Content Flashcards
How many witches were executed in Bamberg over a 9 year period?
900
How did the structure of the Holy Roman Empire affect the witch trials?
- Not a united state
- If a state had the status of being an Imperial City - they would enjoy relative freedoms with only the Holy Roman Emperor to report too
- Legal systems varied between states
- Emperor had ultimate control - but it was difficult to unite all states
What principle did Catholic Emperor Charles establish?
- 1548
- Victory over Protestant confederacy
- The religion of a ruler should be the religion of a region
In which states were there the most amount of witch hunts?
Catholic regions ruled by prince-bishops.
What factors in Germany led to more panics spreading?
- Political and judicial authority was fragmented
- Reformation and counter-reformation - Leading to an increased fear of the Devil’s work
- Limited legal framework - The Carolina Law Codes (1532) states justice should remain a local matter
Why was there confusion over the role of prince-bishops?
- From 1242 - Bishops known as Prince Bishops
- A bishop may have complete judicial control over one geographical area
- But they lack the power to set up courts in other areas
Who led the counter-reformation?
- Zealous prince-bishops (Catholic)
Why did the counter-reformation gain momentum?
How did the Protestant community react?
- Through the influence of the Jesuit order
- This was approved by the pope in 1540
- These Jesuit churches were fiercely anti-protestant
- They encouraged shrines dedicated to saints - eg. A ceiling painting in the Church of St Micheal in Ziel, Bamberg - showing the connection between Protestantism and witchcraft
- They supported the Habsburgs and enabled them to cement their overall control.
- In return, the protestant community believed Catholics were in league with the Devil and that the Pope was antichrist.
Who were the Habsburgs?
- German royal family.
- They provided rulers for a number of European states.
- 1551 - Family split into Spanish and Austrian lines.
Give an example of opposition to the Counter-Reformation
- Marktzeuln (officially controlled by a bishop of Bamberg)
- Parishioners of the local protestant church refused to renounce their faith
- Catholic authorities tried to replace ministers they faced threats and weapons and were chased out of the area.
What did Von Aschhausen aim to do as Prince-Bishop of Bamberg?
- 1609
- Aimed to convert Protestant parishes to Catholicism
How did Von Aschhausen aim to convert Protestants to follow Catholicism?
- Imposed fines
- Restricted wood supply
- Quartered Catholic troops in the Protestant villages
- Dissents were exiled
- On occasion, Lutherans were rounded up and arrested
- Imprisoned them in Bamberg tower or specific ‘priest vaults’
- Invited Jesuits to settle in Bamberg.
- Accused 300 of supposed witchcraft
What did Von Aschhausen issue in 1610?
- New Ordinance concerning witchcraft
- Ordering an investigation whereby any person found practising magic would be punished
What did the Bishops Visitation Report of 1611 state?
- Blasphemous practices were still being carried out
- This included fortune-telling and spell casting
When did Von Dornherim become prince-bishop?
1623
- Oppositions to witch-hunting within the authorities were removed.
When was the 30-year-war?
1618-1648
What sections of society were targeted?
- Women whose sexual behaviour deviated from Catholic expectations
- Peoples whose political views and attitudes to the war deviated from those of catholic authorities
- The reputation of healing, fortune-telling or sorcery (scapegoat)
- Members of upper class (to take land)
Give examples of high-status individuals accused during the trial
- John Junius - Mayor of Bamberg
- Hans Langhans - Mayor of the town of Zeil - Executed after confessing under torture 1628 - Confessed to being baptised by Devil in 1611 and being responsible to destroying wine crop
- 17 households along the main street of Lange Gasse
- 11 members of town council and mayors office
How many were implicated in the trials?
600-900
Women 72.8%
Year - Bamberg Trial
1623-32
What proportion of accused were women?
72.7% of the 600-900 implicated
What was the average age of the accused?
33.5 years
- Younger than normal
- Only 7 older women executed (2 wise women)
- Most of marriageable age
- One 9 year old who confessed without torture to an encounter he had with a demon named George.
What effect did hereditary guilt have?
- The extent of the trials
- Father initially accused and executed along with wife or daughter.
- Families executions also convinced others of an individuals guilt.
- Eg. Senior members of the town Council in Ziel - Conrad Merklein and Conrad Orter - Both executed 2 months later Orters wife and daughter and Merklein’s daughter and son-in-law arrested
Which laws allowed torture?
Carolina Law Code of 1532
- These confessions were permissible in court where defendants were denied basic legal rights
Year - Carolina Law Code
1532
Explain some common methods of torture used im Bamberg
- Thumbscrews
- Strappado (to suspend by wrists)
- Buring of a women’s hair
- Whipping
- Foot containing excessive salt and pepper and depriving them of water.
What did the authorities in Bamberg establish to get a confession?
Scheduled 101 questions to be asked during an interrogation.
- What did the Devil promise her?
- Where did she first pledge herself to the devil?
- In what locality was the devil’s pact conducted?
Why were more wealthy accused?
- Property confiscations
- Allowing the confiscation of witches property
- Victim res[onsible for all court costs
- This reduced the financial liability of the state
Give a specific example of how property confiscation benefited Bamberg financially
- End of persecutions - April 1631
- 22 inmates still held
- All land confiscated on admission to prison
- Totalling 220,000 florins
- 500,000 florins confiscated in total
- 100,000 from Georg Neudecker - Had been mayor of Bamberg
- Wolfgang Hoffmeister - 50,000 florins
