How Did Medieval People Think Witchcraft Worked?

Get early episodes & ad-free audio on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DrowsyHistorian Witchcraft in medieval Europe was not a fringe superstition but part of the way people understood the world itself. From spoiled milk and ruined bread to storms, illness, and sudden death, misfortune was never seen as chance — it was evidence of malice, of curses whispered by neighbors, or of alliances made with darker powers. This video explores how medieval people thought witchcraft worked: the charms and poppets, the imagined pacts with the Devil, the fear of night flights and sabbaths, the ordeals of trials, and the cultural paranoia that turned suspicion into accusation. In a world alive with saints, relics, angels, demons, and witches, nothing happened without reason. Witchcraft gave meaning to suffering, villains to blame, and order to chaos. To understand it is to step into a universe where reality itself bent to belief. 🛏️ Drowsy Historian’s Favorite Sleep Tools Looking to upgrade your nighttime routine? These are a few things I personally use or recommend: • Sleep Earbuds for Enhanced Immersion → https://amzn.to/4pVFoJy • Blanket Soft Enough to Make the Plague Feel Tolerable → https://amzn.to/3GSOq8f • Weighted Blanket for Pretending You’re a Mummified Pharaoh → https://amzn.to/4kVJCgE • Sleep Mask Headphones For Total Historical Escape → https://amzn.to/4nWsNVn • Book Light for Reading About Plagues at 2AM → https://amzn.to/4eSg0iu • White Noise Machine for Blocking Out the 21st Century → https://amzn.to/3GJ9jTw These are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show while staying cozy. #MedievalHistory #Witchcraft #DrowsyHistorian #DarkHistory #HistoryForSleep