What are Ordeals?
Ordeal: a primitive form of trial to determine guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to fire, poison, or other serious danger, the result being regarded as a divine or preternatural judgement.
Ordeal by Fire
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/3/4/14342434/1352494609.png)
An accused person held a red hot iron bar and walked three paces. His hand was then bandaged and left for three days. If the wound was getting better after three days, you were innocent. If the wound had clearly not got any better, you were guilty.
Ordeal by Water
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/3/4/14342434/1352494688.png)
An accused person was tied up and thrown into water. If you floated you were guilty of the crime you were accused of, and the punishment is death.
Ordeal by Combat
![Picture](/uploads/1/4/3/4/14342434/1365702904.png)
This was used by noblemen who had been accused of something. They would fight in combat with their accuser. Whoever won was right. Whoever lost was usually dead at the end of the fight. Only noblemen had the right to trial by combat.