Witchcraft: Crash Course European History #10

During our last several episodes, Europe and the European-controlled world have been in crisis. Wars, disease, climate changes, and shifts in religious and political power threw the European world into turmoil. People were looking for a scapegoat, and for many it was a time of magical thinking. So, maybe witches were responsible for all the problems? It was a popular idea, but, alas, the witches weren't responsible.
Sources:
Godbeer, Richard, ed. The Salem Witch Hunt: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2018.
Kupperman, Karen. Indians and English: Facing Off in Early America. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2000. Plus additional personal communications.
Parker, Geoffrey. Global Crisis: War, Climate Change, and Catastrophe in the Seventeenth Century. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013.
Roper, Lyndall. Oedipus and the Devil: Witchcraft, Sexuality and Religion in Early Modern Europe. London: Routledge, 1994.
Roper, Lyndal. The Witch in the Western Imagination, Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2012.
Crash Course is on Patreon! You can support us directly by signing up at / crashcourse
Thanks to the following patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever:
Eric Prestemon, Sam Buck, Mark Brouwer, Brian Thomas Gossett, Haixiang N/A Liu, Jonathan Zbikowski, Siobhan Sabino, Zach Van Stanley, Bob Doye, Jennifer Killen, Nathan Catchings, Brandon Westmoreland, dorsey, Indika Siriwardena, Kenneth F Penttinen, Trevin Beattie, Erika & Alexa Saur, Glenn Elliott, Justin Zingsheim, Jessica Wode, Tom Trval, Jason Saslow, Nathan Taylor, Khaled El Shalakany, SR Foxley, Sam Ferguson, Yasenia Cruz, Eric Koslow, Caleb Weeks, Tim Curwick, D.A. Noe, Shawn Arnold, Malcolm Callis, William McGraw, Andrei Krishkevich, Rachel Bright, Jirat, Ian Dundore
--
Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook - / youtubecrashcourse
Twitter - / thecrashcourse
Tumblr - / thecrashcourse
Support Crash Course on Patreon: / crashcourse
CC Kids: / crashcoursekids

[@pipinacarathanasis]

My personal favourite argument: "If she floats she's a witch. If she drowns she's not a witch... Either way she dies tho" Gotta love that A+ european logic

[@violetraven8323]

Shows that they didn’t actually care about the truth or even would even bother to value the life of the innocent women they killed. It’s sad what happened cause that brand of misogyny still dwells today. Of course you can’t drown people to death under dumb religious accusations. But men in power still get away with abuse against women and actively uphold systemic gender barriers for there own wants.

[@pipinacarathanasis]

@@violetraven8323 100% agree

[@justinirwin6010]

They didn't just let people drown, though: the practice of dunking pretty much always involved suspending the suspected witch with ropes, so that they could be pulled up out of the water if they sank. You can see this depicted in the woodcut shown in the video at about 7:58. People surely drowned by accident, but the suggestion that this was routine is pure myth: people in the past weren't actually Monty Python characters.

[@pipinacarathanasis]

@@justinirwin6010 good to know! Thx for the correction, still wack tho.

[@justinirwin6010]

@@pipinacarathanasis No problem. And, yeah, no argument there

[@user-sr9hq9iu9i]

imagine my disappointment....finding out that this isn't a crash course to learning how to be a witch

[@nadiasilver5762]

after 22 years, the answer isn't what you'd expect. Study. Practice. Community. Study. Always study.

[@leedraconis5793]

Yep, 100% just start. Study and look at resources. Trust in your intuition to lead you there, but put in effort as well 😉

[@avaparent6436]

Watch Azura DragonFaether and Witch of Wonderlust on here. Also look at witchblr, there's a lot of good masterposts and beginner spells

[@user-sr9hq9iu9i]

hey guys, I was literally joking......I have ZERO interest in burning in the stake, let me watch my milk dud The charmed episodes in peace (that's as far I'll go)

[@avaparent6436]

​@@user-sr9hq9iu9i You're not gonna get burned at the stake, that's illegal. And Charmed is farthest from an actual show/movie on magick

[@SwitchFeathers]

As somebody who has owned no less than 3 black cats in my lifetime (with one currently asleep on my couch) I can attest that they are very good and precious babies and deserve love.

[@Bakarost]

Seems like something a witch would say

[@Bakarost]

Even more suspicious is your name is cain. IT ALL ADDS UP

[@Bakarost]

WE GOT A WITCH HERE!!!!!

[@SwitchFeathers]

@@Bakarost Aw dang they gawt me

[@Bakarost]

@@SwitchFeathers hope you weigh less then a duck

[@ilovemuslimfood666]

“If she weighs the same as a duck, she’s made of wood.” “And therefore?” *silence* “A WITCH!”

