The Magic of the Middle Ages

The Magic of the Middle Ages is a book by Viktor Rydberg, first published in 1865. It examines medieval beliefs and practices—ranging from Church-sanctioned rites and magic to sorcery, alchemy, astrology, and witchcraft—illuminating how the era’s spiritual worldview shaped both religion and daily life.

Rydberg places medieval magic within its cosmic and theological context, probing dualistic notions of good and evil, the role of angels and demons, and the Church’s complex relationship with occult traditions. Writing with a blend of lyrical sensitivity and analytical clarity, he traces how these beliefs contributed to social phenomena such as witch hunts, while also revealing a transitional period between inherited superstition and emerging rationalism.

The work reflects his broader scholarly interests in mythology, folklore, and cultural history, standing as an insightful bridge between Romantic literary sensibility and scholarly mythography. This translation by August Hjalmar Edgren was first published in 1879.