Final answer:
During the Inquisition, torture methods like the rack, strappado, and water torture were used on heretics to extract confessions and punish non-conformity to the Catholic Church.
Step-by-step explanation:
The methods of torture used during the Inquisition on suspected heretics were varied and brutal. They were designed both to extract confessions and to punish those who held beliefs outside of the Catholic Church's teachings. One such method was the rack, where the victim's limbs were tied to rollers and gradually stretched.
Another was the strappado, where the victim's hands were tied behind their back and they were suspended from a rope, often with weights added to their feet to increase the pain. Water torture was also employed; this could involve forcing large amounts of water down the throat of the accused heretic.
Less well-known but equally terrifying was the use of thumbscrews, devices designed to crush the fingers and toes. It is important to remember that these methods were a reflection of the era's belief in the supremacy of the Church and the perceived threat that heresy posed to society.