Author Description
The Essays In This Handbook, Written By Leading Scholars Working In The Rapidly Developing Field Of Witchcraft Studies, Explore The Historical Literature Regarding Witch Beliefs And Witch Trials In Europe And Colonial America Between The Early Fifteenth And Early Eighteenth Centuries. During These Years Witches Were Thought To Be Evil People Who Used Magical Power To Inflict Physical Harm Or Misfortune On Their Neighbours. Witches Were Also Believed To Have Made Pacts With The Devil And Sometimes To Have Worshipped Him At Nocturnal Assemblies Known As Sabbaths. These Beliefs Provided The Basis For Defining Witchcraft As A Secular And Ecclesiastical Crime And Prosecuting Tens Of Thousands Of Women And Men For This Offence. The Trials Resulted In As Many As Fifty Thousand Executions. These Essays Study The Rise And Fall Of Witchcraft Prosecutions In The Various Kingdoms And Territories Of Europe And In English, Spanish, And Portuguese Colonies In The Americas. They Also Relate These Prosecutions To The Catholic And Protestant Reformations, The Introduction Of New Forms Of Criminal Procedure, Medical And Scientific Thought, The Process Of State-building, Profound Social And Economic Change, Early Modern Patterns Of Gender Relations, And The Wave Of Demonic Possessions That Occurred In Europe At The Same Time. The Essays Survey The Current State Of Knowledge In The Field, Explore The Academic Controversies That Have Arisen Regarding Witch Beliefs And Witch Trials, Propose New Ways Of Studying The Subject, And Identify Areas For Future Research.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the historical, social, and legal mechanisms that facilitated the widespread prosecution of witchcraft in Europe and colonial America between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. Edited by Brian P. Levack, a prominent historian of early modern witchcraft, the handbook compiles contributions from leading scholars to synthesize current academic understanding. The text examines how theological, political, and gender-based frameworks intersected to define witchcraft as a criminal offense, resulting in tens of thousands of executions across diverse territories.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of witch trials across European kingdoms and colonial territories.
- Examination of the impact of the Catholic and Protestant Reformations on judicial procedures.
- Analysis of the intersection between witchcraft, state-building, and early modern gender relations.
- Discussion of the role of demonic possession and medical thought in shaping public perception.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the period between the early fifteenth and early eighteenth centuries.
- It does not provide a comprehensive global history of witchcraft outside of the specified European and colonial American contexts.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students frequently identify this handbook as a foundational reference for understanding the complexities of early modern witch trials. The prose maintains a high level of academic rigor, making it a standard resource for those researching the intersection of law, religion, and social history.
Page Count:
646
Publication Date:
2013-01-01
ISBN-10:
0191648833
ISBN-13:
9780191648830
History
Religion
Early Modern
Sociology