One thing that becomes immediately apparent when visiting the medieval witchcraft museum in Iceland[1] was how strategic the use of Witchcraft accusations were by the middling elite.
One cunning foreign family with ties to occupying Denmark was able to secure land hold rights for nearly an entire peninsula from local Icelanders on the northwest through the strategic use of witchcraft accusations. During this period of occupation nearly 120 trials occurred over a 60 year period[2].
The people weren’t superstitious - they were corrupt.
One cunning foreign family with ties to occupying Denmark was able to secure land hold rights for nearly an entire peninsula from local Icelanders on the northwest through the strategic use of witchcraft accusations. During this period of occupation nearly 120 trials occurred over a 60 year period[2].
The people weren’t superstitious - they were corrupt.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strandagaldur
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3n_R%C3%B6gnvaldsson