Witches & Witchcraft

They’ll get you and your little dog, too

Background Information

• Most people lived in small villages & had to fight nature to survive

• People held beliefs in spirits populating the world– Both good & bad spirits

• Religious conflict spread through Europe– Reformation questioned the Church– Made people feel like they needed additional

protection from the Devil & evil

Wise men & women• Wise men/women were able to interpret signs

& warnings – Offered remedies (potions, chants, spells)– Could be considered ‘good witches’ or ‘bad

witches’

• Witch hunts were particularly church driven because witches were seen as a threat to church power/authority – Church declared their “magic” the only legitimate

form of magic & those who practiced outside of the church did so for the Devil

Who were accused witches?• Between 1400-1700

– 70,000-100,000 sentenced to death for harmful magic & witchcraft– 80% women

• Peaked between 1570 – 1680– 35,000 killed (29,000 women) – 4 out of 5 were in Germany

• The accused witches were usually high profile– A lot of midwives associated with deaths of mothers & children– Rich or poor, popular or unpopular

» Single women, 45-60, » Those who were in need of security

• Many would confess to avoid death after being tortured

Accusations

• People were afraid that witches were taking over the land, killing children and livestock

• Those who accused witches often claimed they saw the accused associating with the Devil

• Accusations would increase if harvests were poor, if weather was harsh, if money or food was scarce, or if the plague hit

Why women?

• Misogyny– Women were starting to create their own

independent identities & that was scary for men & the Church

– Malleus Maleficarum Part 1 Question VI– She's a witch!

The Malleus Malificarum

• The Witches’ Hammer published in 1498• Used as a handbook for successfully

identifying & killing witches– Detailed witches appearance, behavior, alleged

Satanic rites, and familiars (black cats, etc.)– Divided into 3 parts

1: Why there are witches2. What witches do & how to stop them3. Legal proceedings against witches & heretics

Punishments

• Punishments included:– The witches collar (inward spikes against the throat)– Ducking– Pressing– The Strappado (tying hands behind a person’s back,

lifting them up by the wrists above a ceiling beam & then dropping them several times until joints are dislocated)

– Turcas (designed to rip finger nails out)– Stoning– Red hot pinchers (used to tear off bits of flesh)

HAPPY

HALLOWEEN!