Seeing Justice Done: The Age of Spectacular Capital Punishment in France
Paul Friedland
Published:
2012
Online ISBN:
9780191741852
Print ISBN:
9780199592692
Contents
- < Previous chapter
- Next chapter >
Seeing Justice Done: The Age of Spectacular Capital Punishment in France
Paul Friedland
Chapter
Get access
Paul Friedland
Pages
71–88
-
Published:
June 2012
- Annotate
Cite Icon Cite
Cite
Friedland, Paul, 'Extraordinary Beings: The Life and Work of Executioners', Seeing Justice Done: The Age of Spectacular Capital Punishment in France (
Close
Search
Close
Search
Advanced Search
Search Menu
Abstract
Far from being mere conduits of the king's wrath, executioners were extraordinary beings in their own right. More a race of outcasts than a profession (they suffered profound prejudice and ostracism, and consequently married largely within the executioner community), they nevertheless possessed extraordinary privileges such as havage, which entitled them to seize a percentage of goods from every vendor in the marketplace with a tin spoon (so as not to subject the remaining produce to contamination). They also collected tribute from their fellow pariahs, lepers and prostitutes. Reviled in every aspect of their daily life, many executioners, particularly those from France's largest cities, led lives of significant material comfort and privilege. Their fate was inextricably linked to that of the spectacular punishments they executed, however, and their fortunes rose and fell along with them.
Keywords: executioners, outcasts, prejudice, ostracism, pariahs, privileges, contamination, havage
Subject
Early Modern History (1500 to 1700) European History Legal and Constitutional History Medieval and Renaissance History (500 to 1500) Social and Cultural History
Collection: Oxford Scholarship Online
You do not currently have access to this chapter.
Sign in
Get help with access
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Sign in Register
Institutional access
- Sign in through your institution
- Sign in with a library card
- Sign in with username/password
- Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Sign in as administrator
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
- Click Sign in through your institution.
- Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
- When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
- Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
- Click Sign in through society site.
- When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
- Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
- View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
- View the institutional accounts that are providing access.
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing information
Metrics
Metrics
Total Views 91
73 Pageviews
18 PDF Downloads
Since 10/1/2022
| Month: | Total Views: |
|---|---|
| October 2022 | 2 |
| November 2022 | 5 |
| December 2022 | 2 |
| January 2023 | 2 |
| February 2023 | 6 |
| March 2023 | 2 |
| April 2023 | 4 |
| May 2023 | 7 |
| June 2023 | 5 |
| August 2023 | 6 |
| September 2023 | 8 |
| October 2023 | 3 |
| November 2023 | 9 |
| December 2023 | 7 |
| January 2024 | 7 |
| February 2024 | 5 |
| March 2024 | 3 |
| April 2024 | 4 |
| May 2024 | 4 |
Citations
Powered by Dimensions
Altmetrics
More from Oxford Academic
Arts and Humanities
Early Modern History (1500 to 1700)
European History
History
History by Period
Legal and Constitutional History
Medieval and Renaissance History (500 to 1500)
Regional and National History
Social and Cultural History
Books
Journals
