...Witch Craze in Europe Between 1520 and 1650, the Reformation had a huge impact on European countries and the way the people perceived religion. Due to increasing disagreements within the community and the Catholic Church, there became a need for the Church to reform; this Reformation became a catalyst for the witch-hunt by increasing society’s fear of the devil and social anxiety. These witch-hunts mainly targeted women, seeing as they were considered to be midwives and healers, they became legally more vulnerable to these hunts. It can be seen that witchcraft was the embodiment of a fear of instability, so in countries where the Catholic Church had much more stability, there are evidently less witch-hunts. The witch-hunts died out as the religious situation across Europe settled down and stabilized. Beginning in the early fourteenth century until about 1650, early modern Europeans were in the process of a religious reformation. The Reformation heightened awareness of evil within European culture and caused more harm than good to society. As fears arose, new beliefs emerged and in an attempt to understand these fears, people began to look for other ways to combat this new presence evil. Ironically, the very means people sought to protect themselves was what increased the paranoia of witchcraft leading to the death of many. By combining the reformation within the church and the already rooted ideas of witch craft and magic, Europeans soon began to use witch hunts as...
Words: 732 - Pages: 3
...History 103g Did Women Have An Early Modern Europe During the emergence of the Early Modern Europe, nations were known to have developed both intellectually and culturally. Movements such as the Renaissance, Reformation, religious wars, scientific revolution, industrialization, Enlightenment, and French Revolution had brought about the nations’ development in terms of thoughts, expressions, and societal and political issues that characterized the Early Modern Europe. New knowledge was increasingly acquired. New thoughts on religion, natural, and political philosophy were increasingly developed. New instruments and machines were increasingly invented. Yet, only the males contributed to most of these tremendous developments, questioning whether or not women have an Early Modern Europe. Thus, to conclude whether women did experience an Early Modern Europe, women’s role on the movements that characterized the Early Modern Europe would have to be assessed. The period of the Renaissance was characterized by the emergence of a cultural movement, ‘humanism’, and classical art and architecture that are naturalistic, realistic, and humanistic. During this period, classical ideas were reintroduced in the increasing works of humanists and artists. Such include Petrarch’s ‘Rules for the Successful Ruler’, Machiavelli’s ‘From the Discourses on Livy’, Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’, and Dürer’s ‘Adam and Eve’. These primary sources are all the works of male humanists and artists...
Words: 1887 - Pages: 8
...During sixteenth and seventeenth century early modern Europe, demonic possession was a common occurrence, explained predominantly through religion and psychiatry. Demonic spirits were known to inflict the mind and cause an individual to act out of the ordinary. Although possession is more commonly associated with mental illness in today’s world, it can still be seen in modern religion and psychiatry. However, emphasis on the church was much more popular in early modern Europe, as it was believed that any individual who was possessed was in dire need of an exorcism from a priest. This alludes to the importance and authority of the church during this time period. Furthermore, a gender bias existed in regard to demonic possession and exorcisms, as it was far more likely for a woman to be declared possessed than a man. This study looks at the concept of demonic possession in early modern Europe and argues that during the Reformation Era, both Catholics and Protestants utilized the concept of demonic possession to legitimize their religion to society and their respective followers. Religious conflict during the sixteenth and seventeenth century helped to cement the...
Words: 1211 - Pages: 5
...Course February 12th 2013 17th Century European Witch craze Abstract The 17th century was the height of witch craze in Europe, where many were executed and persecuted for witchcraft. Approximately eighty five percent of those executed for witchcraft were women and this frenzy continued in Europe all the way to the early twentieth century. The loss of life was so severe that it has been referred to some researchers as a holocaust. Did this hysteria against witchcraft reduce their numbers? No. The more violently they were executed, the more in number they became. Most of those executed were women and this form of massive attack on women signifies a type of genocide; one that focuses on gender rather than on a religious or ethnic group. In Reformation Europe, women were overwhelmingly tried as witches. In France and Germany, more than eighty percent of those executed as witches and in England, ninety two percent of those executed for witchcraft were women and in Russia, approximately ninety five percent were also put to death (Trevor 214). The practice of witch hunts subsided by late seventeenth century and by early eighteenth century, witchcraft trials were rare. The causes for the decline of witch hunts are numerous and complex. This paper will attempt to analyze the witch craze phenomenon concentrating on several questions: why did women suffer the majority of the executions? Why did the witch craze end in the seventeenth century? Why was there a sudden increased attention...
Words: 2946 - Pages: 12
...The Reformation was a religious revolution that took place in Western Europe in the 16th century, around the same time as the Renaissance. The church was seen as the guiding light of unity throughout the dark ages of Europe. However, several dissenters such as John Wycliffe and John Hus challenged the orthodox views of the church, and started a long chain of events that led to Reformation. This newfound opposition was spurned by medieval church’s abuses of the common people, the worldliness of its priest’s and monks, and the hierarchies that were beginning to develop within the church. These events reached a climax with the advent of the humanist values of the Renaissance, and the new political orders that were arising during the high middle...