[@Gurthgod]

Yesssssss

[@cartoonmaster2401]

You think that's crazy? In ancient Europe, women who were accused of witchcraft were thrown into a river: if they _didn't_ drown, they were called a witch and executed, if they _did_ they were innocent.

[@abigailjansen8235]

Cartoon Master its from a movie

[@cartoonmaster2401]

@@abigailjansen8235 ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh My bad XD

[@abigailjansen8235]

Cartoon Master lol ur good

[@ZoggFromBetelgeuse]

I'm surprised you didn't mention Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld, 17th-century anti-torture activist and author of the book "Cautio Criminalis" that argues that torture of alleged witches is not only immoral but does also not produce truth. The book is still very relevant today - just replace "witches" with "terrorists" and you get a convincing line of argument against the use of torture to fight terrorism.

[@SudoBurger]

Upvotes for Zogg

[@thereforeayam]

old replaced new today

[@user-wh8co2wi4y]

Witches and terrorist are not the same though. Very Far from the same.

[@CollinMcLean]

@@user-wh8co2wi4y No it's about the same. Gathering information by inflicting physical and psychological harm to people until they tell us what we want them to tell us and despite evidence it doesn't work continue to insist this is the best means of preventing outside forces from harming our society... It's the exact same...

[@ZoggFromBetelgeuse]

@@user-wh8co2wi4y Of course, witches and terrorists are not the same thing. But the book is based on the assumption that witches are a real thread - I don't know whether Spee believed that but it's written for people who believed it. Spee argues that eben if those evildoers are hidden amongst us, it matters how you try to find them - otherwise you will just punish innocent people instead of finding the bad guys. He argues that the accused need legal representation, that a confession under torture ihas no value, and that accusations under torture just lead to a cascade of false condemnations. This arguments are valid no matter whether you are hunting imaginary witches or teal terrorists or alien shapeshifters (I'm not allowed to tell if those are real).

[@marthastawska9237]

I’ve had my black cat (Onyx) for 13 years and he brings me nothing but love, cuddles, and a whole bunch of serotonin.

[@martabilinska2993]

Fun fact: the earliest mentions of witches in books didn’t actually include any cats. Instead there was a lot written about rats and since handwritten ‘c’ and ‘r’ were similar, ‘rats’ became ‘cats’.

[@Anonarchist]

*world history professor:* "how could anyone tell if someone is a witch?" *me:* "weigh them against a duck!"

[@panduwidagdo7051]

Therefore...

[@rogerdiogo6893]

If the duck quacks, we have a witch...LOL!

[@vectoredthrust5214]

Anon archist please tell me your teacher got the joke

[@finalmage6]

The Green brothers are obviously wizards. I cannot fathom any other way for them to be such enjoyable individuals :-D

[@jbtechcon7434]

Better shave them and check them for skin tags, hard nipples, or boners.

[@whyit487]

@@honoka7917 *_what_*

[@honoka7917]

@@whyit487 you know i'm referencing what those fifteenth century people did right

[@whyit487]

@@honoka7917 Yeah

[@user-xq5og9lt8p]

-to state the obvious: Joan of Arc wasn't a witch *The holy Inquisition wants to know your location*

[@Nonsense010688]

Well to be fair, there was a 2nd trial, this time run by the french in which she was found innocent. She is the protecting saint of the french army after all...

[@SidheKnight]

English Knight #1: We've had our asses handed over to us by a teenage girl. How humiliating! English Knight #2: Well.. it's not so humiliating if she is a WITCH.

[@thereforeayam]

"H" ...DROP

[@TheTariqibnziyad]

to be fail the church itself considers her a saint

[@ottomeyer6928]

lol

[@JimFortune]

Don't put a cat in the globe. Open the globe and tell the cat "Don't go in there.' Problem solved.

[@Shannon_Vlogs]

Jim Fortune This works

[@TamarZiri]

+

[@chrayez]

Just put a shoebox in the globe 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@JimFortune]

@@chrayez Or any box almost big enough to fit the cat.

[@MyPisceanNature]

@@JimFortune Being big enough to fit a cat is optional.

[@rayjinflo]

Clicked to learn magic spells, stayed for history lesson.

[@trevourchidoti8679]

I really enjoy this show, could you guys also do African history, from an African perspective.

[@worrywirt]

I second this! It’s a shame that world history courses never really give a damn about African history when it’s so interesting- and important.

[@lilyth4222]

I love how half of these comments are actual historical comments and additives but the other is just Monty Python jokes. HQ humor, my friends :)

[@scarlet8078]

This is my favorite period of history to study. There was so much going on internationally, from plague to the emergence of gunpowder to the most dramatic changes in fashion of any period.

