The Rise of Witch Hunts in Europe During the Early Modern Period

The Rise of Witch Hunts in Europe During the Early Modern Period

Tens of thousands of people were persecuted and put to death as

witches between 1570 and 1680 – known as the great age of witch-hunts.

Europeans had an extensive range of magical beliefs and practices,

mainly due to the Christian belief that magic exists. The elite

believed in magic as fervently as the most ignorant peasant. It was

believed that some members of the society sold their soul to the devil

giving them power to inflict pain on others and take part in

supernatural performances. Famous intellectuals such as James V1, or

the internationally famous lawyer Jean Bodin, publicly declared the

existence and reality of witchcraft which only convinced the thoughts

and fears of the common folk.[1] There remain a number of reasons and

explanations given by historians over the years to explain why the

witch hunt was it its peak during this period and whom were the most

targeted members of society.

Religion was a colossal factor in the rise of witch hunts like an

epidemic. The Pope XX11 expressed a particular horror of witches and

claimed that he “feared for his own life at their hands.”[2] The

Church and its teachings also played a big part in the views and

beliefs of people. This was due to people having a strong faith in

religion and therefore lacking the audacity to refute the teachings

and views of the Bible and the state. “The Church was keen to condemn

all such traditions as superstitious and pagan….for several centuries

regarded as having conciliar authority.”[3] In the early modern period

it was common to believe the words of the Church and only natural to

ac...

... middle of paper ...

... without any genuine form

of evidence, it was based on word of mouth, which led to the huge

increase of witch-hunt during this period.

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[1] Europe 1600-1789, Anthony F. Upton, p15-17.

[2] Witchcraft in Europe, Alan C. Kors & Edward Peters, 72.

[3] Witchcraft and Magic in 16th and 17th Century Europe, Geoffrey

Scarre, p14.

[4] Witchcraft in Europe 1100-1700, Alan C. Kors & Edward Peters,

p193.

[5] Witchcraft and Magic in 16th and 17th Century Europe, Geoffrey

Scarre, p59.

[6] Witchcraft and Magic in 16th and 17th Century Europe, Geoffrey

Scarre, p24.

[7] The Witch- Hunt in Early Modern Europe, Brian P. Levack, p129.

[8] Malevolent Nurture: Witch-Hunting and Maternal Power in Early

Modern England, Deborah Willis, p65.