Witchcraft in Early Modern Poland, 1500-1800

This comprehensive study examines Polish demonology in relation to witchcraft trials in Wielkopolska, revealing the witch as a force for both good and evil. It explores the use of witchcraft, the nature of accusations and the role of gender.

Wyporska has made a substantial contribution to the rapidly growing number of excellent studies of Central and Eastern European witchcraft, and offers her readers a rich and engrossing survey of Polish witchcraft that provides ample encouragement for future research. (Hans Peter Broedel, Magic Ritual and Witchcraft, Vol. 12 (1), 2017)

Autorentext

Wanda Wyporska is an authority on early modern Polish witchcraft and the author of many encyclopaedia entries and articles on the subject. She has held scholarships at Hertford College, Oxford, UK, the Institute for Historical Research, and the University of Warsaw, Poland. She is currently working on a trilogy of historical novels.

Inhalt
Prologue 1. Witchcraft in Context: Histories and Historiographies 2. The World of the Witches: Confessions and Conflicts 3. Witchcraft and Gender: Intimate Servants and Excluded Masculinities 4. Framing the Witch: Legal Theories and Realities 5. us Deus, Sine Diabolo: The Ecclesiastical Witch 6. Beyond demonology: Blame the Witches 7. Sceptical Voices: Ending the Era 8. Epilogue: Comparisons and Conclusions Bibliography Index