Words: 494 - Pages: 2
...Social and Political Consequences of the Protestant Reformation The Catholic Church had become increasingly corrupt due to the selling of indulgences, clerical ignorance, pluralism and absenteeism. In desperate need of improvement and restructuring, a man named Martin Luther began a religious reformation. Luther was opposed to the selling of indulgences, believed the key to salvation was by faith alone and that the scriptures of the bible held all authority. The ideals of Martin Luther, radically different from those of the Roman Catholic Church, created a religious reform disturbing politics throughout Europe and changing society. Numerous political effects occurred because of the Protestant Reformation, which consequently happened because of Luther’s reforms. The area that was affected most by the Reformation was Germany. Luther was favored there and he gained support by appealing to German patriotism and evoking a national pride and feeling that influenced many princes. Luther stated that the only way Reformation could come about was by the princes to abolish papal power. This happened when Charles V excommunicated Luther and the German princes did not enforce the banning of Luther’s teachings. Charles V was also to blame for the disintegration of imperial authority because during his reign, he never took an interest in the constitutional problems of Germany that were left over from the Middle Ages. Germans princes used the religious issues as a way to extend political...
Words: 589 - Pages: 3
...The initial spread of Martin Luther’s new theological ideas naturally produced chaos, dissent and rebellion. He launched Protestant Reformation with his 95 theses. He argued that all vocations are equal, including that of women. The religious unity that once held the society together, began to fall apart which lead to individual thought and opinion regarding religion, which further lead into politics, economics and social structures. The breaks in the church made people question if they should be so devout to their Catholic religion. For example, clerical immorality, ignorance, absenteeism, selling of indulgences and priests living in luxury created turmoil between the clergy and common people. Martin Luther believed that authority rested in the word of God. The Church should not be a hierarchy of clergy but a community of believers. Religious truth and authority can only be found in the Bible. He translated the Bible from the traditional Latin into German to help the people read the Bible and begin to think for themselves. He also wrote the Catechism, which simplified the Bible and explained the church doctrine so that the...
Words: 584 - Pages: 3
...Reformation The Reformation was one of the greatest religious and political movements of the 16th century, aimed at reforming the practises and beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. Beginning in 1517, The Reformation was led by a German monk, known as Martin Luther. Luther argued that the Roman Catholic Church was corrupt and that it should be reformed, in attempt to making it fair, less greedy, and accessible to all people. He declared authority should be derived from the Bible, not the Pope or the Church, giving rise to Protestant systems of belief. This conflict caused a split in the Church, and separated the Christians of Western Europe into Protestants and Catholics. The disruption also triggered a series of wars, persecutions and the...
Words: 1839 - Pages: 8
...Although Martin Luther and the King of England, Henry VIII, were very different individuals with distinct beliefs, they were both able to create significant changes during the Reformation. Both of them focused on the doings of the church, whether it was because of political or religious doctrines. The abuse and the desire of power lead to many disputes among the people of Europe and eventually became a national phenomenon. They both brought religious change to the country of Europe however; Luther was disgusted at the corruption of the church while on the other hand Henry created religious controversy in his desperation to have a male heir. Martin Luther did not fully agree with certain aspects of the church therefore he established his own beliefs and managed to gain many followers during the Reformation. One of Luther’s most important arguments was his opposition to the selling of indulgences, when the Pope was basically making money off of sacred artifacts. It disgusted Luther to see how many people believed that a piece of a paper could actually help you achieve salvation and so he created the Ninety-Five Theses. He expressed the idea that salvation could be achieved by faith alone in an attempt to stop people from buying the false hope of indulgences. He caused major upheaval when he refused to recant his statements in the Diet of Worms, creating tension between the people who wanted him dead for opposing the church and those who praised him and shared his beliefs....
Words: 831 - Pages: 4
...spent in England during the English Reformation. d. the turmoil caused by having two popes during the Great Schism. e. the influence of John Calvin. 2. The author of the Ninety-Five Theses was a. John Calvin. b. Erasmus. c. Voltaire. d. Martin Luther. e. Henry VIII. 3. The Catholic church dramatically pushed the sale of indulgences in the sixteenth century because of the a. need to match the resurgence of the Byzantine empire. b. threat posed by Islam. c. need for Henry VIII to pay off the national debt. d. expense associated with translating original Greek classics. e. need to raise funds for the construction of St. Peter’s basilica. 4. Which one of the following was not one of Luther’s problems with the Roman Catholic church? a. the selling of indulgences b. pluralism c. absenteeism d. the immense wealth of the Catholic church e. the church’s decision to translate the Bible into vernacular languages 5. Who said, “I cannot and will not recant anything, for it is neither safe nor right to act against one’s conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other.”? a. Martin Luther b. Jesus c. John Calvin d. Sima Qian e. Henry VIII 6. In the centuries following the fall of Rome, the only unifying force for all of Europe was a. the Byzantine empire. b. the Holy Roman empire. c. the Catholic church. d. the Auld Alliance. e. the Umayyad dynasty. 7. Henry VIII’s reformation in England a. was based on the ideas...
