European Witch Hunt Research Paper
`There is little point in using the general term ‘European witch-hunt’. It is misleading as it implies that a common pattern of witchcraft causation and prosecution existed throughout European Society, where none, in fact existed.`
How far do you agree with this view of the witchcraft persecutions in Europe 1450-1650?
The “European Witch Hunts” of early modern Europe have been subject to much speculation and historical interpretation since their peak period, between the late 15th and 17th century, and the present day. Throughout this feudal period Europe became subject to an overwrought religious movement, born from religious, economic and social upheaval. The fundamental explanatory nature of human rationalism offered a separable individual …show more content…
The idea is suggestive that it was futile whether the political or legal structure could facilitate a mass witch hunt if the core belief and fundamental anxiety of the apocalyptical potential of witchcraft was simply absent. For example in the Germanic states there is a strong belief in demonic witchcraft amongst the laity, proletariat and elites alike, which was a root cause to the rapid spread of hysteria throughout the states. The impression and perception of a Christian witch had altered so drastically from its original connotations of ‘maleficia’ and ‘black and white magic’ towards ideals of heresy and satanic worship in bringing about an apocalyptical event13. The severity of witchcraft persecutions becomes completely coherent and understandable when delving into the beliefs of the people and a pattern tends to arise that the deeper beliefs in demonology generally correlate to a higher number of prosecutions. If we take the Netherlands as a divergent specimen, we can consider the similarity in the political/legal structures in comparison to the Germanic states; however we see a distinct tameness and lack of prosecutions. This is primarily due to the disapproval of the ‘Malleus Maleficarum’ and the cumulative concept of demonic witchcraft. Likewise the same can be said for Spain as their inquisition was one of the most brutal, towards heretics, throughout the entire period but still low levels of prosecutions are found. High levels of scepticism and the disapprobation of texts such as the Malleus were common throughout the Suprema. In England there was a distinct absence of Papal or ecclesiastical inquisitors to enforce demonological ideas and led to a somewhat apathetic approach to witchcraft persecution. There is however the exceptions of Hopkins and the trials of Pendle, but both had rather
How far do you agree with this view of the witchcraft persecutions in Europe 1450-1650?
The “European Witch Hunts” of early modern Europe have been subject to much speculation and historical interpretation since their peak period, between the late 15th and 17th century, and the present day. Throughout this feudal period Europe became subject to an overwrought religious movement, born from religious, economic and social upheaval. The fundamental explanatory nature of human rationalism offered a separable individual …show more content…
The idea is suggestive that it was futile whether the political or legal structure could facilitate a mass witch hunt if the core belief and fundamental anxiety of the apocalyptical potential of witchcraft was simply absent. For example in the Germanic states there is a strong belief in demonic witchcraft amongst the laity, proletariat and elites alike, which was a root cause to the rapid spread of hysteria throughout the states. The impression and perception of a Christian witch had altered so drastically from its original connotations of ‘maleficia’ and ‘black and white magic’ towards ideals of heresy and satanic worship in bringing about an apocalyptical event13. The severity of witchcraft persecutions becomes completely coherent and understandable when delving into the beliefs of the people and a pattern tends to arise that the deeper beliefs in demonology generally correlate to a higher number of prosecutions. If we take the Netherlands as a divergent specimen, we can consider the similarity in the political/legal structures in comparison to the Germanic states; however we see a distinct tameness and lack of prosecutions. This is primarily due to the disapproval of the ‘Malleus Maleficarum’ and the cumulative concept of demonic witchcraft. Likewise the same can be said for Spain as their inquisition was one of the most brutal, towards heretics, throughout the entire period but still low levels of prosecutions are found. High levels of scepticism and the disapprobation of texts such as the Malleus were common throughout the Suprema. In England there was a distinct absence of Papal or ecclesiastical inquisitors to enforce demonological ideas and led to a somewhat apathetic approach to witchcraft persecution. There is however the exceptions of Hopkins and the trials of Pendle, but both had rather