Famous victims of a "witch hunt"

• Famous victims of a "witch hunt"

The Middle Ages were a difficult time for women. Any passerby could blame the girl in witchcraft and empty words drifted to the ears of those who fancied himself the right to judge and execute. In the period from the XIV to the XVIII century in Europe, it burned about 10 million so-called "witches". Most often, the mass (Salem Court, for example) hysteria began with specific people - that these girls.

Malin Matsdotter

Stockholm believed that witches abducted children. Malin Matsdotter, poor washerwoman, was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to be burned alive - a terrible punishment, normal for Europe, but never before applied in Sweden. At Malin Court refused to repent, he pleaded not guilty and went to the post with her head held high. It was the first and last woman burned alive in Sweden. Rumor has it, so it was decided because the municipality simply frightened even burning at the stake Malin did not say a single word - as we all know, the witches are not afraid of pain.

Bridget Bishop

The famous Salem witch trial began with the woman. In 1692 Bridget owned by two taverns, wearing provocative outfits and, as it turned out later, at your leisure in fact engaged in witchcraft. During a search of the house, Bridget discovered the dolls for damage, bristling with needles. One depicted a recently deceased man - proof, stunned residents of Salem. At the trial of Bridget he acted very boldly that quickly led to her death. Bloody spectacle caused in society fit of mass hysteria - in a short time the fire has gone another 70 "witches".

Anna Koldings

Weaver Koldings accused of what it is specifically caused the storm to ruin the ship Queen Anne, traveled from Copenhagen to Scotland. Caravel is indeed almost sank during a strong storm and was forced to stay in Norway. Anna, nicknamed "Mother of the Devil", was arrested on charges of Kronborg mayor, decided to curry favor with the king. On torture Anna not only confessed in everything but name another five names his accomplice - the wife of the mayor as well. Early spring morning all the girls burnt right beneath the walls of Kronborg.

Enten Gillis

In 1613, the witches burned in the Netherlands than in most of Europe. First the fire went Enten Gillis, a midwife accused of cursing newborns. Enten was already behind bars, when in the town of Straelen started a real plague that claimed the lives of hundreds of babies. After the regular torture she pointed out "helpers" was a famous Rurmondsky court, which burnt 63 "witches".

Merga Bin

German hunter witch (combined Abbot and mayor of the city of Fulda), Balthasar von Dernbach, Mergen arrested Bean on charges of murdering her husband witchcraft. Pregnant widow from torture is released - the Inquisition considered the father of the unborn child of the devil himself. Mergen quickly condemned and burned, and then Dernbach got a taste of the next three years chasing witches all over Hesse, with the result that another 250 people were executed. Included in the history of Fulda witch trials ended only with the death of the abbot.