Words: 2581 - Pages: 11
...From 1450 to 1750, witch hunts were rampant around areas in Europe that were already ravaged by conflict. Witch hunts were roused by paranoia among both the layman and the religious authorities alike. The typically uneducated layman were easy prey for an intense paranoia and needed an outlet to blame. Sommerville, a modern historian, wrote a paper for other historians with a more neutral viewpoint than the fearful people of the past, detailing how women reaching for power was seen as evil and that was a part of how they were associated with witchcraft (Source 1). At the time, women were often treated as if they were a part of a lower class to be subjugated, and like when any member of a lower group tries to ascend to a higher one, they...
Words: 644 - Pages: 3
...Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries was very prone to changes and reformation in religion, exploration, and an overall outlook on life. Along with these changes, different opinions about government and leadership took place as well. The Protestant Reformation occurred during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. It converted Elizabeth along with other English citizens to different branches of Protestantism, creating controversy and allowing people to denounce Elizabeth for not only her gender, but now also for her religion. The Reformation made Elizabeth an easy target for criticism because it gave more reasons for people to be opposed to her. The ideas put towards Elizabeth were mainly judgmental and critical mainly because not only was she was a...
Words: 631 - Pages: 3
...New Art Forms of the High Middle Ages Throughout history Europe has experienced countless changes in culture and other aspects. The Middle Ages, or Medieval Period, lasted from around 800 into the 1400’s (349). This period can be subdivided into three categories: early, high, and late. The Middle Ages brought about changes in religion, law, and daily life. Changes also occurred in the arts with the introduction of Gothic architecture and troubadour poetry. Although the Middle Ages began as a time of violence, the emergence of Gothic architecture and troubadour poetry are examples of devotion and expression. During the tenth and eleventh centuries cathedrals were constructed (367). The style of the cathedrals resembled Roman architecture, which was the preceding time period. (367). Features of Roman architecture included “massive walls, rounded stones arches, and small windows” (367). By the twelfth century, this new style gained the name “Gothic.” The Gothic style introduced new engineering improvements and emphasized more emotional expression. The structures of Gothic architecture consisted of pointed arches, high ceilings, and flying buttresses (367). A flying buttress carried the weight of the roof. “Midieval Archtechture” states: “The walls of Gothic buildings could be thinner than previous styles of architecture because the weight of the roof was supported by the arches rather than by the walls. The pointed Gothic arch provided greater flexibility could also span...
Words: 1216 - Pages: 5
...Early Modern Europe – Major Forces for Change There are a lot of events that shaped the history of early Europe. Our ancestors had a lot on their plate when they discovered new lands and fought new diseases. One of the early forces that had a major impact were the crusades. The Crusades were a bunch of religious wars that were called on by the Pope and the Catholic Church in order to defend Christianity against the Muslims and get closer to the holy cities and other places in ancient Palestine. So what exactly does “crusade” mean? The word comes from an old French word “crois”, which means cross (if you haven’t guessed it). The crusaders (men who take vows to fight for Christianity) were not usually under a single banner, they all attached a cross to their clothes, but joining a crusade was usually voluntarily (depending where you were from). The Lords would get a notice that the Pope has called a crusade, and if they didn’t have any local problems of their own, they would go and fight the Byzantines. But the King of a country was still the same old mean guy, and if a lord or a noble died while fighting in the crusades, his land was possessed by the king, and other nobles were so righteous that they sold off their lands in order to buy weapons and armor to fight in the crusades. Not everything was so grim, the crusaders were facing a superior force and they had to adapt, they learned for example how to use a compass or how to build better ships. And while warring with other...
Words: 915 - Pages: 4
...The Protestant Reformation The Protestant Reformation was the 16th century religious and political revolution that disintegrated the Catholic Church. This reformation would define Europe in the modern era. Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry VIII contested the Church’s power and its faculty to divide Christian religion. On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther published his “95 Theses” which led to start the Protestant Reformation, in which it stated Luther’s terms of his protest against the Catholic Church. Martin Luther argued that Jesus died on the cross for our salvation; therefore, there was no need for lavish cathedrals and offerings that the Catholic Church was accustomed to. Also, he was opposed to the practice of the church collecting indulgences in order to shorten ones stay in purgatory. These indulgences were said to pave the way to heaven for any sinner. In Martin Luther’s 95 Theses the mentions the following: “Those who believe that, through letters of pardon, they are made sure of their own salvation will be eternally dammed along with their teacher”. After the Church’s unsuccessful rebuttal, they ended up excommunicating Luther in 1521. Luther went on to translating the bible into vernacular German, which up to this point was only in Latin and only available to priests who were they only ones who read and interpreted the bible to the masses. Luther’s translation was not word for word but rather sense for sense, which would help ordinary people, read the bible...
Words: 725 - Pages: 3
