Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Corporal punishment
(737 words)

1. Forms

As “the inflicting of bodily harm as punishment” [5. 1777], corporal punishment in the early modern period comprised a broad range of penal sanctions that is difficult to narrow down (Penalty; Criminal law) [4. 68–71]. In the late 17th century, Jakob Döpler attempted to systematize forms of corporal punishment by distinguishing them from “life punishments” (Lebensstrafen), that is, from various forms of capital punishment (Death penalty; cf. Criminality) [3]. He first covered forms of imprisonment (Priso…

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Schwerhoff, Gerd, “Corporal punishment”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_023302>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



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