Monday 2 January 2012

History, but not for the faint-hearted

Mature readers click through to see this grisly image in better detail. It is of the execution of François Ravaillac, the assassin of Henri IV of France, in the manner reserved for regicides. You will see there are various stages of the execution played out in the picture, so you get to see before and after the horses tear him limb from limb.

Interesting, huh?

6 comments:

cisbio said...

Happy new year dear chap!

Trooper Thompson said...

And to you. It's about time we had a drink, I'd say.

James Higham said...

Suppose it beats hanging, drawing and quartering.

Trooper Thompson said...

In what sense, James? From the point of view of justice or as a spectacle?

cuffleyburgers said...

Trooper T - I'm sorry but I'm not sure I see your point - Ravaillac certainly died a gruesome death, in a manner designed to emphasise the dangers of meddling with the centralised tyrannical state - a timely reminder perhaps that we have moved on, the equivalent nowadays would be a ghastly orange smock and a few waterboarding sessions - unpleasant to be sure but not the same as having burning sulphur poured over you whilst having your arms and legs pulled off by main force...

Or are you reminding us that the EU wants to bring back the death penalty for treason against the denizens of the Berlaymont - sorry if I'm being thick, and happy new year anyway.

Trooper Thompson said...

CB,

I wasn't really making any point, I just found the illustration interesting, being a history buff.