Real Life Witch Cases
By Kirsty
1 year ago
1. Isobel Gowdie: Scotland
Image Source / The Academicians' GalleryIsobel Gowdie was a Scottish woman from the 17th Century who was accused of being a witch. Not only was she accused, but she confessed to it, too. Some say that she still haunts the village of Auldearn, where she lived. Not much is known about Isobel, and there's a lot of speculation about whether her confessions were real.2. The 141 Suspects: Salem
Image Source / WikipediaThis particular witch trial in Salem is the most famous in history. Taking place in the city in Massachusetts in 1692-1693, there were a shocking 141 suspects (both men and women, surprisingly) who were tried as witches. The result of the trial saw 19 of them executed by hanging, while another was executed by being crushed to death with heavy stones.3. Marie Laveau: New Orleans
Image Source / Historica Wiki - FandomMarie Laveau is the most famous voodoo witch in history. She was born in New Orleans in the 1700s, and was the go-to for those seeking cures, advice and magical spells. She was never persecuted for her line of work, and lived well into her nineties, with her grave now seeing a host of visitors - particularly on Halloween.
4. Agnes Sampson: England/Scotland
Image Source / One Hundred Witches - TumblrBerwick is a place on the very edge of the border between England and Scotland. More than 70 people from Scotland were accused of witchcraft during these trials. James VI had been sailing when storms grew severe - and his first thought was to blame witchcraft. All women who had been accused actually confessed. 70 people were tortured and put on trial, including Agnes Sampson. She confessed to attending a meet with 200 other witches, and she was then strangled and burned at the stake.5. Anne Boleyn: England
Image Source / WikipediaDid you know the second wife of Henry VIII was actually considered a witch? She apparently engaged in magical practices, as well as having magical advisors, but ultimately she wasn't beheaded for being a witch alone - she was accused of a great many number of other things, including adultery and treason.6. Merga Bien: Germany
Image Source / FacebookThe prince-abbot of the Fulda monastery in Germany in 1603 joined forces with the Catholic Counter-Reformation to tackle witchcraft and purge the city. One of the many victims was Merga Bien, who was actually pregnant at the time. She was accused of murdering her husband, their children and another family member. Tortured, she was forced into confession and then burned at the stake.7. The Pendle Witch Trials: England
Image Source / WikipediaThe Pendle witch trials are the most famous in British history, taking place in Lancashire. It began when Alizon Device was accused of cursing a local shopkeeper. She was arrested, along with several other members of her family, and another family, the Redfernes. As a result of the trials, 10 men and women were hanged, including Alizon Device. The famous trial would actually be used as a blueprint for the Salem witch trials, including allowing of children to testify.8. Grigori Rasputin: Russia
Image Source / WikipediaYou've undoubtedly heard the name before, but did you ever know that Rasputin was deemed to be a witch? Rasputin was close to the royal family, and was also put at fault for their assassination. He was accused of witchcraft, in particular black magic, but he always claimed to be a holy man working in the service of God. It was never certain whether he was a witch or not.9. Tituba: Native America/Africa
Image Source / Smithsonian MagazineThe woman known as Tituba was a slave who was considered Native American by some, and African by others - or potentially a combination. She was accused of witchcraft by two young girls while working in their household. She later confessed to making 'witchcakes' and to also knowing how to protect against evil. Tituba disappeared after the Salem witchcraft trials.10. Laurie Cabot: Salem
Image Source / PatheosLaurie Cabot is a modern day witch of Salem, who makes her living as an author as well as a wise woman. She owns a witchcraft shop in Salem, as well as aiding the police in certain cases. She's also taught college classes on the occult. One of her well-known books is 'Power of the Witch', and she is still practicing today.11. The Bell Witch: Tennessee
Image Source / WikipediaThe Bell Witch is the name given to an entity that has been believed to be either witch or poltergeist. In the early 1800s, a small town in Tennessee saw the Bell family being tormented by a strange voice and a spirit that was causing physical harm. The case became so famous that the President Andrew Jackson actually came to investigate. Nobody knows who the Bell Witch actually was, but it was rumoured she was a local woman who believed her property had been stolen by John Bell.12. The Blair Witch: Maryland
Image Source / Plugged InWhat has now been turned into a caricature of the original tale based on the amount of movies and adaptions of this story, the Blair Witch was a local legend in Maryland before it became a cult movie. The legend stated that a witch lived in the woods of Burkittsville in the 1800s, and that her ghost still haunts the area.13. Moll Dyer: Maryland
Image Source / Macaroni KID CalvertAnother witch to hail from Maryland, Moll Dyer lived in Leonardtown, Maryland, in the 1600s. She was blamed for the harsh weather and other problems which the local settlement was suffering through. In response, a mob went to her home in the middle of the night and set it on fire. Moll survived, but she was forced to flee into the cold, and later died. Legend says she was frozen to death on a rock.14. The Fisherwife Of Palermo: Italy
