The period from the 15th to the 18th century saw a wave of mass hysteria and persecution that swept across Europe and colonial America: the great witchcraft trials. During this time, tens of thousands of people, the vast majority of whom were women, were accused, tortured, and executed for the crime of witchcraft.
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This dark chapter in history was fueled by a combination of religious fervor, social anxiety, and a newly codified legal and theological framework for prosecuting witches. The trials were not a random outburst of mob violence, but a systematic, legally sanctioned process that turned neighbor against neighbor and left a legacy of terror and injustice.
⚖️ The Malleus Maleficarum and the Legal Framework
A key catalyst for the intensification of the witch hunts was the publication of the Malleus Maleficarum (‘The Hammer of Witches’) in 1487. Written by the Dominican inquisitor Heinrich Kramer, this book became the definitive handbook for witch-hunters. It laid out the theological argument for the existence of witches, described their supposed pacts with the Devil, and provided a detailed guide to prosecuting them.
The ‘Malleus Maleficarum’ established a brutal legal framework for the trials, which included:
- The Legitimation of Torture: The book argued that since witchcraft was an exceptional crime, exceptional measures, including severe torture, were necessary to extract a confession.
- Procedural Irregularities: It allowed for anonymous accusations and denied the accused the right to a proper legal defense.
- Misogynistic Ideology: The text is infamous for its deep-seated misogyny, arguing that women were more susceptible to the Devil’s temptations due to their supposed moral and intellectual weakness.
🗣️ The Process of a Trial
A witchcraft trial typically began with an accusation, often stemming from a personal dispute, a mysterious illness, or a crop failure. Once accused, the suspected witch was arrested and subjected to a terrifying and often fatal process. The primary goal of the trial was not to determine guilt or innocence, but to secure a confession.
The accused would be systematically stripped of their dignity and defenses. They were often subjected to ‘pricking,’ a process where inquisitors would search for the Devil’s mark—a spot on the body that was supposedly insensitive to pain. The psychological and physical torment of the interrogation, which included sleep deprivation and various forms of torture, was designed to break the will of the accused and force them to confess, not only to their own guilt but also to name other witches in the community, thus perpetuating the cycle of accusation.
🌍 Famous Witch Trials
While the witch hunts occurred across Europe, some trials became particularly infamous for their scale and brutality. The Trier witch trials in Germany (1581-1593) and the Bamberg witch trials (1626-1631) saw hundreds of people executed. In the British Isles, the trials led by the self-proclaimed ‘Witchfinder General,’ Matthew Hopkins, in the 1640s resulted in the deaths of over 100 people.
Perhaps the most famous trials in the Anglophone world were the Salem witch trials in colonial Massachusetts in 1692-1693. This localized but intense outbreak of hysteria led to the execution of 20 people and stands as a cautionary tale about the dangers of religious extremism and mass delusion.
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Atkinson, Hazel. The Extraordinary History of Witches. 2025.
More Topics
- Curses: The History of the Evil Eye and Binding Magic
- Magical Plants: A Witch’s Garden of Herbs and Poisons
- Roman Magic: Curses, the Strix, and Everyday Protection
- Circe: The Greek Sorceress of Transformation and Myth
- Greek Magic: Hecate’s Power, Oracles, and Enchantresses
- Japanese Magic: Yōkai, Onmyōdō, and Supernatural Folklore
- Empress Chen Jiao: The Royal Scandal of Witchcraft in Han China
