This will explain it better then i think any of us can, by our (Quora's) resident Historian, Tim O'Neill. 3. read more
Real witchcraft trials began at the start of the 14th century. Peaked between 1550 - 1650. Durring this time, about 60,000 people, 2 per 100,000 Europeans were executed on charges of witchcraft. read more
1450: The first major witch hunts began in many western European countries. The Roman Catholic Church created an imaginary evil religion, using stereotypes that had circulated since pre-Christian times. read more
Witch-hunts first appeared in large numbers in southern France and Switzerland during the 14th and 15th centuries. The peak years of witch-hunts in southwest Germany were from 1561 to 1670. read more