Articles by Gunnar W Knutsen
Writing Witch-Hunt Histories, 2013
Resumen: Las relaciones de causas enviadas a la Suprema en Madrid por el tribunal de la Inquisici... more Resumen: Las relaciones de causas enviadas a la Suprema en Madrid por el tribunal de la Inquisición de Barcelona demuestran la existencia de un número de soldados protestantes al servicio de España en la segunda mitad del siglo XVII. Estos soldados no fueron perseguidos por el Santo Oficio. Sus procesos fueron incoados por ellos mismos, con el fin de permitirles convertirse al catolicismo. La mayoría de ellos eran germano-hablantes, y muchos provinieron del sacro Imperio. Las cartas intercambiadas entre Madrid y Barcelona demuestran que esto era el resultado de una política deliberada de la Inquisición de no procesar a soldados al servicio español, ni prisioneros de guerra, ni desertores del ejército francés estos años.
Resumen: en los varios tribunales de la Inquisición española se contaron historias de fenómenos s... more Resumen: en los varios tribunales de la Inquisición española se contaron historias de fenómenos sobrenaturales. en las fuentes que nos han dejado estos tribunales existen diferencias regionales en las creencias y en los rastros de la difusión de varias prácticas mágicas. Señalamos que el Santo oficio contribuyó a extender el conocimiento de varias formas de interacción con fuerzas sobrenaturales por medio de los autos de fe, de las lecturas públicas de edictos de fe y de la práctica de hacer circular por el territorio español los hechiceros condenados a salir desterrados del distrito inquisitorial donde habían sido procesados.
A serial study of court records from two different jurisdictions in early modern Valencia shows t... more A serial study of court records from two different jurisdictions in early modern Valencia shows that during the years 1566-1686 there was one single period with significantly higher numbers of trials against French defendants. This coincided with the period of the Spanish monarchy's greatest worries about outside influence in Spain. However, the increased number of trials is only traceable in one of the two courts under study, that of the Inquisition, which was under the control of the central government. The locally controlled court of criminal justice (Justicia) did not show any such increased activity against Frenchmen.
Twenty years have passed since Hans Eyvind Naess published what remains the only complete study o... more Twenty years have passed since Hans Eyvind Naess published what remains the only complete study of Norwegian witchcraft trials. This article considers the work done since that time, and surveys the state of research on witchcraft trials in Norway. Drawing on a recent registration of all known extant witchcraft trial records in Norway as well as recent research, I show how there was a much higher degree of regional differences within Norway than Naess allowed for, as well as a much greater degree of diabolism (the charge that witches took Satan as their lord ) in Norwegian trials.
Pathways of the past. Essays in Honour of Sølvi Sogner on her 70th Anniversary 15. March 2002, 2002
Contrary to popular perceptions, not all convicted witches were executed. This is especially true... more Contrary to popular perceptions, not all convicted witches were executed. This is especially true for Spain, where the Inquisition's relative clemency in this type of cases is well known. 1 Little attention has been paid, however, to what happened to the witches once they were out of the judicial system. This lack of attention is caused primarily, I believe, by lack of sources pertaining to this side of things. Judicial sources are the best material we have when it comes to writing about popular culture in early modern Europe, and most other sources for the lower strata of the population are related to property or professions, which only serves to compound the problem of sources, as most convicted witches were women and thus less likely to appear in these sources. A second cause is because the spectacular contents of the witchcraft trials make other considerations appear rather dull in comparison for those interested in witchcraft.
Sources from trials in the Spanish Inquisition allow us to study aspects of popular religious bel... more Sources from trials in the Spanish Inquisition allow us to study aspects of popular religious beliefs and practices which are otherwise difficult to find trace of in early modern Europe. This article uses this material to explore the life and beliefs of a Norwegian sailor who had emigrated to the Netherlands and embraced Calvinism.
The troll is one of a number of supernatural creatures which are documented in medieval and early... more The troll is one of a number of supernatural creatures which are documented in medieval and early modern sources from Norway, as well as in Modern legends and fairy-tales. 1 Historians have ignored the majority of these creatures, and the research which has been done on them is the work of folklorists. 2 An exception has been the research on witchcraft; which while initially dominated by folklorists has lately caught the interest of Norwegian historians. 3 Other more or less dangerous supernatural creatures such as the mare , the bytting (changeling), the hulder or haugbonde (fairy), the nisse (brownie), the åsgårdsrei (wild hunt), the nøkk (a water spirit usually living in or by lakes and brooks), the fossegrim (a waterfall spirit), the draug (revenant of a man drowned at sea), the utburd (dead unchristened child), the jutul or rise (mountain giant) and the troll have not attracted historians. In this article we attempt to fill part of the gap in our knowledge of some of these supernatural creatures by exploring the history of trolls in Norway and their connection to witchcraft. In our respective research on medieval and early modern Norwegian history we have found a surprising amount of source material on trolls. Gradually, however, we became aware that although the ancient and the modern trolls share some characteristics, this was something different from the fairy-tales we were told as children.