Image Source / TripAdvisorDuring the Sicilian Witch Trials in Italy, a woman known as the Fisherwife of Palermo was accused of both witchcraft and consorting with faeries. She confessed to going to a magical island in order to pledge her allegiance to the faeries when she was 9 years old. Because her tale seemed so fantastical, the court dismissed it, and she remained free.15. Giles Corey: Salem
Image Source / WikipediaGiles Corey was one of many accused during the Salem Witch Trials, but his tale is one of the most famous. Giles was accused of witchcraft, but when the trial began, he refused to enter a guilty or not guilty plea. He was sentenced to be pressed to death with rocks in order to get a confession out of him. Giles never confessed, but his final words were reportedly "More weight".16. Bathsheba Sherman: Rhode Island
Image Source / Global NewsIf you're a fan of the movie The Conjuring, then you may recognise this name. The true story of the famous haunting in Rhode Island saw a family tormented by the ghost of a woman believed to be Bathsheba, a witch who lived at the property in the late 1800s. It was said she hurt an innocent child before cursing the land she lived on and then killing herself.17. The Valais Trials: France
Image Source / 10 Little Known Witch Trials From HistoryThe Valais witchcraft trials - which eventually spread to German-speaking Wallis - claimed at least 367 victims. These were both men and women accused of witchcraft. In 1428, investigations began into anyone accused of witchcraft. The rule was that if any one person was accused three times, they would be arrested. Once arrested, there was no hope. They were either burned if they confessed, or tortured until they did confess.18. The Northamptonshire Trials: England
Image Source / www.history.comIn 1612, 5 men and women were accused of a variety of witchcraft acts, stemming from bewitching pigs to full murder, and were executed as a result. This trial would actually be one of the earliest documented in which 'dunking' was used as a witch-hunting method. Dunking was where the accused would be thrown into water, and if they drowned they were innocent - if they floated, they were guilty, and killed anyway.19. The Trier Trials: Germany
Image Source / WikipediaThe largest witch trial in European history took place in Trier in 1581 and moved to the city over the course of the next several years. The Archbishop Johann von Schöneburg ordered the purging of Protestants, Jews and witches. 368 people accused of witchcraft from 22 different villages were burned alive. Some of these included members of the government.20. The Bideford Trial: Devon
Image Source / Exeter Civic SocietyThe Bideford Trial took place when the witch frenzy of Britain was starting to die down. During this trial, three women named Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles, and Susanna Edwards were accused of witchcraft by making a local woman ill. All three of them were found guilty and executed, and it was only after their deaths that the trials were refuted for being based only on hearsay. This trial was the last in England to result in an execution for witches.21. The Torsåker Trial: Sweden
Image Source / Boston.comThis was the largest witch trial in Swedish history. It wasn't only the largest trial - it was the largest mass killing of witches in history. It resulted in 71 people - 65 of which were women - being beheaded and burned in a single day. It began when a minister was told to investigate witchcraft at his parish, and the testimonies against those accused were mostly from children.22. The Islandmagee Trial: Ireland
Image Source / Shaped by Sea and StoneDuring 1710 and 1711, 8 women were found guilty of witchcraft after being put on trial in Islandmagee, located in County Antrim in Northern Island. The 8 women were accused of arranging a demonic possession. Surprisingly, they weren't executed, but were instead sentenced to a year in prison. It's believed this was the last witch trial to have taken place in Ireland.23. Hypatia: Ancient Greece
Image Source / Smithsonian Magazine24. Angéle de la Barthe: France
Image Source / PinterestNoblewoman and Gnostic Christian, Barthe was accused of having sex with Satan, and of being impregnated by him. It was said she gave birth to a baby that had the head of a wolf and a serpent's tail, and that she stole babies in order to feed it. She was arrested and tortured, leading her to confess and being burned alive.25. Petronilla De Meath: Ireland
Image Source / HeadStuff.orgA woman named Lady Alice Kyteler was accused of sorcery, demonism and murder in 1324 Ireland. She was accused of killing her husbands in order to become rich. Her confidante, Petronilla de Meath, was ordered to be tortured alongside her. De Meath admitted to her and Kyteler both being witches. Kyteler actually managed to get out of Ireland alive, while De Meath and some servants were burned at the stake.26. The Chelmsford Witches: England
Image Source / BBCAgnes Waterhouse, Joan Waterhouse, and Elizabeth Francis were three women living under the rule of Queen Elizabeth. Francis admitted that she was taught witchcraft by her grandmother. She had a cat familiar for around 15 years before giving the cat to Agnes, as well as teaching her about witchcraft. Elizabeth was put on trial, confessed and sentenced to a year in prison. Agnes was then trialled, confessed to bewitching and killing people and was sentenced to death. Her daughter, Joan, was found not guilty. Agnes Waterhouse was then hanged as the first person killed in England as a witch. Elizabeth Francis would eventually be hanged for witchcraft, too.27. The Pappenheimers: Bavaria
