30 Infamous Historical Executions

Gary Gilmore

(1940 - 1977)

When capital punishment was halted in the United States in 1972, many assumed it would never return. That decision was overturned a few years later in 1976, and solidified six months later with the execution of Gary Gilmore. He was found guilty for the murder of a motel manager and was subsequently sentenced to death. He supported the punishment, and even decried efforts to put it on hold. On January 17th, 1977, he became the first person in almost a decade to be executed in America. As the firing squad prepared, Gilmore simply told them to do it. Those last words made an immediate impact, and even inspired future advertisements. His demise reignited the penalty, with hundreds being condemned to it in the following years.

Sacco & Vanzetti

(1891 - 1927; 1888 - 1927)

Condemning people to death has always been controversial, as evidenced by the trial and execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. As Italian immigrants and anarchists, they became the prime suspects in a 1920 murder case and were sentenced to the electric chair in 1921. Despite shaky evidence and a confession from the true culprit, all appeals were denied. Tens of thousands protested, and court officials and jury members alike had their own lives threatened. Throughout it all, Sacco and Vanzetti were model prisoners, convincing even more of their innocence. Unfortunately, the backlash couldnt save them. In 1927, both were killed. Afterwards, violent riots were carried out across the globe, and over 200,000 traveled to Boston to mourn them.

John Wayne Gacy

(1942 - 1994)

Some state-approved executions are condemned; others are celebrated en masse. After being convicted of torturing and killing thirty-three teenagers and young men, John Wayne Gacy received just as many death sentences. During his time in prison beforehand, he unsuccessfully attempted to appeal the decision. His efforts were met in vain, and eventually his date was set. When that day in 1994 finally arrived, over a thousand people congregated outside of the prison to witness it. While there were a few staunch anti-capital punishment protesters, the vast majority were in support of his fate. Gacy was awful up until the very end, showing no remorse and even mocking officials. After eighteen minutes and one botched attempt, the Killer Clown was no more.

Eddie Slovik

(1920 - 1945)

He may not have been the first American to flee during combat, but he was the first in decades to receive the ultimate punishment for it. Eddie Slovik was drafted for World War II, where he learned that he wasnt made for the front lines. After pleading to be reassigned, he was denied and forced to serve in a platoon. In response, he left and confessed to abandoning his post. After a swift trial, he was sentenced to death despite others whod committed the same crime receiving a dishonorable discharge and time in prison. In 1945, he met his fate by firing squad. He remains the only soldier to have received this punishment since the Civil War, and his execution is still seen as controversial.

Ernst Kaltenbrunner

(1903 1946)

Several Nazi officers were captured and executed following the end of World War II, but none was more prominent than Ernst Kaltenbrunner. As a high-ranking official with the SS, it was believed that he had direct knowledge of the workings of the concentration camps that resulted in the deaths of millions of Jewish captives. At the Nuremberg Trials, Kaltenbrunner was charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity and was then sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging on October 16th, 1946.

Maximilien Robespierre

(1758 - 1794)

He was one of the French Revolutions biggest heroes and then, one of its worst enemies. Maximilien Robespierre found himself at the head of the National Convention, which he then used to carry out a litany of public executions against those who opposed the cause. He soon became drunk with power, and sought to arrest those he deemed against him. In order to protect themselves against his growing dictatorial attitude, the other committee members knew he had to die. Upon his arrest, Robespierre attempted to take his own life, but failed and instead critically injured his jaw. When he was finally taken to the guillotine, the bandages holding his jaw in place were reportedly removed, making his final few moments even more excruciatingly painful.

Charles I

(1600 - 1649)

His legacy lies not in his time as a ruler, but rather as one of the first victims of regicide. Charles I of England became King in 1625. He was adamant that he had divine right, which he used to implement unfair taxes and impose his religious beliefs onto his populace. Things came to a head when he attempted to arrest members of Parliament, and he was tried for treason. Throughout it all, he asserted that he had gotten his power from God, and therefore couldnt be held accountable. The people disagreed, and he was set to be beheaded. On the day of his death, a large crowd watched. When the execution commenced, some even commemorated it by using their handkerchiefs to collect his blood.

