Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In the long history of capital punishment there have been many different ways to carry out the grisly sentence. While commoners were often hanged, a method usually reserved for nobility was beheading by either axe or sword. Back then people didn't get a choice of what they would prefer, but if they did... which one would have been "better"?
Let's take a look at a few real examples to see if the historical accounts can give us an idea of which (hopefully) sharp blade might have been quicker and less likely to result in a botched job. Due to source availability and my background knowledge the scope is limited to European cases between the 16th and 18th century.
*** Sources / credits ***
capitalpunishmentuk.org/behead.html
The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century by Joel F. Harrington (2013)
amzn.to/4iXuONd (affiliate link)
Anne Boleyn
englishhistory.net/tudor/anne-boleyn-execution
thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2015/05/18/the-execution-of-anne-boleyn-may-19-1536
Catherine Howard
theanneboleynfiles.com/the-execution-of-catherine-howard
Margaret Pole, countess of Salisbury
books.google.ca/books?id=EOW1PxnGGhkC&pg=PA332
britannica.com/topic/beheading
luminarium.org/encyclopedia/margaretpoleexecution.htm
Mary, Queen of Scots
archive.org/details/originalletters03elli/page/116/mode/2up
metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/655677
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_of_Mary,_Queen_of_Scots
Lord William Russell
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Russell,_Lord_Russell#cite_note-Lord-10
James Scott, duke of Monmouth
books.google.ca/books?id=hXQqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA481
dirtysexyhistory.com/2016/09/25/executioner-death-or-the-devil-himself-the-legend-of-jack-
ketch/
ota.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repository/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.12024/A26299/A26299.html?sequence=5&isAllowed=y
Arthur Elphinstone, lord Balmerino
books.google.ca/books?id=1lEKxCJ6swcC&pg=PA133
Execution block for the last beheading in Britain, in 1747
royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-24522
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tower_of_London_Chopping_Block_(6862386320).jpg
Executioner’s axe, 1550-1700
ima-usa.com/products/original-european-executioner-beheading-axe-circa-1550-1700.html
Executioner’s swords
clevelandart.org/art/1916.1620
royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-1544
art.thewalters.org/object/51.1405
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domarsv%C3%A4rd_(b%C3%B6delssv%C3%A4rd),_Johannis_Beugel,_Solingen_1676_-_Livrustkammaren_-_69263.tif
List of confirmed executions at the Tower of London
capitalpunishmentuk.org/tower.html
Other images
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norsk_Rettsmuseum_Foto_Ola_A._Vistnes_(13).JPG
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beheading_axe,_Finnish_prison_museum.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skarpretterutstyr,_%C3%B8kser,_sverd,_familien_L%C3%A6del_-_Executioner%27s_sword_and_axes_used_by_the_executioner-family_L%C3%A6del_in_Norway_-_Oslo_Museum_-_OB.NW4353.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:18xx_Richtblock_und_Richtbeil_anagoria.JPG
*** Support the channel ***
Help fund future videos, get bonus content and access to an exclusive Discord server:
patreon.com/skallagrim
youtube.com/channel/UC3WIohkLkH4GFoMrrWVZZFA/join
You can also shop through affiliate links:
Kult of Athena, my favorite online store for reproductions of historical arms and armor, fantasy swords, etc:
kultofathena.com/?koa=259
Where to get HEMA gear and practice swords:
woodenswords.com/?Click=1799
GamerSupps powdered energy drinks and other stuff (I particularly like the SUS snack bars):
gamersupps.gg/Skall
I highly recommend the balms and oils from Beard Sorcery:
beardsorcery.com/?ref=0UEFtHWvZEmtD
Books about history, martial arts, swords, knives, video/audio equipment, and other stuff I recommend:
US - amazon.com/shop/skallagrimnilsson
Canada - amzn.to/2HeOCMA
*** Other social media ***
https://bsky.app/profile/skallagrim.bsky.social
facebook.com/SkallagrimYT
instagram.com/skallagrim_yt
#skallagrim #history #sword #axe
In the long history of capital punishment there have been many different ways to carry out the grisly sentence. While commoners were often hanged, a method usually reserved for nobility was beheading by either axe or sword. Back then people didn't get a choice of what they would prefer, but if they did... which one would have been "better"?
