Photos of witches, their names and other information regarding followers of many occult movements are now of interest to many. But it is worth noting that distinguishing truth from fiction in the modern world is quite difficult. Traditions of ancestors and historical facts are the best sources of truly truthful information.
In the article:
Witches - photo and appearance
Photos of witches that are processed in photo editors and taken by professional photographers have nothing to do with reality. In fact, a witch can look like anything. The external signs of a witch are not very noticeable. The appearance of a witch can completely correspond to her preferences and tastes, which, like any person, she has.
Even in those days when recognizing a witch was considered difficult. This was done by experts in this field - inquisitors. They left many secret signs and marks of sorceresses, hidden from the eyes of casual viewers.
Only mythological characters, who are usually classified as witches, can differ in appearance from ordinary people. A good example is Baba Yaga, known to everyone since childhood. Almost everyone remembers descriptions of fairy-tale witches, but real witches rarely look like them.
Witch names - why do you need an occult name
The occult names of the witches are kept secret. They have nothing to do with nicknames on forums about magic and social networks. With their help, you can adjust your personal energy and even strengthen it. Another function of such a name is protection. Spells almost always include names. Without knowing the real, witchcraft name of a person, it is impossible to harm him.
Witches take the choice of names very seriously. They believe that names can shape a person's character and preferences. Everyone knows the proverb - “whatever you call a ship, that’s how it will sail.” A secret name is needed not only for an experienced witch, but also for a beginner. The correctness of the selection may determine how far he will go in the study of esotericism.
As a rule, the pantheon that the witch prefers, as well as her religious views in general, play an important role in choosing a name. People who practice Christian magic use the names that were given to them at baptism. Witches following the path of their ancestors choose Slavic names. Names from fantasy, as well as Western variations, are very popular. Sometimes witches use numerology when choosing a name.
When choosing a witch name, it is not recommended to give preference to the names of gods and famous personalities. It is believed that this forces one to live up to a big name, which not everyone can do. There is another opinion - a sonorous name with a certain history and reputation will help a young sorceress in developing her abilities.
What names do witches have nowadays?
Witches in our time prefer to leave the name received at birth exclusively for worldly life. It is unlikely that you will meet a classmate or colleague with an unusual ornate name, by which it will be easy to recognize her as a witch. In ordinary life, witches use the names that are written down in their documents.
Women with paranormal abilities do not reveal their real witch names even to like-minded people and close people who are far from magic. Witches prefer to call these names only during rituals that are performed without witnesses.
Sometimes a witch may have several names, especially if she is part of a coven - a group of practicing witches. So, such a woman will have an official name that is known to everyone, a name known only to her companions, and a secret name that only spirits and gods know.
The most famous witches of Russia
In the photo Marina Tsvetaeva
It is interesting that Marina Tsvetaeva often called herself a daughter. It is known that she is considered the mother of all witches. It was Lilith who started the witch dynasty, which still exists today. Most likely, this is a poetic comparison that has nothing to do with the poetess’s involvement in witchcraft. Although this may be the case.
As for mythology, everyone knows the “damn grandmother” or “damn mother”. In the old days they believed that the devil's closest relatives were witches. True, no one recognized their names.
The witch hunt also partially affected Russia. True, it has not reached such a scale as in Europe. Among the women who had a reputation as a witch or were accused of witchcraft were famous historical figures. For example, Ivan the Terrible’s grandmother Anna Glinskaya was considered a witch. The reputation was enhanced by foreign origin. It was her gossip that was blamed for the fire in Moscow.
Anna Glinskaya
Nastasya Pavlova, a friend of the goldsmith, was accused of causing damage to the royal family. Her friend accused her after a quarrel, and immediately after that two princes died. Nastasya was considered a witch, tortured, and the woman died in prison. Her husband was a Lithuanian subject, and the authorities believed that the witch was causing damage by order of the rulers of Lithuania and Poland.
Among the famous witches of Russia today, the leading ones are the participants in the Battle of Psychics. For example, it is very popular in Novosibirsk and Moscow. The winner of the last season of the “Battle of Psychics” project won the trust of millions of viewers.
