In a continent ravaged by plague, war and religious upheaval, maleficium (malicious magic) was just one more menace that people had to weather. No one was safe from maleficium, nor from accusations of practicing magic and consorting with the Devil – not even queens and courtiers. In the History of Witchcraft, we cover everything you need to know about the hunts and trials that cut a bloody swathe across Europe and the American Colonies from the Medieval times to the Early Modern age. Uncover the true stories of the panic and paranoia that swept towns up into hysteria, from accusations at Pendle Hill in Lancashire, England, to the madness of the Salem Witch Trials leading to the execution of 20 people. Find out what tools, ingredients and magical tomes real cunning folk depended on and what concoction could cure stomach ulcers. Investigate the exploits of the notorious Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witchfinder General who made it his mission to punish anyone whom he believed to be practising the works of the Devil. Packed with incredible illustrations and insights, this is the perfect guide for anyone who wants to learn about this dark period of history.
Welcome to HISTORY WITCHCRAFT
WITCH HUNTING • The witch-hunters of early modern Europe and America saw thousands tortured and sentenced to death, but what was a witch-hunt and why did this notorious practice happen?
WITCH HUNTING WORLDWIDE
Who Were the Witch-Hunters?
Are you a witch?
The Salem Witch Trials
The Dawn of the Witch • In the ancient world magic was a part of everyday life, but as cultures grew and new religions emerged, the idea of witchcraft and those who practised it became twisted and demonic
Hecate: Goddess of Witches
MAGIC IN THE ANCIENT WORLD • Magic has been present since the earliest human cultures
15 Most Notorious Witches • Meet the individuals whose status of witch – whether true or not – have helped shape the folklore of witches
The witches that inspired film and TV • As well as offering a valuable social insight to the past, witches and witch trials have also inspired characters and plots in modern entertainment
Lighting the Pyre • How medieval Europe went from disbelieving in the power of witches to fearing a sinister secret society bent on subverting the masses
From Templars to Trials
Gunnhild, Mother of Kings • Her legend steeped in witchcraft, power and intrigue, Gunnhild’s story marks the moment where fact and fantasy blur
Power and Sex in the Sagas • Gunnhild takes a lover, yet ends it with a curse
Magic of the Finnar • The dark northern magic of Gunnhild
Joan of Navarre, the Royal Witch • Explore the life of Joan of Navarre, Queen of England, the treasonous witchcraft accusations against her and how not all was as it seemed
The Reputation of Queen Joan • What did contemporaries think of her?
Betrayal of the Knights Templar • In seven years the Order was hunted, dismantled and executed. Was this justice for their sacrilegious practices, or were they the victims of a twisted plot?
KEY FIGURES • The men who destroyed the Order, and those who fought to defend it
TEMPLAR HIERARCHY • Although they’re remembered as knights, the Templars were a slick organisation, and each man had his role to play to keep it operating
The Templars Across Europe • When the pope ordered Christian monarchs across Europe to arrest Templars, not all were willing
Guilty or Innocent? • Was there any truth to the crimes the Templars burned for?
Downfall of a Duchess • Eleanor Cobham was almost Queen of England, but accusations of witchcraft left her publicly humiliated and locked up for life
History’s royal witches • Eleanor Cobham wasn’t...