8. The End of the Witch Hunt... Or was it?

For centuries, thousands of people across Europe were accused, tortured and executed for crimes we now know were impossible. And then, it stopped. But why? Did science finally triumph over superstition? Did governments develop a conscience? Did judges begin to question the evidence? Or did hunting witches simply become very unfashionable? In this episode of Witches: Truth, Trials and Terrors, Jon Briggs is joined by historians Robin Briggs and Professor Julian Goodare to unravel one of the most surprising chapters in the story of European witch persecution. Discover why the witch hunts ended at different times in different places, who dared to challenge them, and why some of the people who helped bring them to an end still believed witches were real. Because stopping the executions was one thing. Stopping people believing in witches was quite another. Send us Fan Mail If you've enjoyed this episode - please follow, subscribe and comment so that we can continue creating more historical highlights. A Showstealers Ltd Production