[@Elliewagner]

It is 1 am. I am a comp sci major. I havent needed to know this stuff ever. Yet i am here

[@MrKFNeverGiveUp]

Knight: What makes you think she's a witch? Peasant: Well, she turned me into a newt! Knight: A newt? Peasant: I got better! BURN HER ANYWAY, BURN HER, BURN HER!.........

[@g.avarbuch8480]

Did she weigh the same as a duck?

[@MrKFNeverGiveUp]

@@g.avarbuch8480 - BURN HER!...

[@purrbugaloo]

You are awesome! MP!💚😂

[@alicehellman8445]

“What are bridges made of?” -Monty python’s flying circus

[@Anonarchist]

We shaIl use my largest scales!

[@edwardaves7239]

I was digging thru a box of raisin bran w/ a fork when John said “don’t forget to be awesome”.

[@jepleure]

As someone owned by a super-sweet house panther (i.e. black cat), THANK YOU for the PSA about black cats not being bad luck. They're amazing, sweet kitties

[@saikirandiddi8518]

Can you guys make a crash course about talking skills and story telling

[@rozempire2843]

Sai Kiran Diddi Talking skills: Crash Course Business Story telling: Crash Course Mythology

[@Zeldarw104]

Skillshare there you go! 🤔

[@sergiovarela8724]

"The lines between Christianity and paganism have never been bright or clear" Today, here in Galicia we celebrate the San Xoán, in my town we have covered the front doors of our houses with plants and flowers with the preminence of the "espadanas" and "fiuncho". And on this night i will gather with my friends around a bonfire to drink some beers and wine (that we will pour on a trash bin,that we bought on a chinese shop, around 20 liters) and celebrate on this solstice of summer... From christianity it only has the name of a saint, the espirit of this day it's completely pagan and it´s by far my favourite of the year. We will burn the old stuf that we acumulated in our homes through the year, in this night while we burn the old and welcome the new i am going to drink a beer while wishing you for bright new days.

[@AlpacaEmpress]

I love my Black Cat. Her name is Trixie. She would gladly sit in your globe to make your point known.

[@ConvincingPeople]

There was also the Witch of Endor, who is actually a pretty neutral figure in the Bible, more a harbinger of certain calamity than a negative force in her own right. On top of that, the "suffer not a witch to live" line can be more literally translated from Hebrew as "suffer not a poisoner to live," as someone who had knowledge of things like poisonous herbs and was putting them to use against their own community was understandably considered too dangerous to have walking around.

[@Azzarinne]

I've heard that the mistranslation was intentional, as "Kill All Witches" was such a craze at the time. So many people who only wanted to help murdered as a result of paranoia... :'(

[@inquisitor1984]

Yeah this episode is not a good one. The ignorance is showing.

[@t.vinters3128]

Mistranslations, mis-reading and misinterpretations like these are pretty much the basis of christianity, and contemporary Judaism [which was effected by Christian ideas]. A lot of things are also taken out of context in a way that changes their meaning entirely. It gets even more ridiculous when you realize most people's idea of what the bible says is based on reading a translation of a translation of a translation - with each one losing some in the process.

[@shiftym1]

@@t.vinters3128 that's not how translations work. They go back the the oldest versions they can find and compare them to other version around that time to get as close to the originals as possible. I recommend the ESV or if you want to go with less rearranging of the sentence structure, the NASB.

[@queenofnevers6990]

@cak01vej hebrew source of it is Torah, it hasn't changed since then. Easily available online. The problem with its translation is that every translation means interpretation. You can find non-christian translations of it, which would be preferrable, as they try to keep as neutral tone as possible. Just make the search of "torah in english (or any required language)" not Bible or "old testament"

[@whit882]

"Objects from nature can be poisonous or healing," Ah YES. I too believe in the witch craft called medicine.

[@Thejydgr]

We don't know that Joan of Arc wasn't a witch. Did she float?

[@satyris410]

Burn her anyway!

[@nayandusoruth2468]

No no no, We can tell if a person is a witch, if they are made of wood, which we can tell by knowing if they will float on water, and we can tell that they will float on water, if they are as heavy as a duck, another thing that floats on water.

[@user-xq5og9lt8p]

@@nayandusoruth2468 who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?

[@CooperDianeBob]

Her trial had nothing to do with the witches, It was a fraud created by the English

[@andresd3104]

It was all political and about power. Like nowadays.

[@vetren23]

4:54 fun fact, the original more closely translates to poisoner not witch.

[@jennakhrysavek8443]

@cak01vej Greek. The language that the King Jame's scholars worked with to translate the King James Bible (from which the quote is taken) was Greek. And it referenced the horror of a physician - one learned in the arts of medicines and herbs - using that knowledge to kill rather than heal.

[@vetren23]

​@cak01vej Well as the quotes from Exodus it would be Hebrew originally.

