Where did iron maiden's name come from?

Answer 1

Steve Harris, the band's bass player after watching the movie "The Man in the Iron Mask" was inspired by the torturing device called Iron Maiden which had a connection in the movie. An iron maiden is an iron cabinet with front doors on hinges. The doors and sometimes the back part and walls are covered with spikes. A person would be put in there for torturing purposes. As the doors would close, the person would be pierced. Many times with a fatal ending.

Answer 2

Iron maiden was a "medieval" torture instrument. Steve Harris saw it when he was watching "Man in the Iron Mask".

Note how medieval is in quotes; that's because it wasn't. It was first built in 19th century.

Answer 3

It was a device of torture used during the Spanish Inquisition.

Answer 4

Steve Harris, their bassist and founding member, states that he was inspired by the film "The Man with the Iron Mask".