Pdf — Compendium Maleficarum

The late 16th and early 17th centuries were marked by a heightened fear of witchcraft in Europe. The Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation had created an atmosphere of religious tension, and the Church was keen to root out perceived threats to its authority. Witchcraft was viewed as a form of heresy, and those accused of practicing it were seen as agents of Satan. The Compendium Maleficarum was written during this tumultuous period, reflecting the fears and anxieties of the time.