Abstract
From the early 13th century to the late 18th there were several witch-hunts conducted in Europe and North America. The term "witch-hunt" refers to the indictment and sometimes the condemnation of so-called "witches". The Great European Witch-hunt mainly took place between 1450 and 1750, but the phenomenon was not constant over said time period and we can clearly distinguish four main periods. Between 1420 and 1520 we observe the beginning of the witch-hunt. The next period (1520-1560) was less eventful while the following one (1560-1630) was the highest point of the prosecutions of witches and the years between 1630 and 1770 showed a steady decline. During this time period, the Church tried to control theological issues as well as the lifestyle of the people. While the Inquisition was meaningful in this respect, the setting up of witch-trials was also an indicator of this ideology. The two main charges that were posed against the witches were the practice of maleficia and the worship of devils.
