European Witch-Craze Essay

1438 Words6 Pages
During the early decades of the 14th century to 1750, Europeans executed between 200,000 and 500,000 witches, most of which were women. (Ben-Yehuda, The European Witch Craze of the 14th to 17th Centuries: A Sociologist's Perspective). The nature and timing of the executions and the persecutions that preceded these women were based upon the changes of the Inquisition, as well as their distinct differences played within the medieval society. In conclusion to these changes within the medieval social order, the witch craze accounted for the need of a redefinition of moral boundaries. The fact that these executions and the accompanying demonological theories were accepted and popular amongst society can be further explained through the lack of social and ethical standards of people, which spread throughout society at that time. Although these certain conditions provided the foundation for the witch-hunts, demographic and economic changes explain further reasons why witch-hunts were geared towards women. The witch-hunts fluctuated for nearly three centuries, with great variations in time and space. Despite the involvement of church authorities, “the vast majority of witches were condemned by secular courts,” with local courts closely noted for their abusive ways (Gibbons, Recent Developments). This across the board procedure in most countries was for accused witched to be brought before investigating court of law and were interrogated. In few parts of Europe torture was rarely used, but where the witch-hunts were most intense, it became one of the standard features of the interrogation process. As a result of such torture many of who were accused would “confess” to witchcraft, but only did so due to the brutal conditions they were put in. About half of all who were convicted witches were given sentences short of execution, and the other half were generally killed in
Open Document