About this episode

This episode explores the historical roots of witchcraft accusations in England and the role of Matthew Hopkins during the witch trials.

When Christianity arrived for the general masses in the late 1500's and Early 1600's, the puritan purge made life hell for a lot of people. As the civil war raged on, people took advantage and one of those people was Matthew Hopkins. He setn hundreds of people, mainly women to their deaths but before him, how did witchcraft become such a hotbed of political tension and how did religion stick it's beak into the ways people had been living for years but now paired it with the devil - a christian invention... In this episode of Macabre London , we uncover the roots of witchcraft accusations in England — from folk magic and protective charms to demonisation, law, religion, and the rise of the “witch” as a feared figure in the public imagination. We look at the key players who helped shape witch panic, including Henry VIII, James VI and I, Malleus Maleficarum , and Matthew Hopkins, and trace how fear turned into prosecution. If you’re into witches, medieval history, the early modern period, dark history, history documentaries, religion and belief, folklore, esotericism, and all things eerie and uncanny, this episode is for you. So if you're interested in magick, the occult, historical…

People in this episode

Host: Macabre London Podcast

Topics covered

• witchcraft
• history
• religion
• political tension
• folklore
• medieval history

Keywords

• witchfinder
• witch trials
• puritan purge
• occult
• dark history
• Christianity
• political tension
• folklore

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Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Malleus Maleficarum

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