“Not So Serious…” The Spanish Inquisition and Witches

   Oftentimes the Spanish Inquisition gets a bad rap. Even though countless individuals were persecuted for being Jewish or Muslim, no one can argue that a plethora of people were victimized by means of a bloody purge to rid Iberia of witchcraft and magic. On the contrary, a small percentage of the total number of people accused and brought before inquisitorial courts during the period between 1540 and 1700 were charged with Superstition and Witchcraft, according to Christina Larner (CP, 2015). Out of almost 45,000 total charges only 3,500, or roughly 8%, were based on witchcraft and magic. Furthermore out of 535 executions in the region of Aragon during 1540-1640, a measly 12 souls lost their lives because of accusations of superstition and witchcraft, most receiving the “mildest penalties [of]… confession and absolution,” (qtd. in CP, 2015).

    Although any loss of life is a sad occurrence, the numbers in Spain illustrate a significant downplay compared from the massive witch-hunts that were occurring in northern Europe during this time. While many of the magistrates over witch trials in northern Europe were secular, in Spain the Catholic “Inquisition had jurisdiction over all offenses involving… superstition and magic…” (qtd. in CP, 2015). It was in this role that the Inquisition presided over the cases of accused witches and magicians during the early modern period. Addressing the issue of the amount of severity that witches were dealt, or more accurately NOT dealt, resides in the common notion that individuals who were accused of witchcraft were actually attempting to invoke God’s power through the use of legitimate Church “magic”. Larner contends that many did not know that they were sinning and that had they of known it, they would have stopped. Moreover the “only reason that the [commoners’ practice of magic] did not qualify as Church ‘magic’ was that the practitioners violated the Church’s monopoly on divine access,” (qtd. in CP, 2015).

    Needless to say the leniency that accused witches in Spain received during the Inquisition nullifies the belief that all were treated with extreme harshness. Since most inquisitors “assumed that most accused of magic were sincere Catholics who truly did not knowingly call upon demons,” they would receive much lighter punishment compared to more serious offences such as heresy, sodomy, and opposition to the Inquisition (qtd. in CP, 2015).

 

An early 19th century engraving of what many experienced during
the Inquisition. However, according to Larner individuals who were accused of
witchcraft and superstition were almost always not subjected to torture.

Why was the main focus in Spain was on different issues than witchcraft and magic, while many other regions were focusing their attention on eradicating all forms of magic practice?

Do you feel that Spain’s recent past at the time contributed to the Inquisition’s attention to religious matters?

Source:

Wolbrink, Shelley, comp. Course Packet: History of European Witch-hunts. Springfield, Missouri: Drury University Carbon Copy, 2015.

Implicit Partnership: Witchcraft and the Atlantic World

Elizabeth Reis (CP 217) discusses the idea that witchcraft in America was often deemed as such even when it went against the standards laid out in the Malleus Maleficarum. While the American judicial system also used confessions to convict witches, they weren't looking for the same thing European Inquisitors were looking for. In Europe, if confessions didn't edify the notions that the Inquisitors already had about witchcraft, they generally weren't accepted.

In contrast, Reis writes, "Simply to sin implied the forging of an implicit covenant with Satan, a spiritual renunciation of God. For Puritans, to become an actual witch demanded the acceptance of a more literal and physical invitation from the devil. But during the Salem witchcraft trials and other episodes, these distinctions were blurred" (CP 218).

What do you think of this idea of implicit partnership? Does it remind you of any other readings we've done this semester? 

Aberdeenshire: The Beginning of the Scotland Panic

Julian Goodare begins his article about the Scottish witchcraft trials with the trials about Slain which is in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. While reading his article I could only think about the common theme concerning the progression of persecution of witches. In Slain the panic, as Goodare calls it, began with the persecution of two women, Isobel Strachan and Janet Wishart. Both of these women were executed and following their executions panic developed.

It began with Wishart's son, Thomas Leys. He was interrogated, confessed and named many women who had been present whenever he was participating in his devil worshiping/witchcraft. Following Leys' confession led to the interrogation of these other women who also confessed upon interrogation and named more women. In the end the panic had grown exponentially. In a matter of 3 months, "At least eighty people [had been] caught up in the panic, thirty of whom died as a result of it," (Goodare, 2007). It is amazing to me how a panic can show the same characteristics of development even though it is secluded on the northern tip of an island away from the main land that is attributed to the masses of witch trials. Is this a result of the printing press that had been invented 100 or so years prior? I also wonder if the Reformation that sparked the spread of ideas from theologian to theologian, which was arguably made possible through the utilization of the printing press, also fostered the spread of news about trials in Germany and surrounding areas to further places such as Scotland? This could possibly explain some of the stark similarities between the trials. And, because both Germany and Scotland were hubs for some of the most influential protestant theologians it seems plausible.

Evil Children or Mistreated Souls?

Children have historically embodied two very different personas as made evident by the readings on child witches. There is the stereotypical idea of a child that pops into our head; innocent, curious, fragile, and most certainly incapable of witchcraft. But then there is the "sinister" child, the child that whispers ominously and behaves strangely (think Damien from "The Omen"). This child is less frequently thought of, but nevertheless in the back of our minds. For example, something as seemingly innocent as a child's laughter can be both delightful and terrifying. If you're playing peek-a-boo with a child you can't get enough of their little giggle, but if you're home alone and you hear a child's laughter in the night, you're probably going to start praying--at least I would. Clearly there is something both eerie and adorable about children. Perhaps it's for this reason that mature, logical adults were easily able to believe children capable of being witches.

