Europe in the 1500s and 1600s was an ascending, expanding civilisation, poised to become globally dominant, and destined to produce the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. Confident mercantile republics and opulent monarchies alike seemed to be flourishing. But it was also a Devil-haunted society. Witches and imps were not merely the stuff of stories, used by mothers to frighten their children into obedience. Many people believed in a real conspiracy of witches, in league with the cloven-hoofed Devil, flying on broomsticks, having familiar spirits and casting harmful spells. People from all classes, from peasants to kings, attributed calamities to malevolent witchcraft, and anyone (though it was of course mostly women) could be suspected of being a witch. Witch hunts flared up, particularly in German lands. Mass persecutions culminating in burnings – seemingly insane and monstrous acts of societal self-mutilation on a grand scale – were accepted as acts of faith, justice and collective self-defence. Who were the witch hunters? Where did they get their ideas? Did witch hunts mask politically motivated persecutions? Were there witches? Were witches a secret society, or a surviving shamanic religion? Did initiates induce hallucinations of night-flights and contact with supernatural beings? Or does torture and the preconceived notions of the witch hunters account for the consistent confessions secured from suspected witches?
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
Trusted by 375,005 students
Access to over 1.5 million titles for a fair monthly price.
Study more efficiently using our study tools.
Information
Subtopic
European Renaissance HistoryIndex
HistoryTable of contents
- Cover
- Preface
- Timeline
- 1 - Origins of Beliefs in Witchcraft and Magic
- 2 - Conceptions of Witchcraft
- 3 - The Devil’s Cult and the Inquisition
- 4 - Inquisitorial Manuals
- 5 - The Protestant Reformation and the Devil
- 6 - Italy: Night Flights and Dream Fights of the Benandanti
- 7 - Away with the Fairies
- 8 - Spain and the Basque Country
- 9 - Jews and Jewish Mysticism
- 10 - Witch Hunting in Switzerland, Germany and Scandinavia
- 11 - Witch Hunts in the British Isles
- 12 - Witchcraft, Werewolves and Possessions in France
- 13 - New-World Witchcraft
- 14 - The End of Witch Hunting and the Seed of Modern Witchcraft
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Bibliography
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription
No, books cannot be downloaded as external files, such as PDFs, for use outside of Perlego. However, you can download books within the Perlego app for offline reading on mobile or tablet. Learn how to download books offline
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.5M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1.5 million books across 990+ topics, we’ve got you covered! Learn about our mission
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more about Read Aloud
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS and Android devices to read anytime, anywhere — even offline. Perfect for commutes or when you’re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Yes, you can access Maleficium by Gordon Napier in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & European Renaissance History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.