[@celinak5062]

@cak01vej religion for breakfast might have a video on this

[@pendlera2959]

@cak01vej "What I instead found was that the "witch etymology" goes something like this: a sorcerer; used of people using drugs and "religious incantations" to drug people into living by their illusions - like having magical (supernatural) powers to manipulate God into giving them more temporal possessions." Interesting. To me that could be interpreted as meaning "don't suffer a drug dealer". I can imagine non-priestly use of psychedelics would be a problem back then. A lot of biblical visions resemble what people describe when they're tripping. Lots of eyes, weird light and colors, feeling like you're in the presence of a higher being, etc.

[@queenofnevers6990]

@cak01vej linear B is not that old at all, and yeah in Hebrew it uses the word which is closest to sorcery, but practically speaks more about those who "read signs" to forsee the future. I'm not a native Hebrew speaker, but my knowledge of it allows me to understand Torah with no major problems. Prophets are much more difficult. Judaism keep the ancient text untouched, as it's sacred, and the elders were strictly against translating it as they understood the consequences of it. (side note - there are two known places in the text that is not identical in eastern and western sources. but it's fully aknowledged and the difference is about a word or letter). Appealing to ANY translation to interptret the bible is like to analyze peculiarity of let's say Balzac's language by its translation to Arabic.

[@thomasturner6980]

Joan of Arc: *defeats English* English: hold my wishcraft claims

[@fusionvision7013]

Basically like screaming HAX in a video game

[@vickymc9695]

It's kinda the only thing they could put her on trial for. She couldn't be treated as a capture general, because the French wouldn't ransom her back. She couldn't be kept around as she could demoralize are troops, she was supposed to be holy. So to try to get the money for her, the English said they'd put her on trial. But the only thing they could find was her wearing men's clothing, and saying she was prophesized.... So witch. It was consider really flimsy.

[@Gameshunter3012]

@@vickymc9695 Are you saying Joan D'Arc was killed by insufficient bureaucracy?

[@MichaelSmith-ij2ut]

Ohhhh crafting wishes is an English genie's specialty!

[@samuelmora1327]

Things that made you a witch "hardened nipples" Me: "chuckles" I'm in danger

[@BreathInSpaceFilmz]

The Witches’ Hammer is like the Mein Kampf of misogyny.

[@phoebe543]

Especially since both the Holocaust and the slaughtering of all those women involve a scapegoat being identified and persecuted in a time of crisis.

[@silent_stalker3687]

BreathInSpaceFilmz Any other books I should add to my collection?

[@gaybroshevik4180]

Yup

[@KaylaNoelle1]

And the burning times were the women's holocaust :( Especially in Germany entire villages would be left with all of their women and girls killed.

[@silent_stalker3687]

cak01vej Thank you very much (/0v0)/

[@tsonga100]

Last time I was this early, I was at Salem

[@MTTT1234]

Interestingly enough Heinrich Kramer wrote that book after he tried to bring a woman to trial for witchcraft in the city of Innsbruck, yet aparently pretty much all representatives of all estates rejected his claims and 'evidences' . A commission initiated by the Bishop of the diocese of Brixen found out he pretty much ignored every law method at the time regarding how to aquire evidence or testimonies, so the trial was quickly suspended and the bishop order Kramer to leave his diocese immediately and not return. Maybe he got so angry that he has lost that trial that he focused his anger in his book?

[@user-xq5og9lt8p]

I mean, wouldn't you sell your immortal soul to Devil for supernatural powers to destroy your neighbour's crops and pee into their milk? Thought so

[@dehavillandvampire]

I’m kind of disappointed that there wasn’t much attention given to the treatment of witchcraft (or the persecution of it) from a social perspective (as opposed to the religious and gendered ones offered here). Most spates of witch trials occurred at times of great strife such as the Thirty Years War or War of the Three Kingdoms of course but most other accusations of witchcraft often furthered a specific social gain on the part of the accuser. Like in the Stalinist purges, or during the White/Red terrors in the Spanish Civil War later on people would accuse those whom they didn’t like or had a land/inheritance dispute with. One case in Lancashire had a boy called Edmund accuse multiple people of being witches and warlocks in order to further his father’s business interests. Scottish witch trials which are very well documented show this to be a clear pattern beyond the usual gender based interpretation and show witchcraft to be more simple than it often van seem from a modern perspective. Another overlooked area is the rate of conviction which given the modern view that the mere accusation of witchcraft was a death sentence it wasn’t unheard of for people to be found innocent of witchcraft.

[@eoincampbell1584]

Both of those topics were mentioned, just not fully explored. I would assume because they aren't s relevant to us today as the issued of religion and gender that still have counterparts within our culture.

