executioner was probably not executed by sword, as this was reserved for high-ranking persons. But no matter in what manner – Olof got his profession by executing his predecessor.
In the next few posts, we will look more at the practical aspects of the executioner’s office – how they lived, dressed and performed their tasks – and how their roles changed throughout the centuries.
We’ll also explore the stories of real executioners.
Sources:
Ambrius, Jonny. Att dömas till döden. Tortyr, kroppsstraff och avrättningar genom historien. (1996)
Sandén, Annika. Bödlar – liv, död och skam i svenskt 1600-tal. (2017)