Witches

Witches

A King's Obsession

About the Ebook

Witches – whether broomstick-riding spell-casters or Wiccan earth-worshippers – have been culturally relevant for centuries. For centuries, too, belief in the potency of witchcraft has been debated, accused witches have been hunted and punished, and film and TV productions have brought the witch and the witch-hunter to big and small screens.

But where did our perception of witches – good and bad – come from? What motivated wide-scale panics about witchcraft during certain periods? How were alleged witches identified, accused, and variously tortured and punished?

Steven Veerapen traces witches, witchcraft, and witch-hunters from the explosion of mass-trials under King James VI and I in the late sixteenth century to the death of the witch-hunting phenomenon in the early eighteenth century. Based on documents and the latest historical research, he explores what motivated widespread belief in demonic witchcraft throughout Britain as well as in continental Europe, what caused mass panics about alleged witches, and what led, ultimately, to the relegation of the witch – and the witch-hunter – to the realm of fantasy and the fringes of society.

Why You'll Love This Ebook

• Discover witches – whether broomstick-riding spell-casters or Wiccan earth-worshippers – have been culturally relevant for centuries
• Explore for centuries, too, belief in the potency of witchcraft has been debated, accused witches have been hunted and punished, and film and TV productions have brought the witch and the witch-hunter to big and small screens
• Gain expertise in Scottish History and history of persecution
• Learn from proven expertise and experience

Reviews

• 'An insightful, brilliant account of a dark chapter in history — bone-chilling and compelling' - Gareth Russell, author of Queen James
• 'This judicious study gives the story an overdue subtlety — a nuanced understanding of James VI's preoccupation with witches and witchcraft' - The Scotsman
• 'With his trademark brio and imagination, Veerapen tells the story through the most prominent trials' - Herald
• 'Superbly researched — engaging, fascinating, and compelling' - Undiscovered Scotland
• 'A fascinating read for anyone interested in early modern history, witch hunts, or the rationale behind the irrational' - Books from Scotland,

Bookseller Books of the Year

About the Author

Steven Veerapen was born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and a Mauritian father and raised in Paisley. Pursuing an interest in the sixteenth century, he was awarded a first-class Honours degree in English, focussing his dissertation on representations of Henry VIII’s six wives. He is the author of The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I, and lives in Glasgow. 

Publication Details

ISBN (EPUB): 9781788857871
Publication Date: 04 September 2025
Pages: 336
Format: Ebook (EPUB)
Publisher: Birlinn

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