Let's take a look at a few real examples to see if the historical accounts can give us an idea of which (hopefully) sharp blade might have been quicker and less likely to result in a botched job. Due to source availability and my background knowledge the scope is limited to European cases between the 16th and 18th century.
*** Sources / credits ***
capitalpunishmentuk.org/behead.html
The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century by Joel F. Harrington (2013)
amzn.to/4iXuONd (affiliate link)
Anne Boleyn
englishhistory.net/tudor/anne-boleyn-execution
thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2015/05/18/the-execution-of-anne-boleyn-may-19-1536
Catherine Howard
theanneboleynfiles.com/the-execution-of-catherine-howard
Margaret Pole, countess of Salisbury
books.google.ca/books?id=EOW1PxnGGhkC&pg=PA332
britannica.com/topic/beheading
luminarium.org/encyclopedia/margaretpoleexecution.htm
Mary, Queen of Scots
archive.org/details/originalletters03elli/page/116/mode/2up
metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/655677
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_of_Mary,_Queen_of_Scots
Lord William Russell
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Russell,_Lord_Russell#cite_note-Lord-10
James Scott, duke of Monmouth
books.google.ca/books?id=hXQqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA481
dirtysexyhistory.com/2016/09/25/executioner-death-or-the-devil-himself-the-legend-of-jack-
ketch/
ota.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repository/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.12024/A26299/A26299.html?sequence=5&isAllowed=y
Arthur Elphinstone, lord Balmerino
books.google.ca/books?id=1lEKxCJ6swcC&pg=PA133
Execution block for the last beheading in Britain, in 1747
royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-24522
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tower_of_London_Chopping_Block_(6862386320).jpg
Executioner’s axe, 1550-1700
ima-usa.com/products/original-european-executioner-beheading-axe-circa-1550-1700.html
Executioner’s swords
clevelandart.org/art/1916.1620
royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-1544
art.thewalters.org/object/51.1405
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domarsv%C3%A4rd_(b%C3%B6delssv%C3%A4rd),_Johannis_Beugel,_Solingen_1676_-_Livrustkammaren_-_69263.tif
List of confirmed executions at the Tower of London
capitalpunishmentuk.org/tower.html
Other images
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norsk_Rettsmuseum_Foto_Ola_A._Vistnes_(13).JPG
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beheading_axe,_Finnish_prison_museum.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skarpretterutstyr,_%C3%B8kser,_sverd,_familien_L%C3%A6del_-_Executioner%27s_sword_and_axes_used_by_the_executioner-family_L%C3%A6del_in_Norway_-_Oslo_Museum_-_OB.NW4353.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:18xx_Richtblock_und_Richtbeil_anagoria.JPG
*** Support the channel ***
Help fund future videos, get bonus content and access to an exclusive Discord server:
patreon.com/skallagrim
youtube.com/channel/UC3WIohkLkH4GFoMrrWVZZFA/join
You can also shop through affiliate links:
Kult of Athena, my favorite online store for reproductions of historical arms and armor, fantasy swords, etc:
kultofathena.com/?koa=259
Where to get HEMA gear and practice swords:
woodenswords.com/?Click=1799
GamerSupps powdered energy drinks and other stuff (I particularly like the SUS snack bars):
gamersupps.gg/Skall
I highly recommend the balms and oils from Beard Sorcery:
beardsorcery.com/?ref=0UEFtHWvZEmtD
Books about history, martial arts, swords, knives, video/audio equipment, and other stuff I recommend:
US - amazon.com/shop/skallagrimnilsson
Canada - amzn.to/2HeOCMA
*** Other social media ***
https://bsky.app/profile/skallagrim.bsky.social
facebook.com/SkallagrimYT
instagram.com/skallagrim_yt
#skallagrim #history #sword #axe
