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Legal Proceedings in Mexico City
By Madelyn H.
The legal trials of the Inquisition looked very different from what we understand to be legal proceedings. There was no guilty before proven innocent or found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The Inquisition was a set of legal proceedings performed by the Catholic Church to combat heresy. While the prosecutions spanned numerous reasons for violating the Church, this post will focus on those that involved the suspicion of superstitions, sorcery, and magic. In New Spain, the trials occurred from 1536 to 1820. Despite the fact that the Mexican Inquisition leaders received thousands of allegations of witchcraft and magic, such as the use of charms, spells, incantations, or reading cards, dice, and bones during the edict of the faith, the court only held about seventy-six trials for the suspicion of magic.[1]
The judicial process varied depending on the specific region and the inquisitorial jurisdiction, as well as the details of the accused crime. They typically followed a general roadmap of an accusation, followed by an investigation, then an arrest, interrogation, and a trial, concluded by a verdict and a punishment. To better understand this process, this post will focus on the trial proceedings of María de Armenta for the: “crimes of sorcery and witchcraft involving a demonic pact” from Mexico City beginning in 1536.[2]
The ordeal for María de Armenta began with an accusation from Ana Pérez. She took an oath in front of the church and declared that she had seen María de Armenta casting spells with an old Indian woman. When Ana asked what she was doing, María replied, “If you wish, I can make any man come to you and be with you just as if he had had his hands tied behind him.”[3] During the Inquisition, this was known as a love spell, which was considered a violation of the church because they are meant to invoke supernatural forces outside of the divine. Hence, Ana cited that María warned her not to tell anyone what she had been doing.
The next steps of the legal proceedings led to a confession from María de Armenta. Although it is not explicitly stated, it can be assumed that María experienced some form of interrogation. The written text provides the questions she was asked, starting with inquiries about her baptism and what she knew about the Faith. Then, they demanded to know if María was aware that casting spells and invoking the Devil were sins, and if so, why would she do this.[4] María pleaded that she knew she wanted to marry a man, and a woman approached her saying that she could guarantee this, and therefore, she got involved in these practices unknowingly.[5] Following this confession, the Inquisitor published a number of documents, including an “Admonishment,” “Formal Accusation,” and “Definitive Sentence.”[6]
The Definitive Sentence for María de Armenta required a multitude of punishments. She was told to stand with a cap of shame during church services and to strip naked to the waist.[7] This symbolic display aimed to communicate to the community that she had committed a socially unacceptable act, marking her with visible disgrace. Furthermore, the public nature of these measures served as a form of community surveillance, encouraging individuals to report suspicions and reinforcing prevailing social norms and religious values. As a final act of María's punishment, she was banished and exiled from the City of Mexico and was not allowed to return under the circumstances of excommunication.
References
References
[1] John F. Chuchiak, ed., The Inquisition in New Spain, 1536-1820: A Documentary History (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012), 292.
[2] John F. Chuchiak, ed., The Inquisition in New Spain, 293.
[3] John F. Chuchiak, ed., The Inquisition in New Spain, 294.
[4] John F. Chuchiak, ed., The Inquisition in New Spain, 295.
[5] John F. Chuchiak, ed., The Inquisition in New Spain, 295.
[6] John F. Chuchiak, ed., The Inquisition in New Spain, 296.
[7] John F. Chuchiak, ed., The Inquisition in New Spain, 297.
The Trier Witch Trials:
1581-1593
The Trier Witch Trials:
1581-1593
By Sam Milberg & Graham Ross
Google Maps (2024) Location of Trier, Germany. Available at: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Trier,+Germany/@49.7776847,6.3376381,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x47957c9bd11cfbc5:0xfe0ca3a54dcd724b!8m2!3d49.7500569!4d6.637189!16zL20vMDdnZHc?entry=ttu
The Trier Witch Trials are known as the largest hunts in Germany. Originally a settlement of the Holy Roman Empire, the city of Trier borders what is today known as Luxembourg.[1] The history of Trier’s association with witchcraft dates back to the mid-15th century. Like many European witch hunts, the primary motivation for Trier was seen as a religious movement against Protestants. At the head of the hunts was “newly-appointed Archbishop Johann von Schöneburg, who ordered a purge against suspected witches to prove his loyalty to the Jesuits.”[2]
References
References
[1] “Trier: The World’s Worst Witch Hunts?” Just History Posts, November 9, 2023. https://justhistoryposts.com/2023/11/17/trier-the-worlds-worst-witch-hunts/.
[2] “Trier: The World’s Worst Witch Hunts?” Just History Posts, November 9, 2023.
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