Books by Gunnar W Knutsen
I århundrene etter den osmanske erobringen av Konstantinopel i 1453 var Europa preget av en rekke... more I århundrene etter den osmanske erobringen av Konstantinopel i 1453 var Europa preget av en rekke kriger og konflikter som kan defineres som religionskriger. I noen av disse stod kampen mellom kristne og muslimer, selv om bildet ikke er like entydig når vi ser på sammensetningen av de kjempende hærene. Andre konflikter stod mellom forskjellige kristne denominasjoner, som kalvinismen, lutheranismen og katolisismen. Felles for disse krigene var at religion var en del av motivasjonen for og rettferdiggjøringen av krigføringen.
I Religionskrig i Europa 1450–1700 tar Gunnar W. Knutsen leseren med på en reise i religionskrigenes historie fra Konstantinopels fall og den kristne gjenerobringen av Granada, via sjøkrigen i Middelhavet, franske religionskriger og engelsk borgerkrig, til en tid hvor religion gradvis mistet betydning for krigføringen i Europa.
Denne boka er nummer 17 i serien Publikasjoner fra Tingbokprosjektet.
This book offers a systematic study of the trials for superstition in the Spanish Inquisition’s t... more This book offers a systematic study of the trials for superstition in the Spanish Inquisition’s two tribunals in Valencia and Barcelona in the period 1478-1700. One of the most intriguing contrasts between the trials in northern and southern Spain is that while both areas saw a large number of trials for superstition, Valencia did not conduct trials for demonological witchcraft. Catalonia, on the other hand, saw a large number of such trials, the majority of which occurred in secular courts.
These contrasts bring into focus significant differences in culture and mythology. The Barcelona Inquisition was unable to enforce its jurisdiction over trials for diabolical witchcraft, while the Valencian Inquisition was able to do just that because Valencians rejected the demonological concept of witchcraft. This was due mainly to the Valencians’ own magical culture which emphasized man’s ability to control and force demons, but also to the fact that Moriscos formed the majority of the rural population, which was the primary focus of witchcraft trials in Europe. By comparing the Catalan and Valencian tribunals, the book thus seeks to explain the absence in the southern half of Spain of brujas, witches who gave their souls to the devil, flew through the night, took part in wild orgies at the witches’ sabbat, and caused death and destruction through magical means.
Uploads
Articles by Gunnar W Knutsen
Books by Gunnar W Knutsen
I Religionskrig i Europa 1450–1700 tar Gunnar W. Knutsen leseren med på en reise i religionskrigenes historie fra Konstantinopels fall og den kristne gjenerobringen av Granada, via sjøkrigen i Middelhavet, franske religionskriger og engelsk borgerkrig, til en tid hvor religion gradvis mistet betydning for krigføringen i Europa.
These contrasts bring into focus significant differences in culture and mythology. The Barcelona Inquisition was unable to enforce its jurisdiction over trials for diabolical witchcraft, while the Valencian Inquisition was able to do just that because Valencians rejected the demonological concept of witchcraft. This was due mainly to the Valencians’ own magical culture which emphasized man’s ability to control and force demons, but also to the fact that Moriscos formed the majority of the rural population, which was the primary focus of witchcraft trials in Europe. By comparing the Catalan and Valencian tribunals, the book thus seeks to explain the absence in the southern half of Spain of brujas, witches who gave their souls to the devil, flew through the night, took part in wild orgies at the witches’ sabbat, and caused death and destruction through magical means.
I Religionskrig i Europa 1450–1700 tar Gunnar W. Knutsen leseren med på en reise i religionskrigenes historie fra Konstantinopels fall og den kristne gjenerobringen av Granada, via sjøkrigen i Middelhavet, franske religionskriger og engelsk borgerkrig, til en tid hvor religion gradvis mistet betydning for krigføringen i Europa.
These contrasts bring into focus significant differences in culture and mythology. The Barcelona Inquisition was unable to enforce its jurisdiction over trials for diabolical witchcraft, while the Valencian Inquisition was able to do just that because Valencians rejected the demonological concept of witchcraft. This was due mainly to the Valencians’ own magical culture which emphasized man’s ability to control and force demons, but also to the fact that Moriscos formed the majority of the rural population, which was the primary focus of witchcraft trials in Europe. By comparing the Catalan and Valencian tribunals, the book thus seeks to explain the absence in the southern half of Spain of brujas, witches who gave their souls to the devil, flew through the night, took part in wild orgies at the witches’ sabbat, and caused death and destruction through magical means.