Top 10 Infamous Guillotine Executions

[@Calum_S]

"English queen Charles I". 🤣 Nice one Simon.

[@benno291980]

Should be James not Charles

[@ArchangelSteve]

"Don't forget to show my head to the people; it's well worth seeing" is such a baller last thing to say, I'd die happy if those were my last words.

[@michaelbrennan6123]

Simon, you always present such thoughtful, informative, and entertaining videos.

[@robertorojnic4370]

Superb video. Thanks for making this. Love you channels! Kudos

[@myishenhaines1706]

This is one of the few "top ten" type of channel that isn't disrespectfully done. The facts are accurate, and the events are reported with compassion as well as a lesson in history. Keep up the great work!

[@davidwarren719]

“Accurate” ...well it’s certainly entertaining, at least.

[@laurakuhn8743]

Thank you for including Jane Gray as Queen, which she was, though not Anointed and only for 9 days.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Don't think of it as losing your head, but rather of getting a particularly enthusiastic haircut.

[@mrbearbear83]

Simon: my French is awful. Simon: bleed instead of blade

[@CanItAlready]

mrbearbear83 I replayed that part several times because I wasn't sure what he'd said.

[@acepilot1]

Surprised he didn’t correct himself

[@shebbs1]

@@216trixie Still better than what Americans come up with. Then again, I live in Australia, and pronunciations here vary a lot.

[@jmcenanly1]

He's doing better than the person who writes the captions

[@acepilot1]

James Mcenanly captions are made by software not people on KZbin

[@redbandit1able]

"In over there heads" don`t think you realised what you did there LOL!

[@shebbs1]

*their

[@katybug6572]

Lmao right 😂✌🏻

[@katybug6572]

Wow this guy should seriously have his own show or be an actual tv host! He’s amazing! Seriously! I could listen to his awesome accent and voice all day! Xoxo!! 😉💜👍🏻💯🙏✌🏻

[@moniquecarrillo540]

I really love his voice too. One of my favorite hosts.

[@abrarahmed1888]

Necker- “Sire, the peasants are revolting! “ Louis XVI - “ I suggest not standing so close then”

[@therealdisston]

I enjoy your videos and have now subscribed. I appriciate your ability to pronounce long and difficult words. Your French is much better than mine. This video stands out to me because you seem just a little more relaxed. Still have that fast pace but it's not distracting when relaxed.

[@jonathanlebon9705]

Merci for the video..my French ears bled a little..but is was worth it. xD

[@christineparis5607]

"French ears", bullmerde! Dry that one out and you could fertilize your entire lawn!

[@ShortsMaGeeTV]

Don’t get a-head of yourself 😎🤣

[@jenniferbrewer5370]

Go to the head of the class, ;-)

[@Pining_for_the_fjords]

Sharp pun, well executed.

[@comcastjohn]

Conway79 you sir, are a-head of the the so much, you should be the Warden of the Pun-itentury.

[@rahkinrah1963]

Oh, Austin!

[@christineparis5607]

You are neck and neck in a race of puns...

[@HistoryandHeadlines]

Thank you for making a video based on one of my old lists! :) I just shared this video on Facebook and Twitter! ;) I hope that gets it some more views! Sincerely, Matthew

[@216trixie]

I bet they didn't nick your list.

[@HistoryandHeadlines]

@@216trixie I'm not sure what you mean by "nick your list". Do you mean "pick"? In any case, I am the author of the list this video is based on. I'm Matt! :)

[@216trixie]

Oops. Thanks for the clarity. Love your stuff. @@HistoryandHeadlines

[@musicalneptunian]

2:50 Executioner: Are you not entertained? Crowd: Nope!

[@mscott3918]

Someone watched Gladiator

[@habanerojones2169]

Dafuq? This guy is everywhere...and I couldn't be happier. Subscribed!

[@robertdaley1194]

Scotland had “The Maiden”, a type of guillotine 200 years before the French Revolution, the “Maiden “ is in The National Museum of Scotland , Edinburgh.

[@ThorlikeSmash]

The amount of likes is the amount of times Simon's mom has been called "Whistler's Mother."

[@NicholasWoodley]

13:33 English Queen Charles. Now that I would want to see.

[@billolsen4360]

He fooled most of the people some of the time.

[@Rikki0]

Johannes Reichert, Germany's official state executioner for 25 years (he was not a Nazi), stated that Sophie Scholl was the bravest person he ever executed. He worked tirelessly to make the execution process less stressful for the victims and finally retired because he himself could no longer take the stress of taking so many lives.