Names of witches from other countries
The mythology of different countries is full of stories about women practicing magic. So, Calypso, according to the myths about Odysseus, was a nymph living on an island in the middle of the ocean. It is known that she kept Odysseus in her house for seven years. He missed his wife and children, but could not reject the love of the beautiful nymph. Modern witches suggest that Calypso was one of the most powerful witches in Greece.
Medea, according to the legends of Ancient Greece, a sorceress who helped Jason take possession of the Golden Fleece. She knew recipes for witchcraft potions and other secrets of witchcraft, knew how to heal the wounded and deal with enemies who tried to interfere with the well-being of the witch. Some versions of the legends call Medea a priestess of Hecate, sometimes even a disciple of the goddess of the night. Euripides wrote that Iphigenia was a priestess of Hecate and a powerful sorceress.
photo of the white witch Lucy Cavendish
Lucy Cavendish- a white witch from Australia. She became involved with magic in 1987, and in 1993, Lucy Cavendish launched a magazine about witchcraft. In 2001, the whole world already knew about her, and currently she gives master classes, recruits students, and produces meditation recordings, Tarot cards, and books on magic. Tarot by Lucy Cavendish is a great success all over the world.
Laurie Cabot
One of the famous Salem witches of our time is considered Laurie Cabot, author of many books on witchcraft. She was initiated into a witch at the age of sixteen. Her book, The Power of Witches, opened the eyes of many to what light witches really are. Laurie Cabot officially fought the superstitions that resulted from the persecution of people suspected of witchcraft in Salem. In 1977, she was given the title of official witch of Salem.
Bridget Bishop (film)
The famous witch of Salem Bridget Bishop lived during the time of burning people at the stake. She was the owner of several taverns, a widow with a good fortune. Therefore, it is now generally accepted that Bridget Bishop was accused of witchcraft for the purpose of profiting by the city government. Agnes Sampson from Scotland was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake. Under torture, she betrayed her accomplices. The name of one of them has been preserved - Anna Coldings.
Kael Merry from the Netherlands after being accused of witchcraft, he was expelled from the city. Local judges took pity on a woman accused of spoiling children, animals and cow's milk and saved her from torture and execution. However, soon after leaving the city, she was tracked down and drowned in the river. Another witch from the Netherlands was a midwife. She was accused of defacing and killing unborn babies and was sentenced to death by hanging. Antienne Gillis was tortured, as a result of which she betrayed more than 60 accomplices.
The names of the patrons of each witch and witch
The most famous patroness of witches and sorceresses - Lilith, Adam's first wife. She is called the mother of all witches. It is known that Lilith was created in the image and likeness of God. The first woman turned out to be freedom-loving and willful. She considered herself equal to man, since she was created in the same way as he was. This did not suit Adam, Lilith was expelled from Paradise, and Adam received a new wife - Eve, who was created from his rib. It is believed that witches and sorcerers originated from Lilith.
Another patroness of witchcraft is Hecate, goddess of the night, darkness and magic. Modern witches still perform rituals in her honor, trying to receive the blessing of the dark goddess. They consider her the patroness of women in general, capable of protecting each of her daughters from any harm. According to legend, the witch goddess travels through night roads, cemeteries and crime scenes, and her approach is predicted by dogs barking for no apparent reason.
Often identified with Hecate Circe, which turned Odysseus's companions into pigs, according to Greek mythology. Some mythographers call her the daughter of Hecate. Circe was also considered the goddess of the night, the moon and witchcraft.
Spread throughout northern Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was the result of a mixture of natural superstitions and religious fervor with political motives and fears. Peasants, as well as nobles, looked for supernatural causes of storms and diseases, but at the same time they considered the court a way to cling to position or wealth, destroying their rivals. Convicted witches and warlocks were accused of horrific crimes such as copulation with the devil and murder of infants. The nervous atmosphere prevailing in Europe at that time led to the fact that the accused were convicted more often than they were acquitted.
10. Agnes Sampson
On All Hallows' Eve in 1590, Agnes Sampson, a midwife living in the Scottish county of East Lothian, was accused of attending a gathering of witches hosted by Satan himself. It took place in the gloomy little church of Old Kirk Green in North Berwick, Scotland. The evil plan behind these gatherings was to cause a supernatural storm that would sink the caravel on which King James IV's young Danish bride, the newly anointed Queen Anne, was en route to Scotland from Copenhagen. And indeed, during Anna’s journey, a storm occurred, forcing her and her escort to stop in Norway.
