Witches of Laspaúles facts for kids
The Witches of Laspaúles refers to women who were accused of witchcraft and executed in Laspaúles, a town in Huesca, during the 16th century. This sad event has become well-known in the area. There is even a park called Brujas de Laspaúles and a museum dedicated to the witch hunt.
Discovering the Past
The story of the Laspaúles witches became known in 1981. A local priest, Domingo Subías, found many old papers, about 1,000 to 1,200 of them, hidden in the church's bell tower. These papers were sent to Heidelberg University to be studied and to make sure they were real.
The old writings described how women were accused of various things. They were said to have poisoned neighbors, harmed children, made forbidden ointments, and even dug up bodies to get ingredients for their poisons. One document from February 19, 1953, explained how the executions happened over four days of hangings. This was shared by researcher Carlos Garcés in his book The Bad Seed.
Beliefs About Witches
According to Carlos Garcés, people at that time believed that witches were followers of the devil. They thought witches mainly wanted to cause harm. In some trials, these women were accused of meeting with the devil at night.
Garcés's research suggests that Aragon and Catalonia were the regions in Spain where witch hunts were most intense. This was more so than in places like Basque Country or Navarre. Many of the women accused were folk healers or curanderos. People often blamed them for bad things that happened, like a poor harvest or someone dying unexpectedly. This researcher believes that in Huesca alone, about 120 women were hanged or burned between 1461 and 1645.
See also
In Spanish: Brujas de Laspaúles para niños
- Basque witch trials
- Witches of Anaga