[@dehavillandvampire]

@@eoincampbell1584 Although I appreciate this is a crash course, and as such they of course cannot give time to the minutiae of each historiographical interpretation; to say that a social interpretation is without use in the modern world is rather pushing it. For an example of someone using false accusations to further a personal vendetta in a similar manner to some witch trials of the era we need look no further than Elon Musk's antics surrounding the Thai cave rescue. That and of course other examples of fear driven hysteria like the Cultural Revolution, or Macarthyism. These are still relevant today, what with a rising tide of religous intolerance etc. Personally were I covering the topic I would have dedicated less time to setting up a religous context. I don't think its too much of a stretch for us to understand how religion dominated the lives of people in a pre-enlightenment world. And then I would use that time to explore a few other things such as the rates of conviction, social and economic motivations for accusing people of witchcraft etc.

[@patrickdoyle3174]

It’s really scary how many parallels there are between witch-hunting in the early modern period and the suppression of reproductive rights today. I’ve heard and read a bit that suggests that quiet women with knowledge of herbs and healing were targeted as they would have been the most capable administrators of contraception and abortifacients. I wish that was addressed in the video, but I’m really happy that Crash Course is making videos like this, i.e. ones that don’t just dismiss any discussion of the supernatural or arcane and instead dig into how conceptions of the unknown are tied into fear and struggles for power. Really looking forward to in depth discussions of the Scientific Revolution and Age of Enlightenment.

[@BearingtonT]

It's the same religion, are you surprised?

[@user-xq5og9lt8p]

-The ability to multiply isn't a witchcraft! Springfield witch's last words

[@Mr_Wallet]

According to medieval Europe, one can tell that a woman's a witch because they get _too old_ to "multiply", if you know what I mean.

[@thereforeayam]

'X' was a signature when many ppl couldn't write. They'd sign with an 'X'. I will soon write a paper (or book) proving that it was attempted extortions: most of the "witches" were single women with an income source!

[@magtovi]

@Dream Delirium European Medieval peasants, soldiers, explorers, conquerors and kings were goddamned Barbarians. FTFY

[@jorenvanderark3567]

@@thereforeayam Good luck, that theory has only been debunked about a dozen times... surely you will prove it!

[@pendlera2959]

@@jorenvanderark3567 Source, please?

[@rozempire2843]

I really, really love Crash Course

[@rozempire2843]

Like I really, really, really love Crash Course

[@maxzekowski1443]

Hey, love this episode, but I'm a little surprised that this examination of witchcraft in Europe didnt put too much time into the political dimension of this issue. Looking at Joan of Arc, she was indeed executed by the English, but was later vindicated by the French. Both trials were highly political and tied up in the factionalism around the Hundred Years War. And that's just one example - most witch trials focused on marginalizing and taking away power from a percieved threat to the reigning political order.

[@FinianFhomhair]

It's actually called "Augsburg", not "Augsberg". berg = mountain, burg = castle Great video anyway, I really enjoy watching your channel :) Greetings from Augsburg

[@ilovemuslimfood666]

FinianFhomhair Ohhh, so St. Petersburg means “St. Peter’s Castle”? That makes sense!

[@JamesMartinBass]

I've become a huge John Green fan of late. These CrashCourse videos are among the best stuff out there on literary and historical topics. I can't thank you enough for creating and sharing them.

[@tikaal]

I'm currently reading about early American history and this series is very helpful for context

[@Mattdewit]