Hearing this news, the king himself went to her aid, and when they tried to cross the North Sea again, another terrible storm overtook them, but this time they successfully arrived in Scotland. Shortly after his return, the king personally questioned Agnes and others at Holyroodhouse Palace in Edinburgh. This marked the beginning of the North Berwick witch trials, which led to 70 executions. To extract a confession from Agnes, the executioners put on her an iron device called a “witch’s bridle,” invented in Scotland. After Agnes confessed, she was taken to Castlehill and strangled with a garrote before being burned at a stake. It was rumored that her ghost had been seen floating through the austere halls of Holyroodhouse Palace.
9. Anna Coldings
Anne Coldings, known to her contemporaries as the "Devil's Mother", was a Danish witch who was also accused of causing the storm to destroy Queen Anne's ship, described above. She met with the others at Weaver Karen's house, where they cast spells against the queen. Witch hunts became popular in Denmark in the early 16th century after the country converted to Protestantism. While some were motivated by their sincere religious beliefs, high-ranking officials used the witch hunts to further their political interests.
The Danish finance minister, who was suspected of not adequately supplying the royal ships for King James VI and Queen Anne's voyage across the North Sea, voiced his suspicions about Karen to deflect blame. During the investigation, Karen pointed out several people, including Anna Coldings. After Anna was arrested and tortured, she finally confessed and gave five more names, one of which was the name of the mayor's wife. Along with twelve other women, Anna was burned at a stake in Kronborg, the beautiful green-roofed castle where Shakespeare's Hamlet was set.
8. Bridget Bishop
Bridget Bishop was the first woman executed as a result of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Bishop was a successful woman who was much talked about. She owned several taverns and was known for wearing provocative red dresses. The townspeople of Salem made many different accusations against her that would lead to her death. She allegedly bewitched five girls, poisoned a pig, and attacked sleeping men (the latter probably due to natural causes, sleep paralysis).
Bridget was also accused of using dolls for witchcraft purposes. A local man named Samuel Shattuck testified that she asked him to dye lace for her that he believed she was going to use for a doll. This doll, like Voodoo dolls, served to ensure that any harm done to the doll would be transferred to the person it represented. Salem residents John and William Bly later discovered such dolls in Bishop's house. During the trial, she behaved provocatively, which ultimately led to her execution, followed by the execution of 71 other witches.
7. Merga Bean
Merga Bean, a wealthy German heiress, confessed to killing her second husband and his children through witchcraft. 
, and in attending the Witches' Sabbath. The witch hunter Balthasar von Dernbach, prince and abbot of the city of Fulda, conducted a series of witch trials after his return from exile in 1602.
Merga Bean was one of the first women he arrested and imprisoned. Although she was pregnant, Merga was not released from execution, as the law dictated, because she was forced to confess that the father of her unborn child was the devil. In the fall she was executed by burning. Fulda witch trials. As a result, the execution of 250 people continued, and ended only after the death of Dernbach in 1605.
6. Katarina Henot
The first German female postmaster was tried for witchcraft in Cologne in 1627. In the middle of one of the cold Cologne winters, a nun from a local monastery accused Katharina of causing illness and death among the nuns, and the archbishop arrested Henot based on the nun's suspicions. During her imprisonment, Henot was tortured, but did not confess to anything.
Despite her brother's attempts to prove her innocence, she was sentenced to be burned alive in May. She was rehabilitated only this year. On June 28, 2012, the Cologne municipal council cleared Henot, as well as other victims of the Cologne witch trials, because they believed that the executions were the result of political conspiracies.
5. Karin Svensdotter
The maid Karin Svensdotter, who lived in a small town located in a wooded and swampy part of Sweden, stated that the father of her seven children was the Fairy King. This led to her being tried in 1656 due to her own voluntary confession. In 17th century Sweden, communicating with fairies was a real crime, which was usually punished in the same way as sodomy and bestiality.
In previous cases, such as meetings between men and nymphs, the matter sometimes ended in execution. However, the Svensdotter case became an early example of compassion for the insane. Church officials told the judge handling her case that Satan had deprived her of her mind. Instead of punishment, the judge ordered the church to pray for her. She later confirmed that she did not see any more fairies.
