Source books · Witchcraft and demonology
La Sorcière
How this book fits
- Traditions
- Witchcraft and demonology
- Role in the tradition
- Secondary source A study of the tradition from outside it: history, scholarship, anthropology or reference.
- Public attention
- Notable Wikipedia has an article about it in 7 languages.
Read it
- Allinson's translation ↗ gutenberg.org checked September 11, 2026
- in French ↗ gutenberg.org checked September 11, 2026
From Wikipedia
Satanism and Witchcraft is a book by Jules Michelet on the history of witchcraft. Originally published in Paris as La Sorcière in 1862, the first English translation appeared in London a year later. Michelet portrays the life of witches and trials held for witchcraft, and argues that medieval witchcraft was a righteous act of rebellion by the lower classes against feudalism and the Roman Catholic Church. Although his book is thought to be largely inaccurate, it is notable for being one of the first sympathetic histories of witchcraft.
From the Wikipedia article Satanism and Witchcraft (book), revision 1362322773, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata Q3212902: “essay by Jules Michelet”.