Satanism and Witchcraft

Satanism and Witchcraft is a book by French historian Jules Michelet, that explores the history of witchcraft. Originally published in Paris as 'La Sorcière' in 1862, its first English translation appeared in London a year later. Michelet depicts the lives of witches and the trials they faced, arguing that medieval witchcraft represented a just rebellion by the lower classes against feudalism and the Roman Catholic Church. Despite being considered largely inaccurate, the book is notable for being one of the earliest sympathetic histories of witchcraft. According to Michelet, medieval witchcraft was a form of popular rebellion against the oppression of feudalism and the Roman Catholic Church. This rebellion manifested as a secret religion inspired by paganism and fairy beliefs, organized by a woman who emerged as its leader. Followers of this religion regularly gathered for witches' sabbaths and Black Masses. Michelet's account emphasizes the suffering of peasants and women in the Middle Ages and argues that history should focus on 'the people, and not only its leaders or its institutions,' positioning him ahead of his time as a writer of micro-history. He was among the first to offer a sociological explanation of the witch trials, interpreting source material in a highly literal manner. This translation by Alfred Richard Allinson was first published in 1939.