How exactly did one become an executioner in medieval times?

Answer: We must understand it was not a fun job.

It was dirty, dangerous, and despised by most people. Executioners were often shunned by society, forced to live on the outskirts of town, and barred from many public places.

They were also considered ritually unclean, and some believed that even touching them could bring bad luck or disease.

Why would anyone want to be an executioner?

The short answer is: they didn't. Most executioners didn't choose their profession, but inherited it from their fathers. That's right, execution was a family business, passed down from generation to generation.


This created long-lasting "execution dynasties" that spread across Europe during the Middle Ages.

There were other ways to get the job, but none of them were very appealing.

Sometimes, butchers were recruited to become executioners, since they had some experience with cutting meat and blood.

Other times, convicts were offered the job as an alternative to their own deaths.

Imagine that: you're sentenced to death for a crime, and then someone says: "Hey, how about you kill other people instead?" Not exactly a great deal, huh?

But let's say you somehow ended up as an executioner. What did your work entail?


Well, it wasn't just chopping off heads or hanging people from trees. Executioners had to perform a variety of tasks, such as torturing prisoners, flogging offenders, branding criminals, collecting corpses, burying the dead, and even acting as doctors or veterinarians.

They also had to follow strict rules and rituals to ensure that the executions were carried out properly and with respect for the law and the church.

Executioners also had to deal with the emotional and psychological toll of their work.

Contrary to popular belief, most executioners were not sadistic or cruel, but rather professional and compassionate.

They often tried to ease the suffering of their victims, by granting them last wishes, comforting them with prayers, or giving them a quick and painless death.

Some executioners even felt empathy or remorse for their victims, and sought forgiveness for their sins.

Thus, the life of an executioner in medieval times was not a glamorous or easy one.

Source: Quora