The Witch-Hunt in Scotland and England Under the Reign of King James VI (I)

Abstract

King James VI(I) ascended the Scottish throne in 1567 and the English throne in 1603 after the abdication of Mary Stuart and the death of Elizabeth I respectively. King James VI(I) the first monarch of the Stuart dynasty in England left his mark on history as a royal witch hunter due to his obsession with witches. James VI(I) who believed in the supernatural and malignant nature of witchcraft wrote Daemonologie on witchcraft, published in Scotland and later in England. James VI(I) even inspired Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Since the witch- hunt was widespread in Europe from the 14th century to the 17th century due to religious reasons, the witch-hunt in Scotland and England is not an exceptional example in European history. However, behind the witch-hunt in Scotland and England during the reign of James VI(I), there are personal reasons along with religious conditions that caused the king's obsession with witches. The purpose of this article is to shed light on the religious and personal reasons for the witch- hunt in Scotland and England during the reign of King James VI(I).

Keywords

• King James VI(I)
• witch hunt
• Catholic Church
• reformation

Kral VI. (1.) James Döneminde İskoçya'da ve İngiltere'de Cadı Avı

Abstract

Kral VI(I). James 1567'de Kraliçe Mary Stuart'ın tahttan çekilmesi sonrası İskoçya tahtına, 1603’de Kraliçe I.Elizabeth'in vefatından sonra İngiltere tahtına çıkmıştır. İngiltere'de Stuart hanedanlığının ilk monarkı olan VI(I). James cadılık meselesine ve cadı avına olan ilgisi nedeniyle “cadı avcısı kral” olarak tarihe iz bırakmıştır. Cadılığın doğaüstü ve kötücül doğasına inanan Kral James cadılık üzerine Daemonologie adlı eseri bizzat kaleme almış, hatta Shakespeare'in Macbeth’ine ilham kaynağı olmuştur. 14. yüzyıldan 17. yüzyıla kadar olan dönemde Avrupa’da cadı avı yaygın olduğundan, VI(I). James döneminde İskoçya’da ve İngiltere'deki cadı avı Avrupa tarihi açısından istisnai bir örnek değildir. Ancak James döneminde İskoçya’da ve İngiltere'de yürütülen cadı avının arkasında, Kıta Avrupası’nda olduğu gibi dini koşulların yanı sıra, kralın cadı avına ilgi duymasına sebep olan kişisel nedenler de yatmaktadır. Bu makalenin amacı Kral VI(I). James'in İskoçya’da ve İngiltere'de yürüttüğü cadı avının nedenlerine James’in, dönemin dini koşullarından da kaynaklanan, kişisel deneyimleri düzeyinde ışık tutmaktır.

Keywords

• cadı avı
• Katolik Kilisesi
• reformasyon
• Kral VI. (I) James

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