Random Brutal History Behind Tarring And Feathering (10 items)

(#1) Richard The Lionheart Was The First To Use Tarring And Feathering

King Richard I of England was a legendary ruler also known as Richard the Lionheart. He was considered a "chivalrous" King and was well-liked by his kingdom. He was also the first person to ever be documented as having someone tarred and feathered as a punishment in 1189.

On the subject of thieves being discovered on his ships, he declared in 1189 that "[he] shall be first shaved, then boiling pitch shall be poured upon his head, and a cushion of feathers shook over it so that he may be publicly known; and at the first land where the ships put in he shall be cast on shore."
(#4) In The United States, Syrup And Cattails Were Used

The most common materials used globally for tarring and feathering were, in fact, pine tar and feathers; however, when the eponymous ingredients were in short supply, Americans began to use other materials they had readily on hand.

Some common substitutes in the 1800s were syrup and cattails, which are both food products as opposed to building materials and stuffing.
(#10) The Last Tarring And Feathering Took Place In 1981

Elizabeth Jamieson was tarred and feathered on her wedding day in 1981. The ex-wife of her husband-to-be, Marietta McElwey, was angry that Jamieson was proceeding with the wedding in spite of McElwey threats. McElwey and her sister essentially held Jamieson at gunpoint before chopping off her long hair, stripping her torso, and tarring and feathering her from the waist up.

Determined to carry on with her wedding plans, Jamieson recovered from the incident and went forward with the wedding, wearing a short wig to hide her butchered hair.
(#6) Joseph Smith, Founder Of The LDS Church, Was Tarred And Feathered

Religious leader Joseph Smith was dragged from his bed in the middle of the night on March 24, 1832. Community members were angry about his supposed plan to take land from them and place it under his own control. Perhaps the most pressing reason for the midnight kidnapping was the accusation that he had been intimate with a young girl in the community.

Smith was badly beaten and covered in tar and feathers, but friends spent the night cleaning him up, and the next morning, he still preached to his congregation.
(#2) The Necessary Items Could Be Found In Or Near The Home

Back in colonial times, the average American pillow was filled with feathers. Tar was also readily available, since pine tar was used as a common sealant in most shipyards. As the necessary materials were easily available to the average citizen, tarring and feathering quickly gained popularity among the colonists as a method of punishment and humiliation.

This was especially true after the passing of the Stamp Act, when colonists turned their outrage on British officials regularly.
(#7) Not Even The Clergy Was Beyond Reproach

Since members of religious orders were highly esteemed in past centuries, they were punished severely for behaving outside of their prescribed boundaries.

In 1623, a group of nuns and priests experienced exactly that; although little is known about the incident itself, they were tarred and feathered for public drunkeness.