Malleus Maleficarum

Purpose of Malleus Maleficarum

1. to answer skeptics who thought witchcraft was just a superstition, 2. proved that real harm was caused by Maleficarum, 3. manual for the procedures to investigate, arrest, and punish witches

Heinrich Kramer

Wrote "Hammer the Witches"

Roman Inquisition

established in the 13th century to find and punish heretics; they were seen as undermining the official theology of the church and a threat to the foundations

Malleus Maleficarum

had more scope and papal backing.

Maleficarum

harmful magic or witchcraft

Witches could be identified by

instruments of witchcraft such as marks on body, inability to drown, inability to burn

Women/midwives

were most commonly identified as witches; accused of having a tendency of preventing conception, terminating pregnancy by deliberate miscarriage, eating infants, offering children to devils

Accused had no right to know the accuser

witches could put hexes and spells on you

Witches were tortured

with the aim of getting a confession