New Books Network Louise Nyholm Kallestrup, "The Construction of Witchcraft in Early Modern Denmark, 1536-1617" (Routledge, 2025)
Nov 1, 2025
Louise Nyholm Kallestrup, a historian specializing in witchcraft and early modern Scandinavian history, discusses her new book on witchcraft in Denmark from 1536 to 1617. She explains how witchcraft evolved from a biblical offense to a representation of divine mockery, especially highlighted by the 1617 Witchcraft Act. The conversation covers the royal bridal journey of 1589, linked to witch accusations, and examines how Reformation-era apocalyptic beliefs fueled fears of witchcraft. Kallestrup also delves into the cultural construction of 'evil women' and the political implications of witch trials, revealing a complex intersection of religion and power.
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1617 Law Redefined Witchcraft As Diabolism
- The 1617 Witchcraft Act codified witchcraft as diabolical pact-making rather than mere harm.
- That codification precipitated a dramatic spike in prosecutions because it reframed witchcraft as an offense against God and state order.
Disastrous Royal Bridal Voyage Sparks Trials
- A royal bridal fleet of 13 ships set sail for Scotland in 1589 and encountered repeated disasters before reaching Norway.
- A woman in Copenhagen later confessed to conjuring storms, triggering a 1590 witch prosecution that ended with at least 13 executions.
Apocalyptic Theology Fueled Witch Accusations
- Reformation-era apocalyptic expectations made people see witchcraft as a sign of the devil recruiting allies before the Last Judgment.
- That theology turned accusations of magic into existential political and religious concerns.
