Malleus Maleficarum Essay
Malleus Maleficarum
Heinrich Kramer, a Dominican friar, wrote the Malleus Maleficarum in 1486. He believed witches to be “members of a vast conspiracy directed against Christian society that was allowed by God to cause immense physical and spiritual hardship” (Behringer 716). Therefore, Kramer believed the real way to rid witches was through physical eradication. The start of the manuscript came from his experience in witchcraft trials in Upper Germany.
Kramer’s views on witchcraft and activities weren’t well received wherever he went, particularly authorities that believed he was merely interfering with the local administration. Annoyed at the opposition, he obtained papal rights for Pope Innocent VIII’s witchcraft prosecutions through the papal bull Summis desiderantes affectibus in 1484, which gave him authorization for inquisitions against witches throughout German Church provinces. Kramer started his inquisition at Innsbruck and employed intimidation, brute force and endless forms of torture. Along with this, he denied anyone legal defense and altered the inquisition reports. However, Bishop George II Golser created a commission to halt Kramer’s activities and thereafter liberated all accused women.
Defeated, Kramer quickly compiled his notes on witches into a manuscript that helped urge the necessity of ridding witchcraft. The Malleus was the result. However, there is still much confusion as to who actually wrote the Malleus and where it was printed. Many scholars believed that Jacob Sprenger coauthored the work but it turns out that he was one of Kramer’s enemies, constantly trying to suppress his activities and eventually drove him out of Sprenger’s province.
Kramer was willing to use any method that served his purpose, as evidenced by contradictions between Innsbruck’s records and Kramer’s own records. He did everything he can to promote his publication by including the papal bull and going as far as forging the approval of the University of Cologne.
Heinrich Kramer, a Dominican friar, wrote the Malleus Maleficarum in 1486. He believed witches to be “members of a vast conspiracy directed against Christian society that was allowed by God to cause immense physical and spiritual hardship” (Behringer 716). Therefore, Kramer believed the real way to rid witches was through physical eradication. The start of the manuscript came from his experience in witchcraft trials in Upper Germany.
Kramer’s views on witchcraft and activities weren’t well received wherever he went, particularly authorities that believed he was merely interfering with the local administration. Annoyed at the opposition, he obtained papal rights for Pope Innocent VIII’s witchcraft prosecutions through the papal bull Summis desiderantes affectibus in 1484, which gave him authorization for inquisitions against witches throughout German Church provinces. Kramer started his inquisition at Innsbruck and employed intimidation, brute force and endless forms of torture. Along with this, he denied anyone legal defense and altered the inquisition reports. However, Bishop George II Golser created a commission to halt Kramer’s activities and thereafter liberated all accused women.
Defeated, Kramer quickly compiled his notes on witches into a manuscript that helped urge the necessity of ridding witchcraft. The Malleus was the result. However, there is still much confusion as to who actually wrote the Malleus and where it was printed. Many scholars believed that Jacob Sprenger coauthored the work but it turns out that he was one of Kramer’s enemies, constantly trying to suppress his activities and eventually drove him out of Sprenger’s province.
Kramer was willing to use any method that served his purpose, as evidenced by contradictions between Innsbruck’s records and Kramer’s own records. He did everything he can to promote his publication by including the papal bull and going as far as forging the approval of the University of Cologne.