Inside the Icelandic Witch Trials

Picture a witch. Chances are, you're thinking of a woman.

But in 17th century Iceland, over 90% of the people killed for being a witch, were men.

Why were more men being accused than women for being a witch? And what happened inside their trials?

Today we're revisiting an episode from 2024 to take you back inside the Icelandic Witch Trials. Kate is joined by Dr. Ólína Kjerulf Þorvarðardóttir, Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Bifröst.

You can also watch Kate explore Icelandic witch trials further, in a brand new documentary for History Hit. Watch Witchmen: Witch Trials in the Land of Fire and Ice on HistoryHit.com, now.

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

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

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