Hanging

Giovanni Auditore and his sons being executed via hanging

Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose around their neck. It has been a common capital punishment since medieval times in numerous countries. The first known account of execution by hanging was in Homer's Odyssey, ^{[citation needed]} and it is also a common method of suicide. ^{[citation needed]}

Description

The standard of hanging executions were done on a constructed wooden platform, commonly referred to as the gallows. Connected to a series of pulleys was a lever, which when pulled by the executioner would open a trap door below prisoners' feet. The sudden drop would snap their neck, in most cases killing them instantly but in most case they suffocated. After the Pazzi conspiracy, Medici's followers hanged the bodies of the conspirators on the Palazzo della Signoria as a warning.

Being hung from a tree branch was another method, with the Pirate Assassin Edward Kenway and later his Kanien'kehá:ka grandson Ratonhnhaké:ton, but also the Assassin Adéwalé and the Templar Shay Cormac, using a rope dart in combat to forcibly hang opponents from trees or other elevated positions. The Assassin Aveline de Grandpré used a variant of this technique using a whip, hanging the target for few seconds.

During the French Revolution, angry popular mobs hanged aristocrats to lamp-posts. One of the first victims was the Controller-General of Finances Joseph Foullon de Doué, that the mob tried to hang three times before beheading him.

During the Autumn of Terror, the rogue Assassin Jack the Ripper had two Prison hulks to hide the hostages he kept prisoner. The Chief Warden John Billingsworth had the habit to hang the prisoners for his own sadistic-pleasure.

Notable executions

• Giovanni Auditore (29 December 1476), Assassin who was falsely accused of treason.
• Federico Auditore (29 December 1476), son of Giovanni, also falsely accused.
• Petruccio Auditore (29 December 1476), son of Giovanni, also falsely accused.
• William Kidd (23 May 1701), hanged for piracy.
• Stede Bonnet (10 December 1718), hanged for piracy.
• Jack Rackham (18 November 1720), hanged for piracy.

Behind the scenes

Hanging was first seen in the cinematic trailer for Assassin's Creed in 2007, however it never made it into the final game.

Gallery

• 
  Concept art of the execution of the House of Auditore

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed (promotional material only)
• Assassin's Creed II (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
• Assassin's Creed III
• Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
• Assassin's Creed: Identity (mentioned in Database entry only)
• Assassin's Creed: Unity
• Assassin's Creed: Syndicate – Jack the Ripper
• Assassin's Creed: Memories (mentioned only)