On the eve of Halloween, we will remember them - those who were called witches. Many were slandered in the dark times of the Middle Ages, but others... others did not give up their mystical craft.
Some witches are known for their dark deeds, while others are included in this list due to slander and unfair accusations.
Bridget Bishop exposed by pastor's daughter
The English town of Salem would have remained unknown to anyone if ... witches had not appeared there. A high-profile trial took place here in 1692. About 200 people were subject to terrible charges, 19 of whom were mercilessly executed. The rest ended up behind bars - and there is no point in damaging honest people! How did you manage to expose the witches?
The first “bell” rang when two girls - sisters - were noticed in inappropriate behavior Betty and Abigail, 9 and 11 years old, daughter of a local pastor. The father was wary when he saw how often apathy was replaced by some kind of feverish fun in the girls. Then the children began to convulse every now and then, screaming, and in some foreign language. The prayers with which the pastor tried to heal his daughters did not help: the children covered their ears, not wanting to listen to them, and began to scream even more desperately.
A little later, the girls began shouting out the names of the residents of Salem. It was decided that these were the names of sorcerers and witches - but how could it be otherwise? One after another, suspects of terrible crimes were taken into custody. They were tortured, forcing them to confess to dark deeds.
The first to be executed Bridget Bishop. The unfortunate woman turned out to be too advanced for her time - not only did she successfully run a business, managing a chain of taverns, but she also had the audacity to walk around everywhere in sexy red dresses! Well, clearly - a witch.
There were witnesses who confirmed: yes, Bridget pierced wax dolls with needles, and certainly caused damage to the pastor’s daughters. The woman, who did not admit to anything until the very end and behaved proudly and defiantly at the trial, was demonstrably hanged. It is unknown whether she was a witch. It was only later that wax dolls were actually discovered in her house.
Agnes Sampson threatened the king
It is not without reason that All Hallows' Eve is considered a mystical time. It was on this gloomy evening in 1590 that a powerful storm off the rocky coast of Scotland severely battered the ship on which the bride was traveling. JacobIV, King of Scotland, beautiful princess Anna. The ship landed on the shores of Norway - it was necessary to wait out the bad weather. The crowned groom himself arrived there, and he and Anna moved to Scotland by sea, but then a storm struck again. The journey turned out to be long and dangerous. In the end, the king was sure: it couldn’t have happened without the witches. They began to grab everyone who was suspected of causing the storm.
Agnes Sampson and before she seemed suspicious to her compatriots: a midwife who knows Satan, attends the Sabbath with other witches - that’s what they said about her. Agnes was subjected to severe torture, forcing her to confess that it was she, taught by the evil spirits, who caused the storm that almost killed the king and his bride. Unable to bear the torment, the woman confessed everything and named several more names. She was executed.
Since then, the ghost of the murdered Agnes began to sometimes appear to sailors. They said that it would be bad luck to meet her: you would definitely drown.
Anna Coldingsbreastfed Satan's child
The Scottish witch hunt, initiated by King James IV, began in earnest. One of the women whose names came from the mouth of the tortured Agnes Sampson was Anna Coldings. She was also suspected of witchcraft: the young woman loved to wander through the forests alone, was unsociable, and almost never went to church.
And if you consider that Anna had no relatives and lived poorly, then it is clear: there was no one to intercede for her. The poor woman was thrown to the executioners. Under terrible torture, Anna confessed to everything: that she was in collusion with Satan, and that she caused a storm to sink the royal ship... In the end, Anna apparently lost her mind from torture. She said that in her youth she breastfed Satan's child. She was burned alive at the stake. Anna Coldings went down in history as the Mother of the Devil.
Marie Laveau did not interfere with the orgy
Marie Laveau Nicknamed the “Snake Queen,” she lived in America, in New Orleans, and aroused the indignation of her neighbors by keeping a live python at home. Marie was believed to have brought black magic to the city, pioneering voodoo rituals. At the same time, in rituals she used, to the indignation of the local clergy, Christian shrines - a cross, a crucifix, as well as images of saints.
