The witch hunts and witch trials that happened hundreds of years ago are some of the most infamous events that have happened throughout history.
Perhaps the most infamous witch trials were those that happened in Salem Massachusetts, in the United States of America. The Salem Witch Trials happened between 1692 and 1693. The European witch hunts and trials were already happening long before the Salem witch hunts took place - the Salem Witch Trials happened in the dying decades of the witch trials that were happening across Europe during the early modern era.
The witch-hunts were happening in Europe from 1450 to 1750. These witch-hunts resulted in the brutal deaths of both people and animals in Europe.
The witch-hunts in the early modern era of Europe, resulted in many different European countries having witch trials. These countries included - Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, England and many more. In England, the witch-trials resulted in the 'The Witchcraft Act 1542'. The Witchcraft Act 1542, was a law that King Henry VIII had passed. This law was passed in the final years of King Henry VIII's reign, as the Tudor monarch died in 1547. This resulted in Henry's son, Edward, becoming king of England - King Edward repealed the Witchcraft Act that his father had put in place. The witch trials didn't stop in England though at that point; they lasted from the 15th century to the 18th century in England. The witch trials in England resulted in hundreds of deaths, the vast majority of people persecuted and killed because of the witch trials, were women. In Scotland, there were different witchcraft acts. For example, the Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 was passed. This act resulted in witchcraft and associating with witches as a capital offence. It is estimated that witch trials and hunts were significantly higher in Scotland, compared to England - as it is estimated that there were thousands of people persecuted in Scotland for being witches.
King James VI of Scotland (James I of England), was perhaps the most notorious person in history to be associated with the witch hunts and trials. James was notoriouslysuperstitious ; his dark superstitious nature resulted in thisking's brutal witch hunts.
The Scottish king himself personally attended Scotland's first major witch trials; these witch trials were called the North Berwick witch trials. There was said to be between 70 to 200 women who were arrested and accused of being witches; these women were tortured upon their arrest and murdered - though the exact number of women persecuted in the North Berwick witch trials is unknown to this day. The witch hunts in Scotland were significantly worse than its neighbour England. While England was thought to have killed around 500 people (mostly women) of witchcraft, the death rate was 3 to 4 times higher in Scotland, as it is estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 women in Scotland were killed because they were accused of witchcraft. The Witchcraft Act 1735 During the height of the witch trials, Scotland and England were united in the union. The Act of Union 1707, united Scotland and England to form one country. The witch trials and witch hunts were still happening during this time, however, these hunts and trials were ending. The Witchcraft Act 1735, which was made law in the Kingdom of Britain, resulted in the killing of witches being outlaw in Britain. However, people could still be sent to prison for witchcraft. The last witch-hunting trials which happened in England were in 1717 in Leicester. The witch hunting trials seemed to put an end to people being killed in the name of witchcraft, however, women (largely) were still imprisoned for witchcraft up until very recent history, due to the Witchcraft Act 1735. Remarkably, Scotland's last witch was sent to prison in 1944! The persecution of women in the name of witchcraft, stopped in Britain when the Witchcraft Act of 1735 was repealed by the UK parliament in 1951.
The biggest amount of witch trials and hunts across Europe came between 1580 and 1630.
These witch hunts and trials happened in much of Europe. It is believed that men, women and even animals were killed as a result of the witch hunts. The vast majority of those killed in the name of witchcraft across Europe were women. And, most of these women were usually either middle-aged or elderly; they often lived alone too. These women were also poor and social outcasts. This resulted in the thousands of women (and some men), during the early modern era in Western Europe. It is estimated that as many as 200,000 people were killed, tortured and hanged as a result of being accused of witchcraft between 1484 and 1750. What Was The Reason For The Witch Hunts? A major driving force in the witch hunts and trials seemed to be misogyny : a hatred of women. The vast majority of those accused of witchcraft were women. It was believed that 80% of those persecuted and killed in the name of witchcraft in the early modern era, were women. This has resulted in people theorizing that the witch hunts which happened were driven bymisogyny. Another reason that people believe that the witch hunts happened, was due to mass hysteria and moral panic. Mass hysteria has been seen as the reason, specifically for the Salem witch trials. Other reasons for the witch hunts happening are - people not fitting in with the social and religious beliefs and ways of life at the time, persecution of elderly and old women. It seems likely that is was a combination of all of these things that resulted in the witch trials and hunts of the early modern era in history; rather than just one thing being responsible for them. The witch trials and hunts were one of Europe's most infamous and brutal events in history.
0 Comments
|
Archives
April 2023
Categories
All
← Resize me
|