I recall learning that many of the infamous torture methods that are considered "Medieval" came into practice with the Spanish Inquisition, after the Medieval period. Is this true, and if so, why are they still associated with the Medieval period today?

by TchaikenNugget
TywinDeVillena

Those "famous" methods called Medieval were not, in fact, medieval, and had nothing to do with the Spanish Inquisition. In fact, most of them are neither medieval nor torture methods. Things like the iron lady, the spiders, Judas' cradle, etc are modern fabrications devised in the XIX century, but without any kind of basis. As for the Spanish Inquistion, first thing first, is that they never trusted the efficacy of torture, and you can see that more than quite well in articles 49, 50, and 53 of the Instructions of the Inquisition, which I translate here:

49. [...] Experience teaches us that the accused, in that agony, would confess anything that is suggested to them, which causes damages to third parties, and occasion for their confessions to be revoked.

50. The Inquisitors shall carefully examine whether the sentence of torment is justified or not, and preceded by legitimate evidence. In case they have issues with this, or doubts, as the damage could be irreparable, for in cases of heresy interlocutory sentences can be appealed, shall then the appeal be granted. [...] When in doubt, appeal shall always be granted. Also, the sentence of torment shall not be executed until the cause is concluded, and having received the accused's defendants.

53. Twenty four hour having passed after the torment, the accused shall ratify his confessions, and in case he revokes them, he shall be repaired as provided by the Law.

The Inquisition did use torture, but their methods don't look anything like the odd contraptions you see in "museums of Torture" like the one in Santillana del Mar. One has to bear in mind that the Inquistion was not allowed to draw blood or cause any permanent or lasting damage on any person, and doing so would result in the annulment of the cause. So, what torture methods did the Spanish Inquisition actually use? The three methods they knew that would not cause the witness or the accused to bleed:

-The strapado, known in Spanish as "garrucha". It is a pulley, a rather simple one. The accused or the witness would tied with his hands behind the back, and raised with a pulley that would make the upwards traction from that knot behind the back. A weight was placed in the accused's ankles, to make the torture more effective.

-The rack. This one is very famous, a peculiar contraption that would partially dislocate the joints of the shoulders and the ankles.

-The handkerchief or waterboarding. This method was made awfully famous by the CIA and the American army in Guantánamo. The ministers of the torment would forcefully insert a handkerchief or piece of cloth down the accused or witness' throat, and the start pouring water. This would simulate asphyxiation.

The Inquisition did not have anything else in the matter of torture. The things you see as "famous methods of the Spanish Inquisition" are XIX century fabrications coming from the all too imaginative minds of gothic and romantic writers, and they are attributed to the Spanish Inquisition based on the fame the Inquisition had, stemming from Black Legend propaganda. The truth is that the Inquisition had actual legal guarantees, like the right to an attorney, and in case you could not afford one, the Court would appoint one for you, at the Court's expenses. And the torture methods, as I have said, were never that imaginative.