Having cured the daughter of the mayor of New Orleans of epilepsy, Laveau gained unprecedented influence in the city. And this is despite the constantly carried out black magic rituals with drinking the blood of a rooster and orgies! Maria's extensive connections and acquaintances did not allow the clergy to start a fight against her. In addition, the time has changed - it was the 19th century, and not the dense Middle Ages.
One day, Marie Laveau was approached by an elderly man who was planning to marry a young girl. He was concerned that the girl resisted the will of her parents and did not want to connect her fate with the old man.
Laveau handed the man a love potion, after which the girl became submissive and accommodating. But at the wedding, the old groom suddenly fell and died in front of the guests.
It turned out that even earlier the bride had approached the witch with a request to save her from her hated groom, and the witch decided to help her. The girl remained a rich widow and married the one she loved. The newlyweds generously rewarded the witch assistant. Marie Laveau lived to be 87 years old and died of old age. She was buried as a Catholic - with full honors.
Some witches have earned notoriety, and many have been unfairly blamed victims. Here is a selection of the most famous witches in history.
1. Bridget Bishop and the Other Witches of Salem
In 1692, the most notorious witch trial in history took place in the English town of Salem. In total, between 172 and 200 people were accused of witchcraft, 19 of whom were hanged and the rest thrown into prison.
It all started with the fact that two girls, 9-year-old Betty and 11-year-old Abigail, began to behave strangely: they fell into apathy, then into feverish fun. Sometimes they fell to the floor, convulsed, screamed and called for someone, and sometimes not in their native language. When their father, city pastor Samuel Parris, began to read prayers over them, the sisters covered their ears and screamed even louder.
The black woman Tituba, who served in the house, decided that the children were possessed by demons. To test this, she doused a piece of meat with their urine, fried it, and then fed it to the dog. This did not help the girls, but one of them, while writhing, whispered the name of a black woman - the poor woman was immediately accused of witchcraft and taken into custody.
Then the sisters began to call other names, the whole city was alarmed, more and more women were taken into custody. The first to be executed was the owner of several city taverns, Bridget Bishop. She was a well-known special, successful woman in the city, but public opinion condemned her for excessive extravagance - her love for revealing red dresses. Bridget was accused of witchcraft - of casting spells on Betty, Abigail and other girls, damaging livestock and using dolls for witchcraft purposes. Some locals said that they saw how she used these dolls: sticking needles into them, setting fire to the dolls' heels, and the like. And one Samuel Shattuck testified that Bishop asked him to dye tiny lace for her that was too small to be used to decorate a dress.
During the trial, Bishop behaved extremely defiantly, and she was eventually hanged. This was followed by the execution of other women. It is unknown whether the sick girls recovered, but wax dolls were indeed found in Bridget Bishop's house.
2. Agnes Sampson
In 1590, on All Hallows' Eve, a terrible storm broke out off the coast of Scotland. Storms in these places were common, but that time the storm battered the ship of Princess Anne, the bride of the Scottish king James IV. The ship survived only by a miracle, and the entire flotilla had to stop in Norway to wait out the bad weather. The storms dragged on for a long time, and the king personally went to meet his future wife and was able to get to her. But when the royal couple tried to break through to Scotland by sea, the storm struck again.
After a long, grueling journey, the couple finally reached their destination. The superstitious king was sure: the storm that hit their ships was not just an act of nature, but real witchcraft. This is how the witch hunt began in Scotland.
The first to be accused was Agnes Sampson, a midwife from East Lothian. She was credited with witchcraft and attending sabbaths, where Satan himself was present. It was said that it was Satan who ordered Agnes and the other witches to create a storm to destroy Queen Anne. The woman was tortured: first they put a special device on her called a “witch’s bridle,” and when she confessed everything and gave up five more of her accomplices, she was strangled and burned at the stake.
The story doesn't end there. Later, in the halls of Holyrood Palace, the ghost of Agnes was allegedly often encountered and it was said that whoever saw it would certainly drown.
3. Anna Coldings
Anne Coldings was another woman accused of witchcraft during the Scottish witch hunts. It was her name that the aforementioned Agnes Sampson named first.
It must be said that Anna really behaved strangely - at least according to the inhabitants of that time. She loved to wander alone through the fields and forests of Scotland, rarely went to church and hardly communicated with anyone. The woman was poor and had no influential relatives, so it was easy to accuse her of witchcraft. She also confessed under torture to her involvement in causing the storm and intercourse with Satan. Moreover, she said that during her girlhood she breastfed Satan’s little son. Anna was burned alive at the stake, and she went down in history under the name of the Mother of the Devil.