 In the case of Trier, when multiple children claimed to be witches, it is obvious they had no idea what they were doing, and were more than likely just playing pretend. Children love attention, and the mass amounts of attention they would have received during this trial would only serve to fuel the fire of what was most likely to them simply a game. We also know that children can be easily manipulated into giving false testimony, as in the ritual abuse cases of the 80's and 90's. If they feel pressured into it they would easily denounce their neighbors as witches, either out of fear, or because they thought it was fun. The idea of manipulation becomes even more likely when you factor in the fact that minors were allowed to be tortured. We know adults have a very difficult time withstanding torture, one can only imagine how much harder it must have been for a child.

Walinski-Kiehl, Robert S. "The devil's children: child witch-trials in early modern Germany." The History of European Witch-Hunts Course Packet, 2015. Print.

Save the Children: Child Witches During the "Witch Craze"

Children during the early modern period of the witch-trials seemed to have a major role, both passively and actively. In the beginning of Robert Walinski-Kiehl's article, he talks about how children were sometimes primarily seen as victims of witchcraft, rather than actual participants. Children were subjected to violent mutilation and violence as it was believed to be a major identifier for what makes a witch a witch (CP 195). However, Walinski-Kiehl quickly moves on to point out that there were, in fact, children that were tried and even executed because they themselves were accused of being witches.

While we do not seem to have a definitive number as to how many child witches were actually tried and executed, but the author does point out a series of accounts that have been documented of children confessing and accusing others of witchcraft. What I find most interesting about these accounts is trying to figure out just what exactly is going on in the children's psyche while the trials are in full swing. Walinski-Kiehl explains that while children obviously carry an air of innocence about them, and that these shocking accusations of the witch-trials might be far beyond their ability to understand, the author explains, "However, it is unlikely that children were completely unfamiliar with demonic witchcraft notions, particularly in areas that experienced mass panics. They would have overheard adult conversations discussing the trials, and they had the opportunity to obtain information by attending the public executions where the witches' demonic confessions were read out aloud" (CP 202). The children may very well know some of the mechanics of the witch-trials, but they may not know exactly what the trials mean on a deeper level of understanding.

But what do you think of the child confessions? Where do you suppose they stem from, based on our readings for today, and/or any experience you might have with children?

Walinski-Kiehl, Robert S. "The devil's children: child witch-trials in early modern Germany." The History of European Witch-Hunts Course Packet, 2015. Print.

The Many Faces of Possession

The origin of demonic possession during the witch-hunts is one that has differing perspectives. Levack writes that possession was the caused by a witch and points out that a number of witch prosecutions can be attributed to the "witch" being accused of inflicting the possession on a large group of peoples (Levack 184). On the other hand Johann Weyer believed that the Devil possessed the afflicted directly, not as a result of witchcraft. (CP 187)

Possession had reached its peak in Europe in the 1550's but its prominence in Colonial America was not until the late 17th century. A case of possession in Boston in 1688 led to a witchcraft trial and an eventual execution. Then there was the witch-hunt at Salem, this was a highly publicized event that led to a number of cases in England and Scotland. Cases like these helped cement the idea of possession and exorcism in the minds of generations to come and tales of possession are still seen today. 

The Exorcist or as I more commonly refer to it as "the reason I didn't sleep during the summer of 2000" is the most classic example of an exorcism/possession in pop culture today. A number of movies have tried to emulate its success, but I wouldn't know if they were good or not because I'm now permanently broken to scary movies. It seems that without fail there is a movie every year or two regarding this topic (my personal favorite being the exorcism of Jonah Hill in This Is The End).  

For those of you who are interested here is the Exorcism of Jonah Hill: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOQwsiwE0x4

Possession Then and Now

The perception of possession has changed drastically from the days of the witch hunts. Levack introduces the idea that possession was believed to be caused by a witch, and manifested specifically in nuns and children in large numbers. It's interesting to note that in the cases in Aixen-Province and Loudon, the culprit supposedly behind the nuns' possession was non other than the priest. Additionally, as Levack writes "according to demonological theory the Devil actually entered the body of the afflicted person rather than acting upon it externally".

Possession has become mainstream. Stories of exorcism have become box office hits. There are hundreds, if not thousands of scary movies out there that all deal with possession. Long gone are the days when we would cower in fear of the witch who could cause us to be possessed by the Devil. The "roles" in modern day possession have changed immensely. The witch has either disappeared completely, or been replaced by Satanists as is the case in the movies "Annabelle" and "Rosemary's Baby". No longer are large groups of people possessed, but rather one or two individuals, although usually not at the same time. The priest has gone from the evildoer to the much sought after savior as evidenced by the classic movie "The Exorcist". Perhaps most importantly, the role of the possessor has changed. Possession has been outsourced to demons, rather than being done by the Devil, I guess he's just too busy with other business. The idea of possession by demons holds true for all the popular possession movies released over the last 40 years. The one thing that doesn't seem to have changed is that women and children are still portrayed as the primary victims of possession.

Possession is no longer something we fear, because it's not something that is "real" to us. We see videos of supposed possession, and hear stories of people being possessed, but we don't really believe it's caused by a demonic entity. Science and modern medicine have given us ample ways of explaining symptoms of possession. People throwing up seemingly inedible objects such as bones, pins, or straw, is explained away by an eating disorder called Pica. Interestingly enough, Pica is most common among women and children. Schizophrenia explains why victims of possession might experience hallucinations, hear voices, or speak in "tongues". Unlike in the past, today possession is easily explained away.