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I’ve been seeing a little too much vampire lately, and for me its getting old. But, I found a series of novels telling the story about the Wicked Witch of the West’s son. Thinking that it was very creative, I am starting to put together a story of my own, involving witch hunts, but the main character is a young man. In this instance, was it possible to be convicted if you were male, not female?
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Yes, a man can be convicted. Women were the main targets of witch hunts, especially during the Salem witch trials and those in early England. The people suspected of being witches were those of small stature in society. These were usually outcasts and usually old women that were mysterious because they didn’t really do much but keep to themselves. However, many men were on trial as well. The witch hunts basically came to an end after higher people in society started being accused.. Those with power and money always seem to get off the hook somehow 😛
Yes. In the Salem witch trials there was a man crushed to death over his conviction (even though they were innocent). His name was Giles Corey. There were 19 men in all.
Absolutely. Over 100,000 men, women, and children were killed in the various periods of witchcraft hysteria in Europe.
In large part, it happened because if the church convicted you of witchcraft, it had the right to take your property. Many people were killed for this reason.
In the real world, about a third of the people convicted of witchcraft were, in fact, male. Since a lot of the witch trials were inspired by people wanting to get some of the property of an accused witch, which was given as a reward to the accuser, and most of the property was owned by men, it’s not that surprising.
The answer is yes. Male Witches are still Witches, and they were hunted and burned right along with the female Witches. Gender was not important to the hunters or the churches that took part in the hunting and prosecuting. Only the conviction, which was usually based on hearsay and manufactured evidence. Read the true stories behind the Burning Times, and you will find that most who were burned or prosecuted and tortured were not even Witches. Just people who had what others wanted.
men where of course convicted of ‘witchcraft’..as where children, womwn..even in some cases animals.
These people often where not witches at all.
Men, children, women, ALL were accused of witchcraft in the middle ages and died for that. Usually women were accused since they held no land, but if the male was accused, the land reverted to control of the church, meaning the church had a vested interest in making sure even the guys died.