Why were so many antiquated (particularly during The Middle Ages) laws so draconian and seemingly sadistic?

by DeepThots101
Rittermeister

Could you please point to some examples that particularly concern you? Attempting to analyze 1,000 years (or more) of a entire continent's legal history in a short-answer format is just about the definition of a Sisyphean task. The more specific you can be, the more likely it is that you will get a satisfying answer.