[@ManfredDudesonVonGuy]

The most tragic execution was that of Antoine Lavoisier, a mind that perhaps equaled Newton. For his nobility and tax official status (which gave him the wealth to make many scientific discoveries), he was killed by guillotine. That head represented one of the finest minds Europe would ever produce. All should mourn the loss of one of humanity's great minds before his time. Who knows what he might have discovered if the mob had not called for his head.

[@0799qwertzuiop]

I'm pretty sure the most tragic execution is the french in this vod.

[@jarls5890]

@Joe Blow And the better alternative is? (I suspect what your answer will be - think twice)

[@Paddydhistorian]

Joseph LeGrange said of L's execution: "It took them only an instant to cut off that head, but France may not produce another like it in a century."

[@VictorLepanto]

@Joe Blow Democracy has its limits. The purpose of gov't is the protect the fundamental dignity & rights of each person in a society. Obviously, we can not have a gov't that protects ordinary peoples rights unless people have a voice in how that gov't operates. De Tocqueville raised the danger of people voting to receive benefits from the state which they have no natural right to receive. We are already living in such a state. The modern welfare state is fundamentally tyrannical & arbitrary. It is a great problem, there is such a thing as democratic tyranny. People should not be allowed to vote to infringe the fundamental rights of innocent people. The property and liberty of people should not be infringed except on legitimate criminal grounds & those laws should be clearly defined & limited in their scope. No one really practices pure democracy we should not. It is a tricky compromise to give people a voice in their government & yet to curb that voice from imposing unjustly on weaker members of society.

[@cmdrrgh]

VictorLepanto Most people don’t understand what you said

[@jeremiasrobinson]

Today I learned that "guillotine" must be pronounced quite differently in various dialects of English. The way Simon says it is new to me.

[@TheDisneylover23]

Me too. But still a great video!

[@theradgegadgie6352]

The way he pronounces most words is new to me (especially names, which he mangles horribly), and I'm English as well. I think he's probably someone who learned about these things by reading them, rather than being taught them, which is why he butchers so many pronunciations.

[@jeremiasrobinson]

Wow. I guess learning things by reading is pretty bad. Why are we teaching children to read anyway?! Simon seems really well informed in his videos but I think he gathers all of his information by reading about it instead of being taught. Now I have to find some informative KZbin channel where none of the information comes from books. Don't read this comment by the way.

[@stormisuedonym4599]

@@theradgegadgie6352 And he actively resists correction.

[@allangow4746]

One can assess the presentation and content of these videos, by the substance and quality of the comments. Simon 10/10. Always 1st class.

[@robaba89]

You had a drink next to you the entire video and not once did you drink from it >_> It's still full at the end!!!

[@dmi5316]

I think it's empty, what you see is leftovers on the inside of the cup

[@rgerber]

It was coffee and its the leftover foam

[@christineparis5607]

If he drank from it the comments would be full of people complaining that he was rudely drinking in front of them when they didn't have anything to drink... 90% of people that watch these are mentally 6 months old.

[@JEMurl]

Christine paris: hahahahh! You're the best.

[@francesnorred944]

ABSOLUTELY F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C Video./// Thank You....

[@neilmaguire1444]

Love this guy

[@golddragonette7795]

I enjoyed the hidden extra contents in the captions, well done to the author!

[@rhysstanley1477]

I'm I'm

[@terryweaver9140]

Charles the 1st was a queen? You learn something new every day.

[@nigellee9824]

Well yeah, look how he dressed..

[@mscott3918]

His father, James I was.

[@jez6208]

I had to rewind that! 😂

[@michellethornton4297]

Cool I didn't know that

[@Damocles54]

No, just fabulous

[@moniquecarrillo540]

I absolutely love your Channel toptenz as well as your sister channels. I feel you strive to be accurate and unbiased but allow your Humanity to come through. Your voice and presentation are what I enjoy the most. Just wanted to tell you I thank you for doing an awesome job please keep it up

[@allandavis8201]

Everyone who came up with some witty pun might like to try the British comedy film “carry on- don’t loose your head” some excellent guillotine jokes surrounding the French Revolution and the infamous scarlet pimpernel, comically referred to as the “black fingernail “.

[@brokenwishbone422]

great work!

[@xtradelite903]

Some say the guillotine was one of the main characters of the revolution; a person.

[@Altrantis]

Sir Christopher Lee, man. Is there ANYTHING that man didn't do?

