Men were also accused of witchcraft, just not as often. By the 1600’s it’s estimated 100k people had been sacrificed to such allegations, burning being the go to method of dealing with them and heretics.
The witch hunts primarily arose due to women owning property and gaining class consciousness against the feudal system. Yes, men were killed in the witch hunts, but that doesn’t negate their primary purpose
There wasn’t really any primary purpose. Many were done just as a reaction to economic hardship by the general population in mass hysterias without any deeper meaning.
Events like that, which spans on different continents and different centuries absolutely don’t have a common cause or purpose. It’s easy to read in them confirmations of one’s own preconceptions…
A lot of the witch trials were for the church, and the aristocracy, to prevent anyone challenging their authority. Ie, practicing herbal medicine was a big one. Any Shamans of barbarian tribes they wanted to convert, all sorts of stuff like that.
Women. They hanged and burned women.
Men were also accused of witchcraft, just not as often. By the 1600’s it’s estimated 100k people had been sacrificed to such allegations, burning being the go to method of dealing with them and heretics.
The witch hunts primarily arose due to women owning property and gaining class consciousness against the feudal system. Yes, men were killed in the witch hunts, but that doesn’t negate their primary purpose
Most victims were of lower class and didn’t own any property though. Like the wave of witch hunts in South Eastern German regions targeting the homeless: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaubererjackl_witch_trials
There wasn’t really any primary purpose. Many were done just as a reaction to economic hardship by the general population in mass hysterias without any deeper meaning.
Events like that, which spans on different continents and different centuries absolutely don’t have a common cause or purpose. It’s easy to read in them confirmations of one’s own preconceptions…
A lot of the witch trials were for the church, and the aristocracy, to prevent anyone challenging their authority. Ie, practicing herbal medicine was a big one. Any Shamans of barbarian tribes they wanted to convert, all sorts of stuff like that.
Yes, and women put to death for witchcraft had their property given to the church
John Dee wasn’t executed.