Witchcraft and Magic in Europe, Volume 4: The Period of the Witch Trials (History of Witchcraft and Magic in Europe)

The fifteenth to eighteenth centuries was a period of witchcraft prosecutions throughout Europe and modern scholars have now devoted a huge amount of research to these episodes. This volume will attempt to bring this work together by summarising the history of the trials in a new way - according to the types of legal systems involved. Other topics covered will be the continued practical use made of magic, the elaboration of demonological theories about witchcraft and magic, and the further development of scientific interests in natural magic through the 'Neoplatonic' and 'Hermetic' period.Amongst the topics included here are Superstition and Belief in high and popular culture, the place of Medicine, Witchcraft survivals in art and literature, and the survival of Persecution. Contents......Page 7 Introduction......Page 9 Part 1: Witch Trials in Continental Europe 1560–1660......Page 17 Montgaillard, 1643......Page 19 Features of Continental Witch Trials......Page 22 Witchcraft and the Reformations......Page 26 Three-quarters German? European Witch Trials 1560–1660......Page 28 A German Sonderweg?......Page 32 1563: Weyer and Wiesensteig......Page 34 Germany’s ‘Superhunts’ (1586–1639)......Page 38 A Bavarian Sonderweg?......Page 45 Confessionalism and Appellate Justice in the Empire......Page 47 The ‘Lotharingian Corridor’ and Francophone Witch-hunts......Page 50 Witch-hunting in the Kingdom of France......Page 56 Witchcraft and the Mediterranean Inquisitions......Page 60 Witch-hunting after 1650: New and Old Patterns......Page 65 Part 2: Witch Trials in Northern Europe 1450–1700......Page 69 Introduction......Page 71 The Rise of Government and the Judicial Revolution: Accusatorial versus Inquisitorial Regimes......Page 79 Consolidation of Patriarchal Social Relations......Page 86 Development of Theology and Demonology......Page 88 Social Tensions on the Local Level......Page 89 The Sixteenth Century: From Sorcery to Witchcraft......Page 91 Witchcraft by Regions......Page 92 Conclusion......Page 109 Part 3: Witchcraft and Magic in Early Modern Culture......Page 113 Magic at Work......Page 115 The Meaning of Magic......Page 121 Maleficium and Magic......Page 128 Religious Reformation and Popular Magic......Page 132 The Literature of Witchcraft......Page 138 Witchcraft and Intellectual History......Page 148 The Politics of Witchcraft Belief......Page 153 Languages of Witchcraft......Page 159 ‘The Greatest Profoundnesse of Natural Philosophie’......Page 163 Intellectual Magic and the Scientific Revolution......Page 170 Natural Magic and Demonic Magic......Page 176 Magic and Politics......Page 183 Bibliography......Page 187 C......Page 203 G......Page 204 L......Page 205 N......Page 206 S......Page 207 W......Page 208 Z......Page 209 Contents 7 Introduction 9 Part 1: Witch Trials in Continental Europe 1560–1660 17 Montgaillard, 1643 19 Features of Continental Witch Trials 22 Witchcraft and the Reformations 26 Three-quarters German? European Witch Trials 1560–1660 28 A German Sonderweg? 32 1563: Weyer and Wiesensteig 34 Germany’s ‘Superhunts’ (1586–1639) 38 A Bavarian Sonderweg? 45 Confessionalism and Appellate Justice in the Empire 47 The ‘Lotharingian Corridor’ and Francophone Witch-hunts 50 Witch-hunting in the Kingdom of France 56 Witchcraft and the Mediterranean Inquisitions 60 Witch-hunting after 1650: New and Old Patterns 65 Part 2: Witch Trials in Northern Europe 1450–1700 69 Introduction 71 The Rise of Government and the Judicial Revolution: Accusatorial versus Inquisitorial Regimes 79 Consolidation of Patriarchal Social Relations 86 Development of Theology and Demonology 88 Social Tensions on the Local Level 89 The Sixteenth Century: From Sorcery to Witchcraft 91 Witchcraft by Regions 92 Conclusion 109 Part 3: Witchcraft and Magic in Early Modern Culture 113 Chapter 1: Popular Magic 115 Magic at Work 115 The Meaning of Magic 121 Maleficium and Magic 128 Religious Reformation and Popular Magic 132 Chapter 2: Demonology 138 The Literature of Witchcraft 138 Witchcraft and Intellectual History 148 The Politics of Witchcraft Belief 153 Languages of Witchcraft 159 Chapter 3: Intellectual Magic 163 ‘The Greatest Profoundnesse of Natural Philosophie’ 163 Intellectual Magic and the Scientific Revolution 170 Natural Magic and Demonic Magic 176 Magic and Politics 183 Bibliography 187 Index 203 A 203 B 203 C 203 D 204 E 204 F 204 G 204 H 205 I 205 J 205 K 205 L 205 M 206 N 206 O 207 P 207 Q 207 R 207 S 207 T 208 V 208 W 208 Y 209 Z 209 The eighteenth century saw the end of witch trials everywhere. The authors chart the process of and reasons for the decriminalization of witchcraft, but also challenge the widespread assumption that Europe then became "disenchanted." Here for the first rime are surveys of the social role of witchcraft in European communities, as well as a full treatment of Victorian supernaturalism and of the continued importance of witchcraft and magic as topics of debate among intellectuals and other writers. Witchcraft continues to play a role in the modern European imagination and in its cultures. This book brings together studies of its most important modern manifestations, including a new history of English Wicca, and satanic abuse mythology. The end of the 18th century saw the end of the witch trials everywhere. this volume charts the processes and reasons for the decriminalization of witchcraft, but also challenges the widespread assumption that Europe has been "disenchanted".