Walter Raleigh

(c. 1553 - 1618)

Walter Raleigh was certainly a man of many talents and stories. Today the writer and courtier is known primarily for popularizing tobacco in England, helping the English colonize North America, and sailing to South America and popularizing the myth of El Dorado. In 1603, he was imprisoned for allegedly conspiring against King James. Upon his release, he traveled to South America again and his men raided a Spanish outpost, an act that violated both a peace treaty and the terms of his prison release. He was subsequently arrested and executed in the Old Palace Yard to soothe relations with the Spanish. His execution was immediately condemned and remains controversial to this day.

Zorawar & Fateh Singh

(1696 - 1705; 1699 - 1705)

In May 1705, a group of Mughals and hillmen attacked the city of Anandpur Sahib in northern India, where the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh and his family lived. After being granted an escape from the city, the Singh family, including Guru Gobind Singhs sons Zorawar and Fateh, was betrayed by the family cook. They were then brought to Wazir Khan, a governor of the Mughal Empire. The boys, aged 6 and 9, were given the opportunity to go free if they converted to Islam. The boys refused the conversion and were bricked up within a wall and left to die. Today, the boys are respected religious figures and martyrs of Sikhism.

Aileen Wuornos

(1956 - 2002)

From her killings to her own demise, shes remained one of the United States most infamous serial killers. Before being apprehended in 1990, Aileen Wuornos killed seven men, claiming that each one was done in self-defense. After confessing to the crimes a year later, she was swiftly taken to court. In 1992, she was found guilty and given the ultimate penalty. She spent a decade on death row, where she gave interviews and doubled-down on her brutal slayings. When her execution date arrived in 2002, she claimed that she would be back, before meeting her fate by lethal injection. Her demise led to conflicting debate about whether her mental illness or traumatic childhood could have contributed to her later acts.

Oliver Cromwell

He became what he sought to destroy, and was punished heavily for it. Oliver Cromwell was one of the largest champions behind the execution of King Charles I. Following the rulers demise, Cromwell took his place as Lord Protector. His invasions of Scotland and Ireland and his dissolution of Parliament caused him to mirror the monarchy he claimed to despise. He died of natural causes in 1658. Some two years later in 1661, the newly reformed parliament got their revenge. They exhumed his body and hung it for hours, before chopping off his head and leaving it on a pike for all to see. It remained there until 1684, a brutal reminder of what going against the regime could lead to.

Timothy McVeigh

In 1995, the United States was shocked due to a horrific car bombing, 167 died in the bombing, and hundreds more were injured. At the helm was Timothy McVeigh, a former military member turned domestic terrorist who wanted to punish the government following the 1993 Waco siege. He was found guilty in 1997, and remained on death row for years while unsuccessfully attempting to file appeals. On June 11th, 2001, he died by lethal injection. Family members of his victims claimed that even in his final moments alive, he maintained a steely expression that made it clear he had no regrets. It was the first sanctioned execution carried out by the government in over thirty years, the ultimate retaliation to McVeighs vengeful crime.

Giordano Bruno

Throughout history, scientists have had to defend their findings, usually against religious institutions. Giordano Bruno is no exception. He took an interest in cosmology, and was a staunch believer that the Earth revolved around the Sun, rather than the other way around. He was also one of the first to propose that the universe isnt just limited to our solar system. These directly contradicted what the Catholic Church asserted, and may have led to his demise. He was imprisoned for years during his trial, and was sentenced to death for heresy. In 1600, Bruno was burned at the stake, and his ideas were ridiculed for years after. Centuries later, he now serves as a martyr and champion of early critical thinking.

Sir William Wallace

(c. 1270 - 1305)

One of the most famous figures from the Medieval Period and a leading member of the Scottish rebellion against England, William Wallace has become one of the most recognizable names in history. Despite leading his people to several key victories during the Wars of Scottish Independence, he was betrayed and turned over to the English in 1305. Wallace was tried for treason and was sentenced to be executed. He was dragged naked through the streets, strangled by hanging but not till death after which he was emasculated, disembowelled, decapitated and drawn and quartered.

