1. Medieval beginnings
The state of the trade of executioner at the dawn of the early modern period was the result of a process of transformation through the Middle Ages. From the late 12th century, civic sources (e.g. town charters, court regulations) begin to record an official whose tasks included execution (“hangman,” “executioner;” French bourreau, exécuteur des hautes œuvres; Dutch beul, scherprechter, German officiatus ad cippum, Tri…