Mora witch trial

What it is

The Mora witch trial represents a major episode in the great Swedish witch hunt of the late seventeenth century. It took place in the village of Mora in 1669. The event is notable for being the first mass execution of this specific campaign. Reports from the trial traveled widely through Europe. A German print of the executions circulated abroad. This image likely influenced the Salem witch trials in America. The trial relied heavily on claims that local witches had abducted children to attend a sabbat.

Where it comes from

Fear began spreading after the trial of Märet Jonsdotter in Härjedalen the previous year. Rumors claimed witches took children to a place called Blockula. Parents became alarmed by these stories. Children accused adults of kidnapping them. They said the witches rode stolen farm animals. Hysteria grew rapidly across the region. Älvdalen saw thirty people tried. The national court revoked some death sentences. Six women and one man were executed there in May 1669. This set the stage for the larger crisis in Mora.

How it is done

Children testified that they were taken to the devil. They described flying on goats or sticks. They attended a banquet at the sabbat. Witnesses denied God and wrote in a book with blood. They drank from a cup mixed with clock filings. Judges interrogated accused adults and many children. The children all gave similar accounts. They said a devil named Locyta stopped their confessions. When he left, they admitted everything. The judges noted the confessions were identical. Many statements were not recorded because they repeated the same story.

Tools and materials

Witches used enchanted tools according to the testimony. Children reported riding sleeping men. The sabbat featured a stone house that kept falling down. A dragon was shown to frighten the children. Witches threw clock filings into water. They used an iron fork as a threat from the devil. The execution involved axes for decapitation. Stakes were built for burning the bodies. The condemned walked to a sandy peninsula near the church.

What it is for

The trials aimed to stop the alleged abduction of children. Parents forced officials to act against the witches. The commission was sent to redeem the accused through prayer. Authorities wanted to prevent the situation from worsening. The goal was to identify and punish those responsible. The community feared the devil would harm more children. The hysteria drove the need for swift justice. People believed the witches posed a direct threat to families.

Who does it

A royal commission led the proceedings. Half the members were priests. They arrived in Mora in August 1669. Three thousand spectators watched the hearings. The commission interrogated sixty adults and many children. Judges examined the suffering children separately. They all provided the same narrative. The recording officer admitted to skipping details. The process was repetitive and focused on confession. The commission identified seventy adult witches based on the evidence.

Peoples and places

The trial occurred in Sweden during a widespread panic. Similar fears affected other regions like Älvdalen. Reports reached Germany and influenced European thought. The German illustration depicted the event inaccurately. It showed burning alive instead of decapitation. This error reflected practices in Germany rather than Sweden. The hysteria spread like fire across the country. Vicars complained about the rising number of accusations. Local authorities eventually refused to continue the trials.

What people believe

People believed witches attended a sabbat at Blockula. They thought the devil controlled these gatherings. Children claimed they were seduced by old witches. The devil threatened them with a dragon. He promised to release it if they confessed. Witches were said to deny God and make pacts. They participated in banquets and dances. The devil used an iron fork to threaten them. The belief system centered on a structured evil ritual.

When it is done

The trial took place in the summer of 1669. Hearings began in August. Executions occurred on August 24 and 25. The commission arrived on August 12. The hysteria peaked in the following years. The Torsåker trials marked the height of the hunt in 1675. The campaign ended after Malin Matsdotter's execution. A special witch prayer was held in churches from 1670 to 1677.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Historians view the trial as part of a broader European panic. The German illustration is studied for its influence on Salem. Scholars note the reliance on child testimony. The repetition of confessions suggests coercion or suggestion. The trial highlights the role of religious authority. Priests led the commission and used prayer. The event demonstrates how rumors can drive legal action. The aftermath shows a shift toward skepticism among officials.

Compare and confuse

The Mora trial shares features with other European witch hunts. The concept of Blockula resembles the Witches' Sabbath elsewhere. Child testimony was common in cases like Salem. The German print confused Swedish and German execution methods. Other Swedish trials followed a similar pattern. The use of clock filings appears in various accounts. The belief in magical levitation was widespread.

Questions people ask about Mora witch trial

Good reading and sources

• Mora witch trial on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data