VILLAGER #1: We have found a witch, might we burn her? CROWD: Burn her! Burn! BEDEVERE: How do you know she is a witch? VILLAGER #2: She looks like one. BEDEVERE: Bring her forward. WITCH: I'm not a witch. I'm not a witch. BEDEVERE: But you are dressed as one. WITCH: They dressed me up like this. CROWD: No, we didn't -- no. WITCH: And this isn't my nose, it's a false one. BEDEVERE: Well? VILLAGER #1: Well, we did do the nose. BEDEVERE: The nose? VILLAGER #1: And the hat -- but she is a witch! CROWD: Burn her! Witch! Witch! Burn her! BEDEVERE: Did you dress her up like this? CROWD: No, no... no... yes. Yes, yes, a bit, a bit. VILLAGER #1: She has got a wart. BEDEVERE: What makes you think she is a witch? VILLAGER #3: Well, she turned me into a newt. BEDEVERE: A newt? VILLAGER #3: I got better. VILLAGER #2: Burn her anyway! CROWD: Burn! Burn her! BEDEVERE: Quiet! quiet! Quiet! There are ways of telling whether she is a witch. CROWD: Are there? What are they? VILLAGER #2: Do they hurt? BEDEVERE: Tell me, what do you do with witches? VILLAGER #2: Burn! CROWD: Burn, burn them up! BEDEVERE: And what do you burn apart from witches? VILLAGER #1: More witches! VILLAGER #2: Wood! BEDEVERE: So, why do witches burn? [pause] VILLAGER #3: B--... 'cause they're made of wood? BEDEVERE: Good! CROWD: Oh yeah, yeah. BEDEVERE: So, how do we tell whether she is made of wood? VILLAGER #1: Build a bridge out of her. BEDEVERE: Aah, but can you not also make bridges out of stone? VILLAGER #2: Oh, yeah. BEDEVERE: Does wood sink in water? VILLAGER #1: No, no. VILLAGER #2: It floats! It floats! VILLAGER #1: Throw her into the pond! CROWD: The pond! BEDEVERE: What also floats in water? VILLAGER #1: Bread! VILLAGER #2: Apples! VILLAGER #3: Very small rocks! VILLAGER #1: Cider! VILLAGER #2: Uhhh, gravy! VILLAGER #1: Cherries! VILLAGER #2: Mud! VILLAGER #3: Churches -- churches! VILLAGER #2: Lead -- lead! ARTHUR: A duck. CROWD: Oooh. BEDEVERE: Exactly! So, logically... VILLAGER #1: If... she... weighs the same as a duck.. she's made of wood. BEDEVERE: And therefore? VILLAGER #1: A witch! CROWD: A witch! A witch! A witch! BEDEVERE: We shall use my largest scales! [yelling] BEDEVERE: Right, remove the supports! [whop] [creak] CROWD: A witch! A witch! WITCH: It's a fair cop. CROWD: Burn her! Burn her! [yelling] BEDEVERE: Who are you who are so wise in the ways of science? ARTHUR: I am Arthur, King of the Britons. BEDEVERE: My liege! ARTHUR: Good Sir knight, will you come with me to Camelot, and join us at the Round Table? BEDEVERE: My liege! I would be honored. ARTHUR: What is your name? BEDEVERE: Bedevere, my leige. ARTHUR: Then I dub you Sir Bedevere, Knight of the Round Table.

[@nyar2352]

The Malleus Maleficarum has two authors. There was an inportant political and financial background to the witch hunts as well. It also wasn't just older women, but also young ones and girls. Men, too, were accused, particularly when owning interesting bits of land! The land and goods of the people who were killed played an important role. It wasn't all "fear of the devil" :) And do no forget that the torturers got their rocks off too.

[@skausage]

Incredible. Thanks for not going all Hollywood, John. You're still grinding out the highest quality & most informative content on the internet.

[@J_T_B]

thanks john and team!

[@andreasmuller3006]

I love crash course but here are a few corrections / missing stuff: - Krammer (the author of the Witches Hammer) was kicked out by local authorities in Brixen. They thought of him as an old, fanatic, pervert. Out of frustration he wrote the "Witches Hammer", which only became popular ~100 years later - The Constitutio Criminalis Carolina was in effect since 1532. It was imperial law and would have prevented many if not all executions because it asked for real proof. However, no one cared - States didn't like it when their tax payers were burnt. Strong states saw fewer witch hunts. - Midwives often appear in court to test if the witch was pregnant (then she could not be tortured). Midwives were just as often accused as other women were. - The persecution of the heretic group of the "Waldensians" who were believed to worship the devil (they did not) probably were the forerunner of witchcraft ideas. These ideas came together in the council of Basel in 1431 to 1449. In this area Waldensians were persecuted at the same time. - The Spanish Inquisition forbid to use the witches Hammer in 1532. They stopped all witch trials in Spain, because if a witch is burnt, the devil wins. Instead, they burnt Muslims and Jews. - There were many people arguing against the persecution of witches. Most prominently the Dutch physician Johannes Weyer. His argument was: Women are weak, senile and not able to make contracts (also not with the devil). Witches are just confused by the devil and should be treated nicely. Friedrich von Spee argued that whenever someone is tortured long enough, they will confess to being a witch. Basically many, many people (intellectuals) agreed that persecution had only negative effects, but witches and the devil were still real. - The farther north someone goes, the higher the percentage of male witches. In Scandinavia, Ireland and Iceland the vast majority of witches was male. No one knows why this is the case. However, over all 80% of the victims were women (because more witches were persecuted in the Holy Roman Empire than anywhere else). - In many cases scared people demanded of the officials to become active against witches. Small/weak states rather led the hunt than prevented it. These are my major corrections. Over all the episode is not bad, but it could be better. Feel free to ask if you have any question!

[@andreasmuller3006]

Oh and I forgot one import thing: - The so called "Little Ice Age" is believed to have had a major impact. Basically, bad weather spoiled the harvests for a long time and made many living conditions very terrible. This made it more appealing for everyone to blame witches for spoiling the weather and destroying the harvest.

[@kyokyoniizukyo7171]

Andreas Müller Well, fammine might make people mad...though I could never imagine this today thankfully...

