The History of Witch Hunts in Scotland and England

Between 1450 and 1750, some 100,000 Europeans were tried for witchcraft, and some of the most intense periods of witchy panic took place in Scotland and England. Most, but not all, of these so-called witches were women. During this special Halloween episode, we’ll be tracing the history of witch hunts, and talking about why King James VI was so fanatical about killing witches. We’ll learn about the Malleus Maleficarum (or the veritable Guide to Witch Hunting), and discover how to “spot” a witch. We’ll learn what types of women were in danger of being accused of witchcraft, why people thought women were especially susceptible to the Devil’s wily charms, and how the Church played a massive role in witch hunting. We’ll also discuss what happened when a supposed witch was caught – what torture techniques were used to extract confessions, what witch trials looked like, and what punishments awaited a guilty verdict. And we’ll try to answer the most important question of all… why were so many women viewed as such a threat to society that they had to be hunted down and killed? Please be advised that this episode has some dark themes, descriptions of torture, violence, and sexual acts. For show notes, suggested reading, a list of my sources and more, go to my website. To explore the treasure trove of bonus materials, check out The Exploress Patreon. The choral music in this episode comes courtesy of a choral group from New Zealand called The Tudor Consort.