Their Master and Admiral | EP 3

On this episode

About this episode

In 1621, eleven women were brought before the court in Vardø, one after another, in the first great chain of witch trials in Finnmark. In this episode, we go straight into the courtroom. The records describe women turning into ravens and wolves to meet for witches’ gatherings on mountains and at a mysterious place called Ballvollen. And the women keep saying the same thing, that they have a leader who is their master and admiral. Most of the accused in this wave were Norwegian women. Professor Jennifer McNabb explains the Malleus Maleficarum, the most famous witch-hunting manual, and how it helped turn the hunts against women. I’ve tried to stay as faithful as possible to the court records.…