8 Famous Witches Burned at the Stake
Aug 9th, 2010
Supposed practitioners of witchcraft struck fear in the hearts of Europeans because of their bizarre countercultural practices. During the Early Modern Period, the presence of a witch entailed sorcery, black magic and general blasphemy, and in order to prevent and deter harm to society, massive witch-hunts were undertaken to weed them out. According to some estimates, the result was the killing of up to 100,000 women and men who were accused of witchcraft. The most infamous method of execution was burning at the stake, which was believed to cleanse the soul, but served simply as entertainment to many who witnessed the gruesome punishment. Although we are centuries removed from the Burning Times, witches continue mystify and keep our imaginations churning. Here are eight famous witches – or supposed practitioners of witchcraft – who were burned at the stake.
- Joan of Arc
The teenage French heroine is best remembered for leading the resistance against the British invasion during the Hundred Years War, but died as a witch – at least to the British. She was captured by the Burgundians in 1430 and turned over to the British, who tried her for witchcraft and heresy due to her abnormal and unladylike behavior. She was burned at the stake in 1431. - Petronilla de Meath
Petronilla de Meath is recognized as the first person to be burned at the stake for witchcraft in Ireland. She was a maid for Lady Alice Kyteler, who was accused of witchcraft and charged with the crimes of demonism, sorcery and the murder of her husbands. The torture of de Meath was demanded in order to extract a confession, and she admitted to using a magical ointment that enabled her and her mistress to fly. Her death occurred in 1324. - Angela de la Barthe
Angela de la Barthe confessed to giving birth to a half-wolf and half-snake creature that fed on human babies who she had stolen. Because of her devilish dealings, she was burned at the stake in Toulouse, France in 1275. She’s the first documented witch to be publically executed. - Maggie Wall
A statute near the small village of Dunning, Scotland currently reads “Maggie Wall burnt here 1657 as a Witch.” Nobody knows why she was accused of witchcraft. But given the widespread fear of witches that persisted during her lifetime, it’s not difficult to comprehend that just one small act could have caused this faceless woman to become one of the thousands of women who were executed in Scotland for witchcraft during the 1500s and 1600s. - Catherine Monvoisin
Also known as La Voisin, Catherine Monvoisin was a midwife and French sorceress who was a personage in the Affaire des Poisons, in which several members of the aristocracy were executed for witchcraft and poisoning. She was a well-known practitioner of medicine, provider of abortions and maker of love powders and potions, and she served many famous Parisian women. Monvoisin was burned at the stake in 1680. - Janet Brown
Janet Brown was accused of meeting with the devil, whose presence was made as a man at the back of the Broomhills. A mark on her arm was said to be left by the devil – likely a birthmark, scar or mole – and she was eventually found guilty of witchcraft and executed in 1648. - Alesoun Balfour
Alesoun – or Alison – Balfour was accused of taking part in a plot to murder Orkney Earl Patrick Stewart. His brother, John Stewart, was thought to be behind the plot and his servant, Thomas Paplay, named Alesoun Balfour as an accomplice. After Alesoun, her husband, son and daughter were tortured, she confessed to witchcraft. Her execution occurred in 1594. - Marie Balcoin
During the reign of Henry the IV of France, Marie Balcoin was a sorceress from Pays de Labourd who was said to have eaten the ear of a small child in a Sabbatic meeting. As a result of her action and her other witch-like activities, she was burned at the stake – the year it occurred is unknown.
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