Anne Boleyn

(c. 1501 - 1536)

One of the most famous womanizers in history, Henry VIII of England was married a total of six times. Of all his wives, however, perhaps none is more famous than Anne Boleyn. Considered a heroine of the English Reformation, she was married to Henry for three years. She was unable to produce a son to serve as Henrys heir, however, and she was eventually charged with adultery, incest, and treason. Imprisoned in the Tower of London, she was eventually beheaded on May 19th, 1536.

Marie Antoinette

(1755 - 1793)

The French Revolution wasnt kind to the aristocratic class in France. While King Louis XVI was arrested and executed, the most famous casualty of the Revolution has to be his wife Marie Antoinette. She was faulted for the economic crisis in France at the time thanks to her extravagant expenditures. She was eventually placed under house arrest with the rest of the royal family. Her fate was essentially sealed after the execution of Louis XVI, and she was charged with treason and executed by guillotine in 1793.

Ted Bundy

(1946 - 1989)

One of the most infamous serial killers in American history, Ted Bundy admitted to being responsible for killing 30 women throughout the 1970s, although the actual number is likely much higher. He used his good looks and charming personality to lure young female victims before assaulting them. Bundy was ultimately captured in Florida and received three death sentences, and he died in the electric chair on January 24th, 1989. An estimated 2,000 people celebrated with songs, dancing and fireworks in a field across the street from the prison immediately after the execution.

Catherine Howard

(c. 1523 - 1542)

Catherine Howard served as Henry VIIIs fifth wife and briefly reigned as the Queen of England from 1540 to 1541. However, Catherine allegedly made the mistake of conducting a love affair with a man named Thomas Culpeper. Several knew of their supposed indiscretions and began blackmailing her in exchange for their silence. Their adulterous affair came to light when a love letter from Catherine was found in Thomas chamber. Parliament introduced a bill called the Royal Assent by Commission Act 1541 that made it treasonous for a Queen to commit adultery, and Catherine was instantly found guilty. She, Culpeper, her previous supposed lover, Francis Dereham, and her lady-in-waiting, Lady Rochford, were all executed for their transgressions.

Sir Thomas More

(1478 - 1535)

Sir Thomas More held many titles, including personal adviser to Henry VIII and Lord High Chancellor of England. However, his later life was plagued with controversy. He was against Protestant Reformation, and he failed to recognize the annulment of Henrys marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He also never took the Oath of Supremacy, an oath in which one must recognize the King as head of the Church. A jury found him guilty of treason within fifteen minutes. He was beheaded on July 6, 1535, and his head was displayed over London Bridge for the next month.

Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

(1918 - 1953; 1915 - 1953)

While spies and double agents make for exciting fiction, they posed a serious threat to the United States and its Western allies during the Cold War. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were two alleged Soviet spies captured by the United States and charged with passing along information about the atomic bomb. Their trial began in 1951 and captured the attention of the nation. The married couple was found guilty of espionage and executed by the electric chair. While Morton Sobell, another American found guilty of spying during the trial, claimed that Julius acted as a courier for the Soviets, he didnt claim the same for Ethel.

Benito Mussolini

(1883 - 1945)

Mussolini is one of the most horrifying men of modern times. He was the leader of Italys National Fascist Party who took over the country in the mid 1920s and ran a dictatorship for the subsequent two decades. He was eventually discharged by King Victor Emmanuel III, but Hitler quickly made him the head of a puppet state in northern Italy. Once the Axis defeat was imminent, Mussolini tried to escape to Switzerland, but was caught and executed, along with many members of the Italian Social Republic. His body was brought to Milan where it faced violence and was strung upside down from a gas station.

Mata Hari

(1876 - 1917)

Mata Hari, real name Margaretha MacLeod, was a Dutch dancer who was accused of being a German spy during the First World War. Her Russian lover was injured during the war, and the only way she could see him was if she seduced the German Crown Prince for military secrets for France. However, the Germans had their own plans for her, and she was soon accused of being a German spy who caused the deaths of 50,000 people. There was no evidence that she was working for Germany, and she soon became a scapegoat for the French armys failures. On October 15, 1917, she was executed by firing squad.