[@Jesusisafriendofmine]

Fight for the S.A.S..... Oh wait 🤔 he did.

[@dj77318]

He played executioner Charles Henri Sanson in two part film La Revolution francaise in 1989

[@ians5597]

Whatever he did, HE DID IT BEAUTIFULLY!!

[@someguythatlookslikeme8306]

I think this was my favorite video of yours Simon.

[@wendynicklin7693]

Very interesting

[@thisislaflaretv5250]

"let's get Craccin" I didn't know Simon was a Crip

[@Lawliet734]

I think it would be neat to have a glimpse of my headless body just before I die!

[@elizabethsohler1847]

That'd be something of an achievement! Seriously friend , don't go there .

[@CtrlOptDel]

**stares intensely at Emmanuel Macron**

[@katybug6572]

Nice eye lol 👁

[@84updown]

I thought you were vsauce from the thumbnail lmao

[@grumpycalenzana7514]

Very respectfully, you omitted one of the most famous : Lavoisier

[@pederlindstrom3132]

Hello from northen Sweden. I was also waiting for him, just to hear about his tax collecting.

[@Fanny-Fanny]

You make a valid point

[@kimba381]

No Antoine Lavoisier? These may be 10 Infamous Guillotine Executions, but without Lavoisier they could not possibly be the TOP 10.

[@kr-pm1xg]

The people that owned those guillotines... Were constantly getting ahead. Er..a head.

[@jerricaleonard2123]

April 25th would also be the day my favorite TV show first aired back in 2007.

[@patriciaparker2622]

The 1792 guillotine was not the first beheading device. That distinction goes to the Scottish Maiden which used a weighted descending blade but lacked the lunette of the French design.

[@canadasleftcoast.5744]

Also the Halifax gibbet.

[@laurawillits176]

I've always had an unnecessarily strong fear of being decapitated. Perhaps a past life of mine ended during the Reign of Terror.

[@martinbaxter6414]

I have the same fear. And I have a few memories of living during that time. The stench is almost palpable to my nose right now.

[@mikeymorrison272]

Do we have past lives

[@jimraq1]

When ya dead ya dead. It doesn’t make sense to live your life like you’re gonna get another go. More importantly, what would be the point in a natural sense. Afterlife is just a construct of the mind because it can’t conceive it’s own destruction.

[@augustwest5356]

I'd prefer to be decapitated over going out any number of different ways. Its quick if nothing else.

[@ABW941]

@@jimraq1 Reincarnation would be a neat way of recycling 😅

[@diarradunlap9337]

Don't know if anyone else caught it, but the American Revolutionary War was from 1775-1783, not 1776-1783.

[@JEMurl]

Your French is THE WORST ATTEMPT AT FRENCH THAT HAVE EVER PUNCTURED MY EARS!

[@christineparis5607]

You have not heard mine, and I have a French creole native American mother and a french Canadian Irish father. My French almost killed a woman from Belgium several years ago!

[@JEMurl]

Hahahahaahah! Christine "paris" 🤣

[@christineparis5607]

@@JEMurl 😊 I like your thumbnail. i love dogs and want to know what kind of pup that is?

[@JEMurl]

@christine, that's Wolfgang Amadeus Ghost (goes by 'ghost') he's a husky/labrador.i like dogs too, I've raised more than i can count.

[@christineparis5607]

@@JEMurl Perfect name! My soulmate is a chow/wolf/shepherd who is 17 years old. She is all black, and we nicknamed her, "the black mamba" for her tendency to hide under furniture, wait for someone to go by, and strike! She never gets tired of us, or the other dogs, yelping in surprise...

[@keetahbrough]

hans and sofie execution still hurts...

[@dmi5316]

The irony in french revolution is that it was just a way to replace nobility by bourgeoisie

[@christineparis5607]

Who immediately began to imitate all the ways of nobility....

[@Rockhound6165]

Such is the way of all other revolutions. In many cases, the revolutionaries end up being more brutal than the one they deposed. The one notable exception was the American Revolution.

[@christineparis5607]

@@Rockhound6165 I wonder if the American revolution was the only one in which money WAS the status afterwards, instead of buying status and titles. Even Napoleon quickly became emperor and established a court, after the most bloody revolution in history to abolish it. That always gets me. He was at the top for such a short time after that, and was as surprised to be overthrown as the king had been....

[@timmmahhhh]

"Meet the new boss; same as the old boss."

