In Europe, common folk beliefs about witches included that they flew through the air to their meetings. These beliefs were cataloged by the church, first to demonstrate that they were superstitions, and later as signs to look for in searching for that special form of heresy, witchcraft. Did they really fly through the air, or was that a superstition? Either way, the Roman Catholic Church saw heresy, and the Inquisition therefore got involved in the witch hunts.
Learn more about how ideas about witches in Europe evolved, and when and where many of the waves of witch hunts happened:
Related articles:
- European Witch Hunts: Overview
- Witch Hunts in Europe: Timeline
- Malleus Maleficarum
- Books on European Witchcraft Persecutions
- Salem Witch Trials Timeline
Image: Getty Images / Hulton Archives
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