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The witch-panic phenomenon reached the more remote parts of Europe as well as North America later in the 17th century, among them being the Salzburg witch trials, the Swedish Torsåker witch trials and, in 1692, the Salem witch trials in Colonial New England.
In the seventeenth century, Russia experienced a period of witchcraft trials and persecution that mirrored the witch hysteria occurring across Catholic and Protestant countries. Orthodox Christian Europe joined this phenomenon, targeting individuals, both male and female, believed to be practicing sorcery, paganism, and herbal medicine.
Witch-hunts increased again in the 17th century. The witch trials in Early Modern Europe included the Basque witch trials in Spain, the Fulda witch trials in Germany, the North Berwick witch trials in Scotland, and the Torsåker witch trials in Sweden. There were also witch-hunts during the 17th century in the American colonies.
In contrast to Germany, the witch trials in Austria was at its most severe during the second half of the 17th century. About 1500 people are estimated to have been executed for sorcery in Austria. In the early 18th century, the central government enforced their authority over the local courts, which resulted in a swift decrease in witch trials.
In England, witch trials were conducted from the 15th century until the 18th century. They are estimated to have resulted in the death of perhaps 500 people, 90 percent of whom were women. The witch hunt was at its most intense stage during the English Civil War (1642–1651) and the Puritan era of the mid-17th century. [1]
Examination of a Witch in the 17th century (1853), by T. H. Matteson. Witch-hunts were seen across early modern Europe, but the most significant area of witch-hunting in modern Europe is often considered to be central and southern Germany. [56] Germany was a late starter in terms of the numbers of trials, compared to other regions of Europe.
Witch trials still occurred in the Netherlands the entire first half of the 17th century, though they were relatively few and no longer resulted in executions. Aagt Germonts was judged guilty of witchcraft in 1660, but her sentence was commuted to pillorying .
While the witch trials became more common in Sweden in the first half of the 17th century, they seldom resulted in death sentences. Prior to 1668, the most common outcome for someone accused for sorcery in Sweden was for the accused to be released or given a penalty other than death penalty.