[@mscott3918]

Even more ironic is that most of the victims weren't aristocrats.

[@Demon_Pilot_GT]

Top video as always Simon.

[@HeatherK82]

You REALLY DON’T get the credit you deserve. Amazing channel Simon

[@HPFangirl71]

"Let them eat cake" Marie & Louis were definitely far too young to rule an entire country.

[@briancrawford8751]

It wasn't cake. The queen said "Qu'ils mangeant brioche."

[@mscott3918]

@@briancrawford8751 Actually she didn't say it at all. The quote is first recorded before Marie Antoinette was born. It is now attributed to the second wife of Louis XIV.

[@deboralee1623]

9:54ish: if the actual burial place is uncertain, ¿how can the dead person's remains be moved?

[@stephencresswell4760]

The Germans didn’t use the Guillotine, they used the Fallbeil. It was much shorter, made of metal rather then wood and was designed to be used indoors, rather then outside.

[@o.osuq-madiq2008]

Coming from the guy who pronounces urinal as "ureyenal" Lol. We love ya anyways

[@Damocles54]

Like raynal beads?

[@jotac87278]

"Don't forget to show the people my head, it's worth looking at." Damn dudes a gangster.

[@jean-francoislabelle6489]

No need to apologize, your french is great!

[@WG1417Gaming]

Antoine Lavoisier should be on this list IMO

[@krakon6565]

It's all so humorous until it happens to YOU

[@rhinehardt1]

The Guillotine was actually invented by an Irishman by the name of "Gilbert O'Tean".

[@jubalcalif9100]

Fascinating facts ! I wonder if it's true that Marie Antoinette's last words were "Operator, I've been cut off !"

[@DaleDix]

I learned French, tour company gave us vouchers for the Greek restaurant next to the hotel. Nice.

[@sophiewilliams7582]

"...English Queen Charles the First..." lol. Damn Simon, you guys really need a proofreader.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Sophie Williams - Perhaps he was!

[@TheDisneylover23]

My family is French on my dads side. I was taught that it’s pronounced “ghee-oh-teen”. The “ll” isn’t actually pronounced. Does that make sense? Am I right, or is Simon? I’m asking because I truly would like an answer. I know it’s not spelled right, by the dictionary, but it’s how I remember my dad saying it. 🥰

[@howey935]

Nope youre right dude

[@TheDisneylover23]

Howzer The man Thank you!😘

[@katybug6572]

You are correct! It honestly kinda bothered me a lil that he pronounced the “ll”s lol cuz those r def supposed to be silent.. So yes, You r correct sir! Take care !! 💜👍🏻💯✌🏻

[@lordanthony8709]

yes u r correct

[@lordanthony8709]

Don't forget this is paris , we pronounce it with the ll's.they don't.

[@Jezza_C_WT]

"English Queen Charles the first"

[@stevenmartinek4419]

Mr. Whistler wanted to try one of these out. His neck broke the blade and Mr. Whistler didn't have a single cut or scratch.

[@paulsimmons5726]

There's no bread, let them eat cake! 🎶 RIP Professor!

[@reinadegrillos]

Guillotin is more humane than the electric chair, for example.

[@prettymommy6579]

Agree.... electric chair is terrible.

[@silkwesir1444]

i think you mean "humane"

[@reinadegrillos]

@@silkwesir1444 Precisely, thank you. I'm a Spanish speaking person. I edited thanks to you.

[@PartiallyGeorge]

FYI: "Beauharnais" - [bo-arn'e] (h is never pronounced in French and "eau" is pronounced as [o]. Saint-Just is pronounced as ​[sɛ̃ʒyst] - the pronunciation is shown in Wikipedia, btw.

[@NoobNoob-ss5hs]

Goo-we-loo-ton Ohh... fascinating!

[@BrianSmith-vl7xu]

executions were always a head of the crowd

[@sylviecharlois1165]

I give you a B+ for pronouncing all these French names without butchering them too much ! Although you refer to Saint Just as "Saint Joo", when you could have said Saint Just, it sounds about the same in French, without the "d" sound in the english "j". But overall, well done !

[@beachboy0505]

Super

[@Wolfe911]

Danjobi, executed after the release of Star Wars. Put it into perspective.

[@geoffreywheatley7711]

I am pretty sure guillotine actually did not invent the guillotine he just improved on a design which was hundreds of years old which was from England, The device was called the (Halifax Gibbet) around 100 people were executed between 1286 to 1650 using The Halifax Gibbet, whether or not guillotine got inspiration from the Halifax Gibbet I am not sure.