4. Maria Laveau
Known as the "Snake Queen", Marie Laveau was perhaps the most famous resident of New Orleans. She got her nickname because she kept a huge python named Zombie. Moreover, she is considered the founder of the voodoo cult in New Orleans. The local clergy hated and feared Maria, but they could not do anything to her in the “enlightened” 19th century, and even in America.
It was Mary who introduced the fashion for the use of certain Christian symbols into the Orleans voodoo cult: the crucifix, the image of saints. So she hoped to show that voodoo in no way contradicts Christianity. Moreover, many religious services included drinking rooster blood and subsequent wild orgies. She achieved great influence in New Orleans, had extensive connections with the right people, and, according to legend, cured the mayor's daughter of epilepsy.
Another story related to Maria: they wanted to forcefully marry a girl from an influential and wealthy family to an old man. The young bride loved another and threatened to commit suicide if she was forced into marriage. The worried groom turned to Laveau with a request to give him a love potion. After this, amazing changes happened to the young bride, as if by magic: she stopped resisting and obediently walked down the aisle. After the wedding at the wedding feast, the elderly groom had a stroke and died in front of a crowd of guests. The fact is that the bride managed to turn to Lavoe earlier, and she chose to help her. The girl received a fortune and eventually married her lover, and Laveau received a substantial reward for her help from the grateful young people.
Mary died of natural causes at the age of 87 as a Catholic and was buried in a cemetery in holy land.
5. Laurie Cabot
Laurie Cabot is a modern witch, alive and well to this day. In 1977, she received the official title of “Witch of Salem” from the Massachusetts governor. As a six-year-old girl, Laurie often amazed adults with revelations that came from out of nowhere. She said that all these amazing things were told to her by “voices.” At the age of 14, young Laurie moved to Boston, where she met two witches, whose names are unknown, and it was they who saw in the girl a real talent for the occult sciences and began to teach her everything that, in their opinion, a real witch should know.
Laurie turned out to be brave and in the late 1960s she decided to openly declare to the public that she was a real witch. Cabot began to wear long black robes, a pentacle and other ritual jewelry. At first they laughed at her, they were afraid of her, but in the end they got used to her. Laurie moved to Salem, a city in Massachusetts, and began teaching people how to read Tarot cards. At the same time, she used clairvoyance to help the police solve complex crimes, diagnose diseases using the human aura, and later founded the League for the Public Recognition of Witches. Laurie did a lot to ensure that witches were not considered dangerous, and also actively fought for the rights of witches and their recognition in society. She authored the book “The Power of Witches,” which debunks most stereotypes about witches and their main purpose.
6. Kael Merry
During the Inquisition, strange events began to occur in the Dutch town of Roermond. It is unknown what caused children and old people to get sick and die, livestock fell dead, and milk quickly turned sour. The peasants attributed all these events to the acts of the witch, the Danish woman Kael Merry.
The Spaniards, who were conducting the trial of the witch, insisted on torture, but the Dutch court turned out to be more humane and simply expelled Merry from the country, since she swore on the Bible of her innocence. True, she was later tracked down and drowned in the river by a Spanish mercenary.
7. Anthony Gillies
During the same trial in the Netherlands, other women were accused of witchcraft. In particular, the midwife Antien Gillis was executed. Under torture, Entien was forced to confess that in her youth she slept with the Devil, killed unborn children and tiny babies. The woman named a number of names and, according to legend, cursed the entire city before she was hanged.
A total of 63 women were executed during this process. Everyone admitted that the Devil ordered them to commit their atrocities, and they could not disobey.
Salem witches - many have heard about them, but few know what they really were. There are many legends surrounding the history of the famous Salem hunt, and it is not so easy to distinguish lies from truth. However, this is possible if we take into account only facts and things known for certain.
Salem witches story
Despite the fact that they are called “witches” and not “witchers,” the Salem witches were not only women. These are 19 women and men who were brutally hanged on charges of witchcraft, and the old man Gilles Corey (he was already in his 9th decade) was mercilessly crushed with stones because he refused to testify. One hundred people, including small children, were left to rot in prison for the mere suspicion of being associated with the devil himself.
