Witch Trial in Europe

Witch Trails in Europe 

The first witch trails took place in the 15th century, within France and Germany. England and Scotland quickly followed in the late 16th and early 17th Century, with the focus then shifted to Scandinavia, resulting in many more executions for the Sin and Crime of witchcraft. Within the late 17th Century Poland began prosecuting people more frequently, Just after Hungry began executing those found to be witches by the 18th Century, due to the imposed laws of  Austria, whilst it was declining in western Europe from the 17th century.

Many accused witches were physically tortured in a variety of dreadful ways,,,, iron maiden, the rack ect


The common belief was that there were many ways to identify a witch:

• The devils mark -  the mark is supposedly given to them by the devil and is in intaluable to pain
• Pricking test - to prick there body with a blade, if the accused did not flinch or scream it was sure sign that they were indeed a witch.
• Swimming test - the accused would be thrown into a body of water if they floated to the surface it was a sure sign that the water was rejecting them and they were guilty. if they were to sink to the bottom a drown they would be perceived as pure and all charges would be dropped.
• Praying test - it was said that a witch was unable to read holy text without making mistakes, the lords pray would often be used to test an accused witch.
• Touch test - based on the notion that practisers of sorcery would have a special touch and would therefore place a hand on another afflicted person and if they became still, and calm. it would be claimed as a sign of witchcraft 
• Incantation - also known as charging, made the accused order the devil to come out of there trance, 

sources: http://listverse.com/2012/07/27/10-tests-for-guilt-used-at-the-salem-witch-trials/

http://thetudorenthusiast.weebly.com/my-tudor-blog/witchcraft-in-16th-17th-century-england

http://www.witchcraftandwitches.com/trials.html