Medieval processes over witches still do not give rest to historians and anthropologists. It would still be, in two decades, inquisitors managed to burn hundreds of thousands of girls, girls, mothers on charges of connections with the devil. We read one of the newest books about the past - "courts over the witchcraft" Nikolai Bessonov - and collected the most interesting facts about those who called wits.
Not ugly old woman and beauty
Since childhood, we are accustomed to the fact that the witch is a shaky shaking old woman, begging and grumping. This image is drawn tales, cartoons, paintings and even proverbs. The evil as a witch, offended by the whole world, breathing with hatred and wishing to destroy the whole world.
As it turned out at the beginning of the 15th century, witchcraft accusations - a true way to be confused with disadvantageous, be it even writing beauty. The bitter share of Ages Bernauer is the best example.
So, a fairy tale: Albrecht III, the son of the Bavarian Duke falls in love with the charming daughter of the bath owner. He takes her in the generic castle, plays a wedding and calls "his duchess." Alas, a simple townozhnka, having faced so high, I did not have to heart the father of the young man. The ruler of Bavaria decided that it was necessary to take a radical measure so that the situation would not have time to give birth to children. He sends the Son to Hunt, and his young wife declares a witch. Agnes allegedly kept, that is, the heir began.
The convicts convicted long and ineptly. She went 1435 year. Vedovo processes in Germany were just beginning. The executioner does not bind her hands. Abandoned from the bridge, Agnes collapses to get rid of the way and swim away. Then it is drowned secondly - wrapped long hair around the iron scrap. In the future, the confusion will not happen again and the beauty of Agnes will still die. By the way, after this case, a few centuries, the Germans will burn, screwing the chains to the post.
However, the old women were also constant victims of hysteria around the witches. Because
Woman means witch!
It was to this that the main manuscript of the Middle Ages coincided - "Witch Hammer" of the Monks of Shprenger and Instiences. This book sent a well-established car inquisition against women of all ages. What kind of hatred is written by the authors about the "disgusting sinners", for the sake of the beauty of which men are willing to turn their wallets inside out! They are infuriated by their female coquetry, the desire for outfits, how much perturbation in the rows that Luda's love arms forget about God! "Witch Hammer" attributes to women all the vices. This in their faults die soul and the kingdoms are crumbling. What thousands of women were burning for six centuries ago, today, in the 21st century introduced into the cult of worship of femininity and beauty.
If a man had the opportunity to relieve accusations, then in women - no. For example, any movement of the eyes during torture was inspected against it. Stared at one place - looks at his Mr., Satan. Closed her eyes - does not want to give it presence. Rates her eyes - follows flying unclean spirits.
You do not know what to blame, accused of Shabash
The idea of the Sabbath witches grew like a living tree. Witch's gathering initially did not have a monumental picture, which we used to see on medieval paintings. In the early descriptions of the XIII century, the Shabash is just a gathering of heretics, there is a devil himself (the so-called Satan synagogue). Many details of the legends are not yet invented. The Inquisitor, who composed a fairy tale about Shabash, for sure and did not suspect himself that he would launch a monstrous car repression, based on this idea, retract and swell hundreds of thousands of human lives.
Alas, the idea of the Inquisitor came to the yard. Descriptions of the secret gatherings were blocked in the patrimbial papers more and more. The top of the Catholic Church gladly grabbed the tool, allowing without unnecessary trouble to send any heretic to the fire. But everything ever ends.
It is time for the heretical sects weakened and turned out to be close to disappearance. However, the myths created by the Inquisition to combat dissents, was not destined to die. There were new victims, defenseless and numerous - women. And the courts to us from church turned into quite secular, simply because why not. In the end, faith and power seems to be united.
Numerous torture inclined women to "frankness". To stop the torment, each was ready to come up with any detail that would satisfy the tormentors. For scientists, the books were all new and new material.
Treatises on demonology wrote in France, in Italy, in Germany. Myth about Shabash in front of the eyes. If at first it was stated that the Orgy of the participants occurs on the sabbar, now no one has doubts that evil spirits are involved in the breakfast.
The sensuality of the sorcerers quench the demons in the female case, and the wispers make a company of devils who took the male appearance. The penalty for carnation with the devil became an ordinary event. So killed thousands of "Witches"
Dancing? On the fire!
Dances for judges-inquisitors were not included in the scheme of demonic acts. The first judges were monks. They hated dances as part of worldly vigorous life and reminded sinners that entertainment is inconsistent to God. Only with prayer and humility, you can earn the mercy of the sky - unprecedented fun, on the contrary, leads to the death of the soul! The notation of the saints of the fathers, of course, could not tame the people's folk. Relieved the element of the carnival was not even the church.
Imagine Geneva at Calvina. Under the prohibition of Protestant authorities, women's decorations and elegant dresses were. The city washed in gray and black. The number of holidays was reduced. Moderation, moderatelyfrst and once again moderation - that's what Calvin demanded from his supporters. The restrictions were introduced on food, clothing, housekeeping. Probably, it is not by chance that exactly here in the once fun of the Swiss city, the action of the story, which Boden retold was unfolded. The dance appears in his book as a means to confuse peace of Christians:
"Since it was in Geneva that the dances were especially hated, the devil gave the Geneva Young Girl with an iron rod, who forced to dance anyone, to whom she would touch. She mumbled on the judges and said that they were not in a case to hurt her, - but after arrest, her boldness disappeared, and she began to complain that she was abandoned by his lord who promised to save her from death. "
Any miracle - from the devil
One day, the poor peasant complained out loud to his hard share, and his eight-year-old daughter standing nearby, on simplicity of spiritual, volunteered. She grieved with his finger the water in the creek, after which the shower was hung on drying Niva. A surprised father began to trust, as it happened. The witch told that her mother taught her magic. Being a true Catholic, the peasant was horrified and donated to his wife. Of course, the sorcerer was burned immediately, never doubted the story of a person living in the era, when the divorce with an objectionable wife is impossible.
Or another story. One noble girl, beautiful, was pregnant. Parents began to discern her questions, and she admitted that a handsome man visited her during the day and night, but as he entered and went out, she was unknown. On the third night, after this, the servant called the parents to the rest of Mrs. A broken door flew out with a cracker, and the eyes of an amazed father appeared a vile monster.
Daughter kept him in his arms. For happiness in the bedroom, a priest was fought and turned out to be more likely. The servant of God was not confused and began to create a prayer. The demon did not resist the holy words and flew away with terrible noise, and the furniture standing in the room flashed with a bright flame.
Three three days later, the young nobleman made a light of a freak, which was thrown into the fire, in order not to be left for the devilish and the trail ...
In such unprecedented, it was assumed to believe, although it was likely that the scandal was happening in a noble family, and the matter was complicated by the fact that the girl did not just give birth out of marriage, but also, probably, disabled. It happens in the village, it would not be to ceremony: I would burn my mother, and a child. But the noble family has had an influence and connections to harm the daughter who fell into trouble (and maybe went into the course and money - to bribe the priest). Fortiment, you must admit good. The girl does not appear the devil, but the innocent victim of seduction and deception. Lucky, in general.
Text author: Daria Ionina
Illustrations: Images from the film "Sleepy Hollow"