[@andreasmuller3006]

@@kyokyoniizukyo7171 Yeah, of course. Today no one would ever give in to crazy conspiracy theories, just because climate alterations made things worse for everyone!

[@homonymph]

A good follow up to this might be PhilosophyTube's video "Witchcraft, Gender & Marxism"

[@FrogLehane]

Exactly my thoughts!

[@Argacyan]

It's almost as if you read my mind, something only a witch does (jk)

[@gaybroshevik4180]

@Dream Delirium duh! ♥️

[@adroitdroid5989]

@Dream Delirium azor Malaya karzuuul barak let the flame of heartblood be biryhed

[@adroitdroid5989]

@Dream Delirium more like a chimera of a lot of pop culture references

[@elizabethstart7466]

Loved this one.

[@satyris410]

Yay. I've added 5 videos to watch later. This popped up and I'm watching it now! Happy days =D

[@ozeppeo]

Minor mistake: The city is called "Augsburg" (check out the peace of Augsburg)

[@fugithegreat]

May I recommend chapter 24 in Carl Sagan's The Demon-haunted World, in which a great in-depth analysis is given about witchcraft and science. The whole book is great, but this chapter was viscerally horrifying.

[@richardsandoval2899]

I appreciate your thought process.

[@juniorberns]

Great video... on a roll

[@liaminelli9085]

Omggg John is getting up there! Voice got deeper, slower, hair getting grey. I remember watching him in my AP history class in HS & struggling to keep up with his energy & fast talking 😂❤️❤️

[@user-nq9ir7jp2z]

same here😂 I was studying at an international HS not in the States and most people in the class don't speak English as their first language, so our teacher literally printed out John's transcripts to help us follow along when he's playing us videos... 80% of my HS history education was done by energetic John, and now hearing John talks so slowly really makes me feel like that we are all getting older...it's like a sad reminder for me that I've graduated high school long ago and have to stop feeling like a kid and live in the 'real world'😢 also I miss 'Me from the Past' so much:'( he can't play 17 anymore, neither can I😢

[@tomsadventures1001]

Excellent episode. One of my favourite topics.

[@lushie248]

This is first time a watching John Green doing a crash course besides world history and I just can't wrap my head around him talking slowly.

[@jesussaves2043]

Great Video, very balanced.

[@KAYEscl0sed]

Black Cat Lives Matter Yeah!

[@akka1124]

😂nice one

[@maidosama]

yassss... its 3 am in my country. Must watcchcch

[@maria-lz3he]

Amazing, thank u!

[@althaearatliffthereligion]

Interesting episode. I have no idea if you have planed the rest of this series already or how close you are getting to current times but if you get into the 1920s can you talk about Gerald Gardner?

[@JasmanianxDevilx]

It would be so cool if you did one on the history of hoodoo and voodoo!! 😭😭 I love these courses! ❤❤❤

[@leebrady9669]

where's agnes nutter when u need her smh

[@worrywirt]

I knew I’d find Good Omens fans here 😂

[@neatoburrito7249]

“You’re late” -Agnes Nutter when I respond to this comment after 9 months

[@aoifeenendu2555]

I love you guys thanks for the vids

[@geoffreywinn4031]

Cool video!

[@poorplayer9249]

Damn! Sounds like Kramer wrote an incel manifesto.

[@clairewiegley3394]

people fear what they don't understand

[@SunjayVideos]

Sylvia Federici's Caliban and the Witch has a really interesting chapter about the relationship between what people saw as witchcraft and what European colonialists claimed indigenous religious practices were. Which is another interesting way the economic, imperial, and religious changes of this period all intersect

[@yanasaco]

To go further on some aspects of this video's topic I'd highly recommend Silvia Federici's "Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation", an easy read where the author explores ties between the massive European and American witch-hunts and the rise of capitalist values, rational scientific theories, the enclosures' phenomenon and the sexual division of labor.

[@darrianweathington1923]

Witches! That explains my empty wallet.

[@kiernantorrellas4329]

IVE NEVER CLICKED SO FAST I LOVE YOU

[@camiloiribarren1450]

Learning on the origin of the witch trials in Europe. This is going to be interesting lesson

[@mushroomsamba82]

10:13 Imagine having epilepsy in the 15th century, you have a seizure and someone gets burned at the stake 😒

[@RafLovesMary]

lil sidenote: the city is called Augsburg not Augsberg... like the castle rather than a mountain ;)

[@kevinbrown4529]

so cool

[@estrellacasias]

I didnt even have to watch this all the way through to like it the fact that this is a topic at all is so...idk im just happy!

