From en.wikipedia.org:
[Type of whip] [date=June 2020] [corporal punishment]
A KNOUT [ˈ] ([ru], [ru]) is a Russian whip that consists of a rawhide thong or
a rope attached to a long wooden handle. Commonly used for prodding horses or
cattle, knouts were also used for flagellation as a corporal punishment in
Russian history. The English word is a spelling-pronunciation of a French
transliteration of the Russian word кнут (_knut_), which means "whip".
** Etymology
The word may be derived from the Swedish _knutpiska_, a kind of whip with
_knots_. The stem _knut_ is of generic Germanic origin; compare with the
German _Knute_, Dutch _knoet_ (both meaning knout) and with Old Norse _knutr_,
Anglo-Saxon _cnotta_ and English _knot_.[1]
** For corporal punishment
According to _Brockhaus and Efron_, a typical knout used by Russian
executioners consisted of a wooden handle about half _arshin_ ([35]) to which
attached was a thick braided rawhide piece, one _arshin_ ([70]) long. The
latter piece ended in a metal ring, to which was attached a wide rawhide belt
made as long, also of one _arshin_ length with a stiffened beak-like end.<ref
name=efron>[Кнут, орудие наказания]
Knouts were used in Russia for flogging as formal corporal punishment of
criminals and political offenders. The victim was tied to a post or on a
triangle of wood and stripped, receiving the specified number of strokes on
the back. A sentence of 100 or 120 lashes was equivalent to a death
sentence.[2][date=February 2025]
Emperor Nicholas I abolished punishment by knout in 1845, after years of
deliberation, and replaced it with the _pleti_,<ref name=efron/> a lighter
whip, commonly with three tails, which was used previously for punishment as
well.[3]
** See also
- Nagaika
** References
[Reflist]
- [wstitle=Knout]
** External links
- [knout]
Category:Whips Category:Whipping