Image Source / Life PersonaHusband and wife Paulus and Anna Pappenheimer, along with their 3 sons, were vagrants living in Bavaria in 1600. They were arrested on petty charges, but the Duke of Bavaria decided to use them as an example to stop crime, so decided to torture them. One of the sons, Hansel, admitted that the family were witches. In the same year, the family were tortured, mutilated and burned to death. Hansel was forced to watch the rest of his family burn before he was burnt alive himself.28. The Paisley Witches: Scotland
Image Source / Atlas Obscura11-year-old Christian Shaw accused several people in the Scottish town of Paisley of bewitching her in 1696. Over 30 people were accused of being responsible, and 7 people were sentenced to death. 6 were killed, and 1 committed suicide. When one of the women, Agnes Naismith, was being executed, she cursed the people of Paisley and their descendants. A legend grew that if the grave of the witches was ever disturbed, it would bring a curse. Unfortunately, the grave was disturbed - and the town's economy went downhill. Coincidence?29. Gilles Garnier: France
Image Source / RedditGilles Garnier was a man who lived a reclusive life in the woods of Dole, France. When required to provide for his family, he decided to hunt - namely, children. He first murdered a 10-year-old girl, allegedly in the form of a wolf, and then went on to murder more. It was then believed a werewolf was murdering the children. When a witness eventually spotted Garnier, he was arrested and 50 people testified he was guilty of lycanthropy and witchcraft. He was burned at the stake along with his wife.30. The Salem Witch Trials
Image Source / www.history.comOf course, the most famous witch trials in history have to be Salem. It all began when two children began to have fits and uncontrollable outbursts. The doctor's diagnosis was witchcraft. Three women were arrested, and accusations mounted. A woman named Bridget Bishop would be hanged on Gallows Hill. 5 more were killed, then another 5, then 8. Along with the many hangings and people being crushed to death, people died in prison, too.31. Morgan Le Fay (Britain)
Image Source / WikipediaMorgan is a witch of legend, King Arthur's half-sister and the love of Merlin. She was known to be a powerful witch in British folklore, with Queen Guinevere being one of the many victims of her magical spells. While she can't be proven to definitely be real, she's a famous witch in folklore and many real life witches call upon her for their own practice.32. Aradia (Italy)
Image Source / Sites at Penn StateBorn in Tuscany, Italy, Aradia is not only famous, but known as the Queen of Witches. It's said she was a peasant girl who was told that she was actually a divine goddess, which led her into witchcraft. She became famous and inspired lots of other witches, including the founder of Wicca, Gerald Gardner.33. Mother Shipton (England)
Image Source / Historic UKThough she was born in England, Mother Shipton was a travelling soothsayer. She predicted many great events, including World War I. Her other seeming prophecies also include the Great Plague and Great Fire of London. She told of men walking on the moon before she died (and of course Neil Armstrong did) and her uncanny prophecies left her famous.34. La Voisin (France)
Image Source / SyfyLa Voisin was a French witch, and believed to be one of the most notorious in history. She was accused of selling magic to King Louis XIV, and was said to teach people how to make love potions in the dark of night. She was executed in Paris by being burned alive.35. Gerald Gardner (England)
Image Source / WikipediaGerald Gardner was the founder of what is now known as Wicca, the modern witchcraft religion. He was a witch as well as an author in the 1900s. He met with understandable controversy for his teachings on witchcraft and Wicca, but there's no denying the religion he created is still popular today.36. Dion Fortune (Britain)
Image Source / www.isfdb.orgDion Fortune was a famous witch of the 20th century. There are many spells that are said to be her work, including the love spell 'The Devouring Flame of Desire'. She also invented a ritual to protect magic practitioners during ceremonies. She founded The Society for Psychical Research, too, as well as writing The Mystical Qabalah.37. Malin Matsdotter (Sweden)
Image Source / The Official Liz Rau WebsiteMatsdotter is one of the most famous witches in Sweden. She's known for being a witch and a healer, said to be active around the 13th century AD. One of the most famous tales about her is, when farmers were arguing over land, she was brought in by the family of one of the farmers who had been killed. She summoned a demon who killed the man responsible. She would also use healing spells to cure illnesses.38. Scott Cunningham (America)
Image Source / WikipediaScott Cunningham founded the New England School of Occult Arts and Science, where he ran the school with his wife until 1986. He's famous for publishing books on Wicca, and was in the process of writing his final book, Living Wicca, when he died before he could finish it. His books are used by many modern day witches.39. Circe (Greece)
Image Source / Wikipedia
Circe was a famous witch from Greek mythology, known for turning people into animals. She featured in Homer's Odyssey, where she helped Odysseus and his crew, but she's also been mentioned throughout history in other works. Her fame as a witch has seen her appear in Shakespeare and the Bible's Book of Daniel. She's worshipped these days as a dark goddess of magic.
