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Jan 1, 800
Before the 9th Century: Belief of Witches
LinkThe belief of witches started to became popular. The people accused where mostly woman that were thought to be using black magic. -
Jan 1, 906
Canon Episcopi
LinkThe book Canon Episcopi was written that said that witches are not real. It states that witches are actually Pagans or heretics. It is believed that the evidence of witches were illusions of the mind. -
Jan 1, 1203
Cathar Genocide
LinkCathars were believed to be heretics which was what people believed witches were. The Pope at the time, declared that there be a genocide against them. This ended in 1321 CE. -
Jan 1, 1324
Lady Alice Kyteler
LinkLady Alice Kyteler was accused of witchcraft along with her son in Ireland. The accusations came from the maid who later was burned for sorcery, too. Alice escaped the torture and execution by fleeing but left her son to confess and pay the fine. -
Jan 1, 1347
Black Plague
LinkThe Black plague spread through Europe killing millions. This majorly impacted people psychological thinking and behavior. They started to blame witches for spreading the disease. -
Jan 1, 1440
Gilles de Rais
LinkGilles de Rais was a French Noble and soldier, killed for being a witch in France. He was accused of kidnapping, over 40 murders, being a heretic, and demon-summoning. He confessed to it all and was hung then burned and given a Christian burial. -
Jan 1, 1450
Witch Hunts
LinkThe witch hunts start to become popular in Europe. The Catholic Church declared that Pagans were to be considered witches and dangerous. It was believed that they were associated with Satan and demons. -
Jan 1, 1486
Malleus Maleficarum
LinkMalleus Maleficarum was published by Jacob Sprengert and Heinrich Kramer. Its purpose was to prove that witchcraft was real and how to handle and identify them. It was later banned by the Catholic Church. -
Jan 1, 1549
Witchcraft Act
LinkA Witchcraft Act was passed by Parliament declaring that it is punishable by death in England. In 1736, the Act was changed, instead of death, the punishment was fines and imprisonment. -
Witch Storm
LinkKing James VI of Scotland was on a trip with his wife, when they ran into a really bad storm. Six women from Denmark admitted to being the source of the storm. When he returned to Scotland, he approved the torture of witches and had them burned at the stake. -
Agnes Sampson
LinkAgnes Sampson was arrested and executed for witchcraft. After being tortured, she admitted to meeting the devil. Agnes told King James what the devil sent her and others to use magic to make the storm that effected the King and his wife’s voyage. -
Gwen Ferch Elis
LinkThe first woman to be killed for witchcraft in Wales was Gwen Ferch Elis. She was accused of using witchcraft and driving a child crazy. Evidence used to convict her was given by seven different people. She was hung in Denbigh Town Square. -
Entjen Gellis
LinkEntjen Gellis was a midwife and a supposed witch from the Netherlands that was executed. She even admitted to killing babies and was accused of Black Magic. This was one of the worse years for witches in the Netherlands. -
Katharina Henot
LinkKatharina Henot was believed to be a witch in Germany and was burned alive for it. She is believed to perform sorcery and murder. In 2012, her case was reopened by the Cologne Council who have found her to be innocent. -
Bamberg Witch Trials
LinkJohannes Junius was executed as part of the Bamberg Witch Trials. He was accused, and later confessed to, attending a Witch Dance. He was burned at the stake. Before he was killed, he wrote a letter to his daughter. In this letter, he explained that he only confessed to get out of being tortured. -
Largest Witch Hunt in France
LinkThis is the start largest witch hunt that French has ever seen. There were over 650 accused witches arrested just from one city alone. This ended around 1645. -
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Malin Matsdotter
LinkMalin Matsdotter was another Swedish witch accused of witchcraft. She was said to take children to a field for Satan. While on the stake, she is said to not have made a sound. She did not scream or cry. At this time, people believed that witch’s felt no pain. -
Temperance Lloyd
LinkTemperance Lloyd was the last known witch executed in England. She was accused of using magic and being a murderer. She was hung and is said to looked as if she did not care that she was about to die. -
Christian Shaw
LinkSix people in Scotland were killed for witchcraft because they were thought to have aided in the possession of eleven year old Christian Shaw. She had seizures and threw up objects. There were times when people believed she was deaf, blind, or even dead because she was so out of it. There was a study in later years that suggested that she had a mental illness and was never possessed.
