History

?
View mindmap
  • JAMES VI
    • ANNE OF DENMARK
      • James married 14 year old Anne of Denmark.
      • Anne attempted to sail to Scotland 3 times but failed due to storms.
        • Admiral,Peter Munk attributed the storms to Witchcraft.
      • James travelled to Denmark to see Anne.
        • In Denmark, James met many scientists and philosophers.
      • There was no evidence to suggest James was interested in witchcraft before 1590.
    • WITCH TRIALS
      • Agnes Sampson
        • James became interested in Sampson's case as she had been asked if she was responsible for the storms.
          • It's likely she would've confessed to anything after all the pain and sleep deprivation.
        • James interrogated and examined Sampson himself.
          • During her interrogation, James suggested the things she confessed to were so miraculous, she must've been a liar. - Still some scepticism?
            • Sampson took James aside and whispered the exact words he had said to Anne of their first night of marriage. This convinced James.
    • CHILDHOOD
      • James' childhood was marked by a political crisis.
        • His father was murdered when James was 8 months old.
          • His mother, Mary Queen of Scots then married the 4th Earl of Bothwell, who was said to be responsible for his father's death.
            • There was an uprising against Mary, so she fled to England. She was imprisoned and executed.
              • This made James very conscious of plots against him. - Possibly why he took an interest in witchcraft?
      • James had a deeply religious childhood,
        • This may have encouraged him to believe in the Devil.
    • TORTURE
      • James approved of the use of torture.
        • Allowed it to be used on Agnes Sampson, Gilly Duncan, John Fian.
      • In Scotland, torture could only be used if officially sanctioned by the Privy Council, but James' personal involvement ensured it was widely used.
    • 1597 DAEMONOLOGIE
      • Presented as a dialogue between Philomathes (a sceptic of magic) and Epistemon (enlightens Philomathes on the subject)
      • Proves a guide for identifying witches: the witches mark, the swimming test.
        • The best cure to demonic possession is prayer and fasting.
    • EARL OF BOTHWELL
      • First cousin of James. Next in line if Jame did not have a child.
        • Monarchy was relatively weak, political instability?
      • Tried to plot against James. Agnes confessed her had asked her to send a familiar to kill James.
      • Bothwell had suggested James visit Anne.
        • 1593 Bothwell was given a Royal Pardon and cleared of witchcraft charges. This was withdrawn the next month and he had to go into exile..

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all WC resources »