Witch Trials in the Holy Roman Empire (15th–17th centuries)

1. Papal bull authorizes anti-witchcraft inquisitors

   Dec 5, 1484Labels: Pope Innocent, Summis desiderantes

   • Bull Wiki
   • Wikisource

2. Malleus Maleficarum published in the Empire

   Jan 1, 1486Labels: Heinrich Kramer, Malleus Maleficarum

   • Britannica
   • Malleus Wiki

3. Molitor’s illustrated witchcraft treatise circulates

   Jan 1, 1489Labels: Ulrich Molitor, De lamiis

   • Oxford Acad
   • Molitor Wiki

4. Carolina criminal code standardizes capital procedure

   Jan 1, 1532Labels: Constitutio Criminalis, Emperor Charles

   • Britannica
   • Carolina Wiki

5. Long-running Rottweil prosecutions begin

   Jan 1, 1546Labels: Rottweil, Swabia

   • Rottweil Wiki

6. Trier witch-trial wave starts in the diocese

   Jan 1, 1581Labels: Diocese of, Trier persecutions

   • Trier Wiki

7. Trier persecutions reach the city of Trier

   Jan 1, 1587Labels: City of, Trier trials

   • Trier Wiki

8. Trier witch trials subside after heavy executions

   Jan 1, 1593Labels: Trier wave, Prince-bishopric

   • Trier Wiki
   • Britannica

9. Fulda trials begin under Prince-Abbot Dernbach

   Mar 1, 1603Labels: Prince-Abbot Dernbach, Fulda

   • Fulda ItWiki
   • Fulda PtWiki

10. Fulda persecutions end after Dernbach’s death

    Mar 15, 1606Labels: Fulda, Prince-Abbot Dernbach

    • Fulda PtWiki
    • Fulda ItWiki

11. Würzburg mass trials intensify under Prince-Bishop Ehrenberg

    Jan 1, 1625Labels: W rzburg, Prince-Bishop Ehrenberg

    • W rzburg Wiki
    • Ehrenberg Wiki

12. Bamberg witch-trial wave begins under Dornheim

    Jan 1, 1626Labels: Bamberg, Dornheim

    • Bamberg Wiki
    • Dornheim Wiki

13. Bamberg builds the Drudenhaus witch prison

    Jan 1, 1627Labels: Drudenhaus, Bamberg

    • Drudenhaus Wiki
    • Drudenhaus DE

14. Friedrich Spee publishes Cautio Criminalis

    Jan 1, 1631Labels: Friedrich Spee, Cautio Criminalis

    • Spee Wiki
    • Cautio DE

15. Military upheaval helps end Bamberg persecutions

    Feb 11, 1632Labels: Bamberg, Swedish forces

    • Dornheim Wiki
    • Drudenhaus Wiki

16. Witch-trial era peaks and then contracts

    Dec 1, 1632Labels: Witch trials, 1630s decline

    • Britannica
    • Bamberg Wiki