Some witches are known for their black deeds, while others made it to this list for libel and unfair accusations.
Bridget Bishop exposed pastor's daughters
The English town of Salem would have remained unknown to anyone if it hadn't been for … witches. A high-profile trial took place here in 1692. About 200 people fell under dire charges, 19 of whom were ruthlessly executed. The rest ended up behind bars - and there is nothing to damage honest people! How did you manage to expose the witches?
Scene from the film "Eastwick Witches", 1987
The first "bell" rang when two girls were noticed in inappropriate behavior - sisters Betty and Abigail, 9 and 11 years old, the daughter of a local pastor. The father became wary, seeing how often apathy was replaced by some kind of feverish joy in girls. Then the children began to beat in convulsions every now and then, screaming, and in some foreign language. The prayers with which the pastor tried to heal his daughters did not help: the children plugged their ears, not wanting to listen to them, and began to scream even more desperately.
A little later, the girls began shouting out the names of the residents of Salem. It was decided that these were the names of sorcerers and witches - but how else? One by one, suspects of terrible crimes were taken into custody. They were tortured, forcing them to confess their dark deeds.
Bridget Bishop was executed first. The unfortunate woman turned out to be too advanced for her time - not only did she run a successful business running a chain of taverns, but she also had the audacity to walk everywhere in sexy red dresses! Well, it's clear - a witch.
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There were witnesses who confirmed: yes, Bridget pierced the wax dolls with needles, she could not otherwise damage the pastor's daughters. The woman, who until the very end did not confess to anything and behaved proudly and defiantly at the trial, was indicatively hanged. It is unknown if she was a witch. It was only in her house that the wax dolls were discovered later.
Agnes Sempson threatened the king
The Eve of All Saints Day is considered a mystical time for a reason. It was on this gloomy evening in 1590 that a powerful storm off the rocky shores of Scotland badly battered the ship on which the bride of James IV, King of Scotland, the beautiful Princess Anne, was traveling. The ship landed on the shores of Norway - it was necessary to wait out the bad weather. The crowned groom himself arrived there, and they, together with Anna, moved to Scotland by sea, but here again a storm came. The journey turned out to be long and dangerous. In the end, the king was sure: it was not without witches. They began to grab everyone on whom suspicions of inducing a storm fell.
Scene from the film "The Time of the Witches", 2010
Agnes Sempson had previously seemed suspicious to her compatriots: a midwife, knows Satan, attends a sabbath with other witches - that's how they talked about her. Agnes was subjected to cruel torture, forcing him to confess that it was she, taught by the unclean, who caused the storm that almost killed the king and his bride. Unable to withstand the torment, the woman confessed everything and named several more names. She was executed.
Since then, the ghost of the murdered Agnes began to appear sometimes to sailors. They said that to meet her - unfortunately: you will definitely drown.
Anna Koldings breastfed Satan's child
The Scottish witch-hunt, initiated by King James IV, took off in earnest. One of the women whose names sounded from the mouth of the tortured Agnes Sempson was Anna Koldings. She was also suspected of witchcraft: the young woman loved to wander through the woods alone, was uncommunicative, almost never went to church.
Still from the film "The Witch", 2015
And if you consider that Anna had no relatives and lived poorly, then it is understandable: there was no one to intercede for her. The poor woman was thrown to be torn apart by the executioners. Under terrible torture, Anna confessed everything: that she was in cahoots with Satan, and that she caused a storm to sink the royal ship … In the end, Anna, apparently, had lost her mind from torture. She said that in her youth, she breastfed Satan's child. She was burned alive at the stake. Anna Koldings went down in history as the Mother of the Devil.
Marie Laveau didn't get in the way of an orgy
Marie Laveau, nicknamed "The Snake Queen", lived in America, in New Orleans, and aroused the indignation of her neighbors by keeping a living python at home. It was believed that Mari brought black magic to the city by being the first to practice voodoo rituals. At the same time, in rituals, she used, to the indignation of the local clergy, Christian shrines - a cross, a crucifix, as well as images of saints.
Still from the film "Witch of Love", 2016
Having cured the daughter of the mayor of New Orleans from epilepsy, Laveau gained unheard of influence in the city. And this - in spite of the constantly conducted blackbook rituals with drinking the blood of a cock and orgies! Maria's extensive contacts and acquaintances did not allow the clergy to start a fight with her. In addition, the time has changed - the 19th century was in the yard, and not the dense Middle Ages.
One day an elderly man approached Marie Laveau about to marry a young girl. He was worried that the girl was resisting the will of her parents and did not want to connect fate with the old man.
Laveau gave the man a love potion, after which the girl became submissive and accommodating. But at the wedding, the old groom suddenly fell and died in front of the guests.
It turned out that even earlier the bride had turned to the witch with a request to save her from the hated groom, and the witch decided to help her. The girl remained a rich widow and married the one she loved. The newlyweds generously rewarded the witch assistant. Marie Laveau lived to be 87 years old and died of old age. She was buried as a Catholic - with all the honors.
Laurie Cabot heard voices and helped police
Believe it or not, Laurie Cabot is a modern day witch who received the official title of "Salem Witch" in 1977 from the county governor. Laurie has heard all kinds of "voices" since the age of 6. Moving with her family to Boston, Laurie met two adult witches who saw in the girl a talent for black magic.
Shot from the film "Viy", 2014
Laurie readily learned from them everything they knew themselves, and in the 60s openly announced that she was a witch. Lori dressed in black robes, wore ritual symbols like a pentagram … Someone was afraid of her, someone mocked her, someone twisted a finger at his temple.
After moving to Salem, Lori turned around in full swing: she began to teach those who wanted to read tarot cards, collaborated with the police, helping to solve crimes with the help of magic, diagnosed diseases by her aura …
An active and courageous woman began to fight for the rights of witches, organizing the League of Public Recognition of Witches. She wrote the book The Power of Witches, in which she talks about their true destiny.
Olga Moiseeva