[@mscott3918]

Absolutely. The man who invented the French version was called Louisette. Guillotine just perfected it.

[@thomaslucia3059]

Pelletier = Pe-let-'tee-ay / Eugen = 'Oy-gen

[@garyfranklin6044]

As previously mentioned, Antoine Lavoisier is shockingly missing.

[@lynthornealder6735]

Sometimes the differences between the subtitles and what Simon actually says are more than a little amusing.

[@Reebert02]

It's sad that you feel you have to state that you may not bat a thousand with the name pronunciations. Even a moderately intelligent person would understand and forgive that you may stumble over names like "Alexandre Francois Marie de Beauharnais Vicomte de Beauharnais." You do a great job, so apologies aren't necessary for occasional mispronunciations.

[@raphaeljoseph6952]

The way he said that name was near perfection. Cool !

[@MlleFeralMinette]

EXCELLENT subject in the current sociopolitical climate ;)

[@heronimousbrapson863]

I believe the guillotine was inspired by the Scottish maiden, which was used for beheading at least as far back as the middle ages.

[@mscott3918]

And the Halifax Gibbet.

[@augustwest5356]

You weren't kidding about the pronunciation. You even got the word "guillotine" wrong. Still a great video as always though!

[@vaughnslavin9784]

Time to re read the tale of two cities.

[@julemandenudengaver4580]

don't lose your head

[@123456wasp]

You did a great job with those French names. 😷👍

[@CaptainLog]

The foul nature of capital punishment in a time in which imprisonment for life is possible is undoubted. It debases everyone involved to be party to state sanctioned, brutal murder which is no better than the crimes committed by the condemned. But a time did exist in which humane imprisonment for life was not feasible. If unlucky enough to be a brigand in this time, let me meet my end at the blade of the guillotine.

[@timherald4516]

I would prefer capital to Life.

[@pauladams4886]

Depends what the persons done , macron and the vast majority of politicians deserve execution as do bankers

[@ericr.palmer8200]

Interestingly your closed caption offers up even more information than is said. For example at 13:12?

[@prettymommy6579]

Barbaric. Especially the people that cheered!

[@Whickerx7]

Letting pedophiles live is more barbaric

[@robertdaley1194]

The Catacombs of Paris are worth a visit.

[@erictaylor5462]

Any person who has ever lost even a part of the blood pressure in their had losses consciousness instantly. Nearly all of the accidental deaths linked to auto-erotic asphyxiation are due to something called the siphon effect. Pressure on the neck reduces blood flow out of the brain causing an increase in pressure. When pressure on the neck is relieved blood flows out of the head much faster than it flows in causing a momentary loss of consciousness. This LOC happens far to quickly for the victim to react to and prevent. If the rope is tied off the weight of the body is taken by the rope. Unless a rescue is performed at once the person will strangle to death before consciousness is regained. If the head is severed blood pressure in the head drops to zero instantly. This would cause instant and total loss of consciousness, followed by death a few minutes later. While death is not actually instantaneous, from the perspective of the victim, it may as well be.

[@timjohnson1199]

Ya know, it doesn't have to be so messy. A cable tie would work nicely.

[@henrybadd7116]

Simon ! You failed to mention the guy who once said he was going to be beheaded and then did get it. He however told a friend he would keep blinking his eye as long as he was conscious and did that also for quite awhile. That was a famous beheading!

[@johnoakes4143]

That has been proven to be a myth started by the friend looking for fame

[@missquinn6325]

Wow some of these people have really long names haha

[@Skylerjones624]

Scotland also used an older style gilloutine in the 16th century called the maiden

[@ChristophersMum]

Aye.....a story about how it got called 'The Maiden' was it got stored for such a long time.....and not used.....I think that it is to be seen at The Natural Museum of Scotland.

[@mscott3918]

Before that, in the 13th century, in Halifax they had a beheading machine called the Halifax Gibbet.

[@Geo_Thermal]

Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier

[@hori166]

@ 2:08 is a painting of Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, NOT Jacques Pelletier.

[@samcohen2483]

Anyone else find it ironic that Christopher Lee would watch this, and then be beheaded as Count Dooku in Revenge of the Sith? By Lightsaber and not guillotine, but still cool.

[@robothunter1035]

Head choppins' . . . it hoppens'!

[@miaouew]

"I'm not gonna bat 1000" Goes on to mispronounce every single name at least once