Reasons For the Witchcraze

Question 1

Mental World of Early Modern Period

Answer 1

Religious Attitudes:

• in 1500s majority of people thought that Gods presence was everywhere
• Many believed they could ward off ill fortune using prayer and wearing amulets that had been blessed by a priest

Magic:

• Elites dabbled in Alchemy and Astrology
• Peasants often sought aid from local cunning folk if misfortune occurred
• Believed that most people had sought the use of ‘White’ magic to help with a problem at some point

Belief in Witchcraft:

• General belief among majority, elites embraced the reality of Witchcraft
• Most people more concerned with Maleficium than with Devil-Worshipping
• Elites spread ideas of Diabolicism of Witchcraft

Attack on Magic and Superstition:

• Reformation and Counter-Reformation led to an attack on superstition
• Protestants thought Catholic superstitious beliefs were remnant of Paganism
• Witchcraft began to be seen as heresy

Question 2

Political Developments

Answer 2

State Building:

• Persecutions occurred in smaller states that had more judicial autonomy and were outside Governments control or where Central Authority had broken down e.g. East Anglia
• Stronger Governments more likely to end hunts rather than promote them

Quest for Social Discipline:

• Idea that some states sought greater social discipline
• Some may have united with religious leaders to create Godly State e.g. James VI
• Witches perceived as threat to state so solution was to eradicate them

Question 3

Impact of Reformation

Answer 3

• Reformation divided Christianity and led to tension and war
• Both sides wanted to persecute WItches because it was a sin against God and Christianity
• Wanting to show Religious Zeal to opposing side by hunting Witches
• Wanting to create a Godly-State by persecuting anything that didn’t conform e.g. in Scotland with Kirk pressure to create Godly State

Question 4

Socio-Economic Developments

Answer 4

• Thomas and Macfarlane claimed that the worsening socio-economic developments had a major impact on Witchcraft Persecution
• Essex: T and M showed that poor Socio-Economic conditions led to tensions within communities and those accused were people who asked for charity or were a nuisance
• Gossip, Rivalries and Jealousies could have led to victimisation of individual and eventually to prosecution
• Catastrophes: greatest hunts occured in Germany during 30yrs war, Behringer suggests ‘Mini Ice-Age’ in Central Europe had impact on hunts in South-West Germany

Question 5

War on Women?

Answer 5

Estimated 80% of those accused were women, it is possible to equate Witch-Hunts to a hate campaign crafted by increasingly patriarchal society

Feminist View is often Criticised:

• 20% victims were male, indicates that Witch-Hunting was gender-related rather than gender-specific
• Iceland, Finland etc., majority of persecuted men
• Many witnesses who testified were women
• Sporadic nature of hunts suggests it was unlikely to be a co-ordinated campaign against women

Why did people think it was an Attack on Women:

• Women disproportionately associated with Witchcraft because it was believed they were more likely to be seduced by Devil
• Female roles as treating sick, looking after children, preparing food etc, made them suspects when people got ill
• Many of those accused did not conform e.g. were argumentative and aggressive
• Assumption of Witchcraft being a female crime, just as Highway Robbery was assumed to be a male crime

Question 6

Impact of Individuals

Answer 6

• A number of German Prince-Bishops were among the most active Witch-Hunters; a few, e.g. Dornheim in Bamberg, took leading roles in prosecutions
• James VI’s role was crucial in Scotland, e.g. Daemonologie
• Certain Judges played key roles, e.g. Nicolas Remy claimed responsibility for hundreds of deaths
• Witch-Finders, e.g. Matthew Hopkins, sometimes played vital roles

Question 7

Changes in Legal Systems

Answer 7

• Inquisitorial process involved intense questioning, which was aimed at getting suspect to confess
• Papacy making Witchcraft and ‘Exceptional Crime’ allowed suspects to be tortured, usually ensured that they would confess and implicate others
• Countries that forbade torture, e.g. England, saw fewer trials and less large-scale hunts
• However, Inquisitorial process didn’t always lead to more hunts e.g. Spain and Italy more lenient in treatment of those accused