The Romanov Family

(Executed 1918)

The Romanov family and various acquaintances were imprisoned following the Russian February Revolution, a revolution that saw the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the end of Imperial Russia. One day, the group were taken to a small room and told to await transportation. However, an execution squad soon entered, quickly read the order of death, and fired upon the family. The chaotic firing led to some of the family members surviving the initial shots, so the squad had to use whatever means necessary to ensure they all eventually perished. Following some unmentionable acts, the bodies were then burned in a forest. The family wasnt properly buried until 1998, 80 years after their execution in 1918.

Louis XVI of France

(1754 - 1793)

Louis XVIs reign was certainly an interesting one. He had initially attempted to reform France by adhering to Enlightenment ideologies, despite opposition from the nobility. The country fell into financial trouble during his reign, and Louis became a nationwide symbol of tyranny. He was eventually arrested at the time of the insurrection, found guilty of treason, and beheaded by guillotine in the Place de la Révolution. Accounts say that his speech was cut off by drums and that citizens dipped their handkerchiefs in his dripping blood. He was buried in an unmarked grave before being moved to the Basilica of St Denis.

Saddam Hussein

(1937 - 2006)

Known as The Butcher of Baghdad, Saddam Hussein served as the fifth President of Iraq for over 20 years. He was widely condemned in the western world due to his brutality, which included killing political opponents and using chemical weapons against his own people. In 2003, a coalition led by the United States invaded Iraq to remove Saddam from power, and he was eventually captured and hanged. Video of the execution was leaked online and became the subject of global controversy.

Guy Fawkes

(1570 - 1606)

Remember, remember, the 5th of November. Considered the last man to enter Parliament with honest intentions, he was a member of a group of English Catholics who attempted to blow up Parliament with gunpowder in 1605. The main goal of the Gunpowder Plot was to kill King James and replace him with his 9-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth. The plot was uncovered, however, and Fawkes was captured. While his steadfast manner earned him the admiration of King James, he was tortured, sentenced to death by hanging and quartered.

Mary, Queen of Scots

(1542 - 1587)

Mary ruled Scotland from 1542 to 1567. Her husband and half-cousin, Lord Darnley, was killed in 1567, and she married James Hepburn only one month after he was acquitted on charges related to Darnleys murder. After losing the throne, Mary ran to her first cousin once removed, Queen Elizabeth. However, upon seeing her as a possible threat, Elizabeth had Mary imprisoned for nearly twenty years. Mary was later found guilty of planning Elizabeths assassination and was executed in a horrible and embarrassing fashion. Numerous blows were required for the beheading, during which her wig was revealed. She was also refused her wish to be buried in France.

Socrates

(c. 470 BCE - 399 BCE)

Socrates is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most influential minds to ever live. He is often regarded as one of the founders of Western philosophy, and he has made numerous contributions to the field, including the Socratic method. Near the end of his life, he constantly clashed with Athenian ideology and was eventually put on trial for impiety and corruption of the youth. After being found guilty, he was forced to drink poisonous hemlock, and according to Plato, he was required to walk until his legs felt numb. He died when the poison reached his heart, although his contributions to philosophy have survived for millennia.

Joan of Arc

(c. 1412 - 1431)

The Maid of Orleans is a heroine of France who helped lead her people to victory in several battles against the English during the Hundred Years War. She was eventually betrayed, however, and handed over to the English by the Burgundians. She was tried on a number of charges, including cross-dressing, and despite a lack of evidence, was sentenced to death and burned at the stake at just nineteen years old. She was declared a martyr 25 years after her death and is one of the nine secondary patron saints of France.

Jesus

(c. 7-2 BCE - 30-33 CE)

While some may debate the religious aspect, Jesus is widely considered to be a historical figure that did exist. A preacher in the first century CE, Jesus teachings angered many of the religious leaders in Judea. He was eventually betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples, and handed over to the Romans, after which he was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate and crucified in Jerusalem. Whether you believe that Jesus was the Son of God or not, his execution remains as one of the most influential moments in history.

Which execution do you think has made the largest historical impact? Let us know in the comments below!