40. Rebecca Nurse (Salem)
Image Source / WikipediaRebecca Nurse was one of many accused in the Salem witch trials, and found guilty. She told the judges that they were wrong about her. She managed to avoid being sentenced when one of the judges made her wear an A on her clothes to mark her as falsely accused. She went down in history for being one of the few witches who wasn't given a death sentence.41. The Witch of Endor (Hebrew)
Image Source / Smithsonian American Art MuseumThe Witch of Endor is one of the most famous witches in history after she appeared in the Bible. She raised the spirit of the prophet Samuel back to life. She appears in the book of 1 Samuel, instructed by the King to raise the dead. Some debate the fact and say it was God who actually raised Samuel from the dead.42. Aleister Crowley (England)
Image Source / WikipediaAlesiter Crowley is a well-known name when it comes to witchcraft in England. He was an occultist as well as a poet, and he founded the religion of Thelema. He published many books over his life regarding the occult and today is known as the 'father of modern witchcraft' as well as spirituality.43. Ursula Southeil (England)
44. Florence Newton (Britain)
Image Source / TwitterAlso known as the Witch of Youghal, Florence was one of the witches involved in a famous witch trial of British history. She was accused of using magic, and causing the death of a man, leading to her arrest and imprisonment. Documents stated she'd kissed her victim in the street and forced them to become ill. It's not known whether she was actually found guilty or whether she was hanged.45. Medea (Greece)
Image Source / WikipediaMedea is another famous witch involved in great tales from Greek mythology. Medea was the niece of Circe, and she married Jason (of Jason, the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece fame) as well as warning him about the dangers of his quest, blessed as she was with the gift of prophecy. Unfortunately, their happiness wasn't to be, and after Jason fell for another woman, it led to a killing spree on Medea's part.46. Baba Yaga (Russia)
Image Source / Literary HubBaba Yaga is a famous witch from Russian folklore. She's depicted as either a terrifying sorceress or the hero of the tale - or both. She lives in a hut on the edge of the woods, a hut that can move around on its own with the legs of a chicken. She rides a mortar which she pushes along as a boat using a pestle.47. La Befana (Italy)
Image Source / Nonna BoxLa Begana is a witch associated with the Catholic holiday, the time of the Epiphany. She's said to ride around on her broomstick, delivering gifts, on the night before the feast. Just like Santa, La Begana will have a naughty or nice list that will determine what kind of present a child gets. In modern day, many Italians celebrate a festival in her honour.48. Grimhildr (Norse)
Image Source / Myths and Folklore WikiGrimhildr was a witch married to a King, described in the Norse Volsunga Saga. She would entertain herself by casting spells on people and creating general mischief. One of Grimhildr's plans included a marriage gone wrong, where a woman was tricked into marrying Grimhildr's son; the woman killed her ex husband and then herself.49. Sybil Leek (Britain)
Image Source / Bournemouth EchoSybil Leek was a famous witch from Britain, known for being skilled in witchcraft and psychic abilities. Her family had a history of being involved in some of the most famous witch hunts, which only added to her reputation as being involved in witchcraft. She eventually moved to the US, where she willingly gave interviews, as well as writing stories, about witchcraft.50. Silver RavenWolf (America)
Image Source/ TwitterRavenWolf is a renowned author who was written lots of works on the world of pagan witchcraft as well as Wicca. She's a go-to for modern day paganism, and likes to offer information on how witchcraft and pagan practices can help with modern day topics, like career and lifestyle. What To Read Next
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