7 Royal Witches

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Witch! The word struck terror in the hearts of many a medieval man. It whispers of people, mostly women, using dark magic and even selling their souls to Satan to get what they want. Forcing men to fall in love with them and cursing their enemies. Sorceresses have been feared since ancient times. And while their certainly have been purveyors of magical arts throughout history, it was often healers, midwives, girls dabbling in divination games and innocent people who were accused of the most heinous of enchanted crimes. Between 1300 and 1850, nearly 40,000 people in Europe were victims of witch trials. And 14,000 met their end on the gallows or the pyre. Some of them came from the highest ranks of society, even the royal family. In fact witchcraft was a convenient accusation to level against inconvenient royal women. As courts operated on a notion of guilty until proven innocent, and it was infuriatingly difficult to prove that you hadn’t danced in the moonlight, uttered a curse or poisoned the king, the stigma of sorcery was strong. Let’s meet 7 women from history who were accused of being Royal Witches.

Valentina Visconti, Duchess of Orléans
, 1371 – 1408

Veronika Desinićka, Countess of Celje
, ? – 1425

Joan of Navarre, Queen of England
, 1368 – 1437

Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Duchess of Bedford
, 1415 – 1472

Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester,
1400 – 1452

Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England
,1437 – 1492

Anne Boleyn, Queen of England
, 1501? – 1536

Sources: Hollman, G. (2020). Royal witches: witchcraft and the nobility in fifteenth- century England. First Pegasus Books hardcover edition. New York, Pegasus Books.

Check out the History Tea Time Podcast:

Music: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, Public Domain, Performed by Kevin MacLeod

[Kerriangel]

Courtier: I saw the Queen at the Devils Sacrament!

Queen: What were you doing at the Devils Sacrament?

[margaretschaufele]

"It must me witchcraft that seduced these men away from their wives, etc." It couldn't be these men were lustful with no brains for the consequences.

[loveli]

Lindsay this is truly just in time for me. Having a very bad mental health day, looking for any comfort show to distract me, and then poof-- new video from you. Thank you for all that you do! Your reach is so much further than you know.

[jamellfoster]

*So Henry VIII was the grandson of an alleged witch 🧙‍♀️ & married as his 2nd wife an alleged witch 🧙‍♀️. Also, Henry's Mom, Elizabeth of York also alleged dabbled in witchcraft...

[lilliedoubleyou]

"Witchcraft was a convenient accusation to level against ..." This sentiment was basically the going thesis of my Colonial America professor, who believed that the main reasons for the calling out of the Salem women were primarily motivated by economic gain and personal retribution for perceived past slights. The inner circle of the girls apparently had very well connected parents who seemed to pick convenient scapegoats, and not purely because they were pariahs but because they had something that the more powerful people in the society (Salem Town vs Salem Village) wanted.

[davidringmann]

Now we know why Henry VIII didn't love his daughter Mary. Because she too was a witch. But seriously, accusing a woman of witchcraft was a very conveniant way to get rid of or at least to silence them.

[thevaleyard]

I'll never understand how witches could be burned, but occultists like John Dee were valued advisors. What's the difference?

[janeyrevanescence]

You know what, Miss Lindsay? You've just inspired me!

I'm going to write a novel about a witch who become royalty and hijinks ensure.

Thank you so much!

[timothypruitt]

This was a lovely and very interesting video. Three of these women are direct relatives of mine, a fourth is via marriage. We have told their stories and that of Melusine whom the bloodline of at least two of these women were said to have descended from for centuries. My grandfather would always jest and tell me not to make my grandmother angry as she came from a long line of witches. I thought he was just telling amusing tales until I was old enough to actually read the books that had been written about these ladies. Thanks so very much for this! I really did enjoy this.

[TimothySmith]

My Daughter and I each watch your videos. Then we talk about them. She just loves your videos. She is sixteen and a history buff like her dad. She leans more towards the Royals. Where I lean more towards both the World Wars and the Civil War. I got my love for them from my Father.

[llouie]

I appreciate that you sometimes mention where particular popular portrayals emerge or get reinforced for these historic figures. I enjoy your videos a lot, especially because I struggle to keep up with the events before the Tudor era and it's amazing how often fairy tale and fictional versions actually have a real life counterpart (queen's shaming walk, future queen encountered in the forest)

[NRD]

An excellent and detailed video on royal witches right in the middle of spooky season. Thanks for the upload.

[annacalifornia]

Anybody else sees the pattern. As soon as a man lets the other brain control him, the woman is accused of being a witch. Hmmm?

[mutantsupremacies]

it’s insane how a lot of royal women die during childbirth and then others have 14 children

[julijepp]

Your first video for me was your video on Elvira, Vampira, Lily Munster and Morticia Addams so I am wuite happy with this full circle witchy video!

[theelitemanticore]

No one:
Still no one:

When a woman possesses knowledge…
*A WITCH!* 🫵🔥

[zeph]

Also I would like to add that after King James edited the Bible and wrote his book about demonology and "witchcraft", it opened the door for much abuse of not only Pagans but also members of the nobility and royals who were accused of witchcraft, by people with agendas. Anyone who was disliked by someone or envied by them for whatever reason, or whom that person wanted to get rid of, could be accused and persecuted .. Just ask Anne Boleyn.

[danielsantiagourtado]

Congrats on almost reaching 1 M subs! You deserve all of them! 😊😊😊😊😊😊

[BloodRosen]

These poor women were murdered, locked up ect because of greedy ass men

[avaglennon]

Woah, surviving an arrow in the face at that time is some miracle!