Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials

The Real History Behind the Witch Trials

Witches have fascinated and frightened people for centuries. But what actually happened to the people accused of witchcraft?

In Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials, historian Marion Gibson takes readers on a journey across centuries and continents to examine thirteen real witch trials, from famous cases such as Salem to lesser-known trials in Norway, France, and Lesotho.

Rather than treating witchcraft as simply a collection of supernatural stories, Gibson examines the people, politics, beliefs, and social forces behind the accusations. The result is a fascinating history of how fear and suspicion can transform ordinary people into supposed enemies of society.

Thirteen Trials Across the World

Gibson explores cases including:

• The Salem witch trials in colonial America
• A 1620s trial on Vardø island in Norway involving an Indigenous Sami woman
• France’s final witch trial in 1731
• A 1948 case in Lesotho involving British colonial authorities
• Other trials spanning Europe, Africa, and the Americas

Together, these cases reveal recurring patterns in the history of persecution while also showing how different cultures and historical circumstances shaped accusations of witchcraft.

More Than a History of Witches

One of the book’s most compelling themes is the evolution of the idea of witchcraft itself.

Gibson examines how witchcraft was once treated as a criminal offense, how witch trials eventually declined and were decriminalized, and how the concept was later reinvented in new ways.

The book explores the connections between:

• Fear and conspiratorial thinking
• Gender and political power
• Indigenous spirituality and colonial rule
• Religious belief and persecution
• Social outsiders and scapegoating
• Political authority and individual resistance
• Historical witch hunts and the persistence of moral panic

These stories offer a fascinating reminder that the mechanisms behind historical persecution are not necessarily confined to the past.

A Fascinating Read for History and Skepticism

Witchcraft is an engaging choice for readers interested in history, folklore, religious belief, skepticism, women’s history, and the ways societies can turn fear into persecution.

By examining what really happened rather than simply repeating the legends surrounding witch trials, Marion Gibson provides a compelling look at one of history’s most enduring subjects.

About the Author

Marion Gibson is a historian and bestselling author specializing in witchcraft and magic. She is Emerita Professor of Renaissance and Magical Literatures at the University of Exeter and has written numerous academic books and articles about witches in history and literature.

Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials was named a New Yorker Best Book of 2024 and became a National Bestseller.