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Inside the Witch Trials: Iceland | The Men Who Burned As Witches

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

22-10-2024 • 32 mins

When we think of the witch trials, we often think of women being charged.


Whilst misogyny was at the heart of many of the witch trials, this isn't the full story.


In this second episode of a limited series, Inside the Witch Trials, we go back to the the Westfjords of Iceland, to find out why it was mostly men, not women, who were burned at the stake for witchcraft.


How did society differ to the rest of Europe at this time? How did Iceland's history of magic impact ideas around witchcraft? And what hope did you have if you were accused of being a witch?


Kate is joined by Dr. Ólína Kjerulf Þorvarðardóttir, Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Bifröst.


This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.


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