The most famous executions in history

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, can be defined as the state-sanctioned practice of executing a person as punishment for an actual or supposed crime. Although the death penalty is now illegal in most countries, this was not always the case. Indeed, there are many historical cases, some more recent than others, of prominent figures being executed.Intrigued? Check out this gallery to find out which famous figures from history received the ultimate sentence.