[@shockingheaven]

I got physically exhausted after hearing about all that misogyny.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Salem lady: moves Salem men: *witch*

[@justarandomgal2683]

Men were accused of witchcraft too. Giles Corey was pressed to death. Another example was John proctor. In all, 5 men were executed in Salem. Giles Corey was pressed to death because he refused to enter an innocent or guilty plea. . They were trying to force a plea out of him. It is widely believed he refused to enter a plea because he wanted to ensure that his property would be able to be passed down to his heirs.

[@Heranara]

Salem Cat: Still wants to take over the world.

[@2-dsynctium773]

If she breathes, she is a witch!

[@coffee115]

@@justarandomgal2683 THOSE ARE WARLOCKS

[@justarandomgal2683]

coffee115 The term Warlock was not used at the time.

[@andrewcullen7671]

Hey Crash Course: I love your series on European History, but I've been trying for years to find good resources on the history of other continents. Mostly Asia and Africa. Africa has so many different cultures and there's been a lot of change. China and India have existed longer than any other countries on Earth. Could you guys please do episodes on the history of the rest of the world? And make them just as detailed? Those events still shaped our lives today. Thanks!

[@TheAngryRepublican]

Cool video 👍

[@cebenify]

Also the Hussites wars were just as extensive as the Hundred years' war.

[@aidanharrison3888]

It wasn't just the English who wanted rid of Joan . The French arm of the church . The Dauphin . ( Nobody likes to be upstaged by an illiterate young peasant girl ) . And quite a few others who had been made fools of , or slighted by her . One way or another she had to go . The French ecclesiastic authorities found her guilty and handed her over to the secular authorities to carry out her sentence . At that moment in time it happened to be the English .

[@cornellwaters9089]

Thank You 🦉

[@yen8365]

taking down notes from this video so i can finish my history essay on a witchcraft trial

[@shyama555]

1487: "We need a war on witchcraft!" 1947: "We need a war on communism!" 2001: "We need a war on terror!" Scapegoats for sheeple.

[@KaiPlews]

As the proud caretaker of a house panther, I agree they are great and mine only occasionally feasts on the souls of men when she's hangry or bored.

[@panda2ism]

if you want an eye opening view on witchcraft. the first few chapters of Wicca for Beginners gives a good insight into the world. plus the book has a good further reading sections. it is interesting to see the wiccan description vs what christianity describes it as.

[@ChristianNelsonn]

Just a small nitpick; the city of Istanbul wasn't called Istanbul until after the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. The Ottomans called it Konstantiniyye, which is the Ottomanised version of Constantinople.

[@NatureWitch]

That poor Joan of Arc! I wish I could go back in time and save her somehow 😭 she did not deserve one of the worst punishments imaginable! Just for being a war genius.

[@camelliarains8866]

Thank you for the PSA. It still amazes me that silly superstition keeps people from adopting a perfectly normal cat. 🐱

[@Azzarinne]

It doesn't just keep them from being adopted. It's horrifying how many black cats are killed on and around Halloween.

[@camelliarains8866]

I agree. It always makes me angry and sad that that happens. That's why I always keep my black cats indoors on Halloween. Which ironically, is my favorite holiday.

[@mechelchavez9537]

Thanks crash course

[@tsonga100]

This is a high stakes video

[@JamesLewis98]

Half of all accused witches in England were acquitted. Also, I feel like John is omitting the fact that thousands of men were also accused of witchcraft while purporting that this was a nearly exclusive experience for women at the time.

[@griffingasink1099]

umm he said 80% were women so one could logically deduce that 20% were men.

[@__Andrew]

Im not sure why it would matter if half of them were acquitted... 100% of them were innocent to begin with and it still lead to thousand and thousands of deaths. Including that of children.

[@drfilhobarreiros]

Everybody accused of almost anything got tortured at the time. Secular tribunals used to accuse the Inquisition of being too soft with the "suspects"

[@elijahjohnson1952]

Does everyone remember that scene from Monty Python and the search for the Holy Grail. That was fun.

[@kathrynscott7303]

That was really good. And thank you for the black cat disclaimer!

[@DaDunge]

4:50 Actually the early church did not believe in watch craft, the only supernatural power that exists comes from God, instead those who believed in non divine magic were deemed heretics and polytheists and burned for it.

[@solepula]

But do they weigh as much as a duck 🦆?

[@satyris410]

Can you not also make a bridge with stone?

[@curiousworld7912]

I have a copy of the Malleus Maleficarum, and it's.... interesting.

[@sarahlamoureux1454]

I remember being taught in college that while the women were more likely to be witches, the concern for men was that they could be necromancers. What I don't understand/remember is 1. how this conclusion was reached, and 2. why witches were perceived as the more important threat. Does anyone have any information about this?

[@kayuliosborne4110]

Maybe witches can explain this..... A witch historian: yes gather round young ones let me tell you a tale