Why are witches called Salem witches?
The witch hunt took place in the city of Salem, Massachusetts (USA), founded by immigrants from England in 1629. These were religious Puritans, zealously guarding age-old traditions and values. People preferred to see the causes of their troubles and misfortunes not in their own mistakes, but in the intervention of dark forces. Despite the fact that Salem was geographically located in America, the mentality of its inhabitants was fully consistent with a typical European medieval country.
The reason for the Salem witch hunt
One ordinary day in January 1692, 9-year-old Lizzie Parris and her 12-year-old cousin Abigail Williams began to behave extremely strangely. The girls let out terrible screams, squealed like crazy and wriggled like snakes. Lizzie was the daughter of a local pastor, Samuel Parris, so the matter immediately took a serious turn. How could this happen to good little girls? Why did they suddenly act as if they had become demons?
Doctor William Griggs, having examined the patients, came to the unequivocal conclusion that there were witchcraft powers involved. And the girls themselves complained that just recently someone unknown (they couldn’t see their faces) pricked them with a pin.
Suspicion immediately fell on the Parris's maid, an African-American woman named Tituba. By all accounts, everything agreed - she arrived from Africa, where witchcraft was widespread and there were witnesses to Tituba telling Lizzie and Abigail about mystical rituals and terrible sacraments. While the proceedings were ongoing, Salem suffered another shock. Other children also began to behave strangely - which means that one dark-skinned woman could not be the reason for this, we were already talking about a real witch community, and other arrests followed.
Everyone came under suspicion - even a sideways glance could become a reason for arrest and initiation of further proceedings. However, a completely rational motive was also seen in the actions of those who demanded retribution. So, Sarah Osborne, who had tense relationships with many townspeople, was accused of witchcraft. And Martha Corey was arrested after she publicly questioned the veracity of the girls’ words.
Victims of the Salem witch hunt
The first victim was Bridget Bishop. The defender was unable to defend his position that the devil does not require a person’s permission to use his body for dark purposes. The supporters of the theory have won, according to which even Lucifer himself is unable to do anything without a person’s knowledge. This decided the outcome of all the other victims, although Bridget Bishop was the first.
This elderly woman with a grumpy disposition was the ideal witch in the minds of the Salem people. Her sister's husband and a dyer testified against her. The latter cited as evidence the fact that Bishop's lace was inappropriate for a decent woman. On June 10, 1692, she was hanged.
In July, a dozen more women were sentenced to death. During the trial, from the lips of one of them, Sarah Good, a curse fell on the clergyman Nicholas Noes: “The Lord will give you blood to drink.” These terrible words came true a quarter of a century later - Noes died in a pool of his own blood. Whether Sarah Good was a real witch or not, her prediction came true with amazing accuracy.
In total, 19 people were executed.
Who are the witches?
Amazingly, the reason for starting such a massive hunt was the testimony of little girls. In appearance they seemed quite harmless, just angels in the flesh, but was that really so? In fact, it was Lizzie Parris and Abigail Williams who signed people's death warrants. They began to see evil everywhere, willingly sharing the details of exactly how and when the spirit of the witch appeared to them, which he demanded. The townspeople willingly believed, supplemented the girls’ stories with their own inventions and thereby further denigrated the images of the prisoners. The question is, did the girls understand what he was doing? The age is very conscious in order to have ideas about what is good and what is bad. Perhaps the devil really possessed Lizzie and Abigail and acted in such a way as to destroy as many people as possible in Salem? Whether this is true or not, the goal was achieved.
The Salem witch hunt ended when the wife of Governor William Phips was suspected of witchcraft. He could not allow this and by his order canceled the trial. And it was at this time that the whole city seemed to wake up. All the townspeople were horrified by the madness that they had done and sincerely began to mourn the victims. Some judges and juries publicly repented, but this is unlikely to ease their souls. All the Salem witch trials of 1692 were declared illegal, and in 1711 their victims were completely acquitted.
What the Salem witch hunt represented - mass insanity or moderate extermination of people - remains a mystery to this day. One thing is clear - despite the Puritan morals, this desire of the Salemites to execute people, literally a thirst for blood, was clearly of a supernatural nature.
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