The response of the authorities to Witchcraft and its impact on society Flashcards
(6 cards)
What was the Carolina law 1532 ?
Allowed a large range of torture devices to be used - since the Prince Bishops had judicial freedom many confessions were obtained this way
How was torture used ?
Carolina laws 1532
State had a network of informers + Bamberg built witch prisons for torture
Confessions under torture was accepted in court + defendants denied legal rights
What were confessions like in this period from South Germany ?
A number of questions were drawn up to use in interrogations
The accused often said they were threatened death if they didn’t cooperate
How did the state use confiscations during this period ?
Law in bamberg allowed the confiscations of witches property which encouraged prosecution of upper classes
Victims had to pay travel costs of interrogations , execution process . This grew the witch hunt industry
What was the role of the prince bishops ?
Edict of restitution by Emperor Ferdinand II 1629 was used to justify the prince bishops actions as it called for the conversion of protestants
They were supporters of the counter reformation / thought it was their duty to deal with the problem
they blamed many things on the protestants
Why did the Hunts end in south Germany ?
WC eventually opposed by Emperor Ferdinand II
Bishop Forner of Bamberg died in 1630
Gustavus II of Sweden occupied Bamberg forcing Von dornheim to flee
Other prominent prosecutors died in 1631 e.g Bishop of wurzberg
